What is this area generally like? Upscale?

Yes

It's the most desirable area in the MSP metro (around the lake).

It's where lutherans who succumb to yuppie fever are banished. Mostly populated by people who desire to be trendy and cool but don't sufficiently get it to live in St. Paul.

Whooooo, look at the big green eyed monster climbing out of Cordelia's head. Like somethin out of Alien.

Please don't try to claim that the Lake Minnetonka area is somehow undesirable vs. St. Paul.
That's like trying to argue that most people would be happier in Fargo ND than Santa Barbara CA.

Lee - Minnetonka has a lot of very nice areas around the lake, it is trendy in the summer with all of the boaters. Housing is quite pricey just about anywhere in the metropolian area these days.

Minnetonka is a large suburb (just like Lake Minnetonka is a large lake) Parts of Minnetonka are your basic suburbs (heck, I used to live there and I'm certainly not made of $) and parts (generally the parts around the lake) are definitely upscale.

Lee - Minnetonka has a lot of very nice areas around the lake, it is trendy in the summer with all of the boaters. Housing is quite pricey just about anywhere in the metropolian area these days.

Lee - Minnetonka has a lot of very nice areas around the lake, it is trendy in the summer with all of the boaters. Housing is quite pricey just about anywhere in the metropolian area these days.

Sorry, bp, but your post made me chuckle. As a former MN resident who now lives in So. Cal., prices in the twin cities seem very reasonable to me. We're strongly considering moving back soon so that we can afford something more than a 900-sq. ft. shack. Prices in the cities have run up a lot in the last few years, especially in the starter home range, but are still quite reasonable compared to many other metro areas around the country.

For good info on prices and real estate available in the twin cities, check out www.edinarealty.com. Also, be aware that the city of Minnetonka is on the east side of the lake. The lake is quite big and has a number of different communities surrounding it (Mound, Orono, etc.). There's a pop-up map on the edina realty website that shows a basic layout of the area. Also, they have pictures of most of the homes so you can get an idea of what you're looking at for the price.

I grew up in south Mpls. Now live in Napa. My sister and brother live on Lake Minnetonka. It is a beautiful area. Does get a little crowded in summer. They have lived there for about 40 years. We will be back there in Sept. for my high school reunion.