Home inspection in Birchwood Village.

What we see in Birchwood Village homes.

Birchwood Village was incorporated in 1921 and covers just 0.34 square miles, all land, on the south and east shore of White Bear Lake, with 863 residents in 2020. It began in the early 1900s as summer cabin country for Saint Paul families, reached by the Twin City Lines streetcar. The lakeshore subdivisions mix extensively remodeled old cottages with new construction, while newer subdivisions farther from the water have larger, more uniform lots. Cedar Street and Hall Avenue are the main routes through the village.

The mix of eras means each house needs to be read on its own. Where a cottage has been added onto, how the old and new framing meet matters, along with foundations, crawlspaces and the roof tie-ins. Near the water, grading, sump pumps, window wells and any retaining walls on the lot matter. Newer larger houses get the usual look at flashing, ventilation and mechanical age. Washington County is EPA Radon Zone 1, and MDH recommends every Minnesota home be tested.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.