Barbara Smith always had an eye out for a condo at The Reflections, a luxury condo building in the South Loop District in Bloomington.
She adored the tall glassy, exterior and views of nature from a friend's condo. So when Smith and her husband became empty nesters during the pandemic, they jumped on the opportunity to not only downsize but also live in a place that was close to everything.
"We started looking around for where was close to the light rail, biking trails and had an urban feel. We kept coming back to this area," she said. "We'd drive over and park and walk around and really fell in love with it."
Now the couple, who have been splitting their time between Minnesota and Florida, are selling the one-bedroom, one-bathroom since both their children have also moved down South. Besides the location, the condo itself is LEED certified and housing association-run.
"I'm going to miss it all," Smith said. "It's so perfect for us and I always say that if we move back to Minnesota, we'd move back to that building."
Condo living
When Smith and her husband purchased the condo, built in 2005, two years ago, it was turnkey ready. They enjoyed the look so much that they didn't need to make many updates.
"It's a loft feel with the barn doors," she said. "It's a great use of space and we liked the modern and neutral colors throughout it. We didn't have to do anything at all."
The kitchen has all the updated appliances. One side of the living room has wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that give great views of the sunset, she said. Through the reflection from a building next to them, they can also watch the sunrise from their condo on the sixth floor.
"We have a 360 view. I was Facetimeing my daughter the other day and we could see the storms during the sunset. ... the clouds were pink and red and huge," Smith said. "We have an amazing view from all around our condo."
The building includes a large party room with a full kitchen, couches, televisions and a game area, as well as internet, Direct TV, water and some interior maintenance, such as changing air filters. The housing association also holds events like cards and book clubs for residents to meet one another.
The building itself was built with the environment in mind, she added. All the condos were designed to have the maximum amount of natural light. Sustainable and recycled materials were used whenever possible in its construction.
"The homeowner association is always looking for ways to improve the building's environmental impact," she said.
Location, location, location
Truly no place beats its location in Minnesota, Smith said. Flying back and forth from Florida — its close proximity to the airport made it a perfect landing pad.
The nearby Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge provides much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of life, and trails connect to Fort Snelling State Park, too.
"The rabbits are insane there's so many of them right now down on the trail for the wildlife preserve," she said. "I've seen an 8 point buck right there, scared the crap out of me and we also see coyotes, deer and lots of birds."
Bridgette L Prew (952-495-3053, Bridgette.Prew@Redfin.com) has the $285,000 listing.
