North Oaks home with ‘classic midcentury feel’ and indoor pool lists for $865,000

When Rachael Weber purchased her home last year, she thought she’d never have a reason to move away.

Nestled in the north suburban community of North Oaks, the house had everything she could have hoped for and more. Bonuses included a heated pool, solarium, sauna and hot tub.

There was only one problem: It was a 20-minute drive from her children’s school in North St. Paul. As a result, Weber has put the six-bedroom, five-bathroom home spanning 4,632 square feet on the market.

“I’m sad about selling it because it’s seriously the coolest house I’ve ever been in,” said Weber, who is also the listing agent for the house. “But it’s not well suited to where we need to live.”

The split-level built in 1968 has a “classic midcentury feel” with vaulted ceilings in the living room and wood paneling in the kitchen (even on the refrigerator), according to Weber. And when she moved in with her family, she barely had to make any updates because it was so well taken care of by the previous owner.

Weber did, however, make a few modern upgrades while highlighting the home’s midcentury vibe. She removed the popcorn ceiling and wallpaper while replacing the outdated molding. Weber also renovated all the bathrooms.

Weber said the main highlight of living there is the heated indoor pool attached to the home through a solarium. The size is comparable to a standard lap pool at 25 feet long and about 8 feet deep. There’s also a shallow end for kids to play in.

“We spent countless hours in that pool. It gets so nice and warm and it smells like cedar in that room,” she said. “There’s a nice ambience. And because it’s indoors, it doesn’t get super dirty so we haven’t had to do a lot of [maintenance].”

In addition, big radiant heaters on the ceiling keep the floor warm. The pool room also attaches to a spare room with a bathroom, making it a nice option for a guest suite or a spa space, she said.

Weber said the proximity of the pool room and solarium has also been convenient.

“We have friends coming over at least twice a week because it’s so easy to host with the sunroom by the pool,” Weber said. “We will order pizza and there’s a sliding glass door that you can open up to the pool so you can be hanging out in that room and watch the kids.”

In addition to the pool, Weber has enjoyed other features of the home.

That includes the centerpiece — a wood-burning fireplace in the middle of the living room that has custom stonework, she said. Then there’s the entertainment-friendly kitchen, featuring a wine refrigerator, indoor grill and stainless steel appliances.

Weber also appreciates that the house has wall-to-wall windows on all sides with views of the woods. Plus, the primary suite has a lofted library area, balcony and a gas fireplace along with a spa-like bathroom with heated floors.

“There’s just some gorgeous natural features in the house, like the custom stonework, floor-to-ceiling cedar and pool room,” she said. “It’s thoughtfully designed.”

The house’s location also means convenient access to the nearby North Oaks Golf Club and miles of trails around Pleasant Lake, she said.

“Those are the best walking trails,” Weber said. “You get this feel like you’re up in the north woods, like you have no neighbors.”

Rachael Weber (920-574-6890, rachaeleweber@gmail.com) of Chasing Dreams Real Estate has the $865,000 listing.