Jim Buchta
Reporter
Residential real estateBuchta has taken breaks from those beats to edit the Star Tribune's Real Estate sections and Travel, and to ghost write a book about getaway homes. He also has an intense interest in architecture, agriculture and the environment. He lives part-time on a tree farm and has a particular expertise in building science and food.
Latest from Jim Buchta
Editor's Pick
Move over, Twin Cities, small towns were Minnesota’s 2025 hottest housing markets
Lake-home seekers, remote workers and bargain hunters helped propel outstate areas to the top of the Minnesota Star Tribune’s 10th-annual Hot Housing Index.
February 20, 2026
The highs and lows of Minnesota’s 2025 housing market
Different metrics may appeal to different buyers in the Minnesota Star Tribune’s 10th-annual Hot Housing Index.
February 20, 2026
Twin Cities tiny homes on the market for budget-conscious buyers
From small single-family houses to efficient condos, there are several affordable options around Minnesota for prospective homeowners.
January 30, 2026
More than just a slow winter? Twin Cities had steep drop in December home sales
Compared to the prior year, there was a double-digit decline in the number of signed purchase agreements across the metro last month, posing some concern this isn’t just a typical seasonal dip.
January 16, 2026
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Former Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns sells Medina estate for $4.75M
Prior to the basketball star, Twin Cities auto dealer and convicted fraudster Denny Hecker had lived in the home.
January 13, 2026
Why white might be the new gray for home sellers
Can Cloud Dancer white replace the more than 50 shades of gray that for years seemed to be the go-to for buyers and sellers?
January 2, 2026
Expect even more homebuying assistance competition after fed rule
House hunters in need of down payment or closing cost funds have options, but they’ll need to apply early in the year to secure financial help.
January 1, 2026
Minneapolis grain silo for sale near the U a ‘long shot’ for redevelopment
Near Malcolm Yards and Huntington Bank Stadium, the site is in the right place but in major disrepair.
December 28, 2025
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A bulk of Minnesota’s housing market is slowing down
As first-time buyers sit on the sidelines, luxury homebuyers have been driving the market and edging up prices.
December 16, 2025
For $2.25M, a concrete compound in Farmington ‘ideal for doomsday preppers’
A former Cold War-era missile launch site is among three Minnesota listings with their own “safe rooms.”
December 5, 2025
Consumer anxiety hastens winter chill for Twin Cities housing market
Sales are on pace to outpace last year, but purchase orders were down in October and homes were on the market longer.
November 19, 2025
High mortgage rates halve number of working-class homebuyers in the Twin Cities
A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found a more than 60% drop in homebuyers with modest budgets from 2021-24. Meanwhile, sales of more expensive homes rose.
November 18, 2025
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