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About Hoien Realty

Hoien Realty has worked the Iowa Great Lakes real estate market since 1952. What began as a single-broker agency founded by Blaine Hoien in Spirit Lake, Iowa is now a multi-generational family brokerage serving buyers and sellers across Big Spirit Lake, East and West Lake Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Milford, Wahpeton, and the surrounding Dickinson County communities. Three generations of the Hoien family have built this firm on one principle: knowing this market cold so our clients don't have to.

  • 74+ years serving the Iowa Great Lakes

  • Three generations of family ownership

  • CRS-designated principal broker

  • 4.9-star Google rating

The Hoien Family Story

Blaine Hoien founded the agency in 1952 with three guiding values: trust, knowledge, and genuine care for every client. Over more than seven decades, those values have remained the foundation of the business while the market itself has changed many times over. The Iowa Great Lakes that Blaine started selling in the early 1950s, with its small lake cabins and quiet shoreline communities, has grown into one of the most active recreational real estate markets in the upper Midwest. Through every cycle, Hoien Realty has adapted while staying rooted in the same family principles.

Eric Hoien joined the family business in 1984 and has worked Iowa Great Lakes real estate continuously since. Over more than four decades, Eric has handled transactions through every type of market this region produces: hot seller's markets, cold buyer's markets, appreciating cycles, depreciating cycles, and the years that look like none of the above. That experience translates directly into how the team advises clients today. Instead of fighting the market, we help clients respond to it.

The Hoien Realty office at 1723 Hill Avenue in downtown Spirit Lake has been the brokerage's home for decades, sitting at the heart of the year-round commercial corridor that anchors the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Our Team Approach

Today's Hoien Realty team includes licensed Realtors® who specialize in different parts of the Iowa Great Lakes market: lakefront and lakeshore properties, in-town residential homes, vacant land, commercial real estate, and relocation. Many of our agents are lifelong residents of the area. Each new transaction is matched to the agent whose specialization best fits the property type and the client's goals, so buyers and sellers work with someone who genuinely knows the niche they're operating in.

The team-based approach also means clients have continuity of service. When a primary agent is unavailable, another team member can step in with the same baseline knowledge of the property, the contract, and the client's preferences. That continuity matters in a market where lakefront listings can move within hours and where buyers from out of state often need rapid response across time zones.

Meet our full team

Credentials and Professional Standards

Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

Eric Hoien holds the Certified Residential Specialist designation, an advanced credential granted by the Residential Real Estate Council. CRS agents complete extensive coursework in residential real estate and meet rigorous transaction-volume and ethical-conduct requirements to earn and maintain the designation. Fewer than 4% of Realtors® nationwide hold the CRS. For Iowa Great Lakes buyers and sellers, that means working with a broker whose credentials reflect both decades of experience and ongoing professional development.

Industry Memberships

Hoien Realty agents are members of the National Association of Realtors® and the Iowa Association of Realtors®, and the brokerage participates in the regional MLS that covers Dickinson County and surrounding areas. Every agent on the team is a licensed Realtor®, which means they are bound by the NAR Code of Ethics in addition to Iowa state licensing requirements.

Where We Work

Hoien Realty serves the entire Iowa Great Lakes region. Our primary market includes:

  • Big Spirit Lake, the largest natural lake in Iowa

  • West Lake Okoboji, the iconic spring-fed blue-water lake

  • East Lake Okoboji, connected to Big Spirit by channel

  • Spirit Lake, the year-round county seat where our office is located

  • Okoboji and West Okoboji, the resort communities that define the region's reputation

  • Arnolds Park, home of the historic amusement park and summer entertainment hub

  • Milford, Wahpeton, Lake Park, and Orleans, the surrounding lake-area communities

  • Great Lakes golf course communities, including Brooks National, Emerald Hills, Indian Hills, and Okoboji View

Beyond residential lake real estate, we also represent buyers and sellers of commercial properties and vacant land throughout Dickinson County.

What Sets Hoien Realty Apart

Buyers and sellers have plenty of choices in the Iowa Great Lakes. The depth of local knowledge built over three generations of continuous market experience is what we offer that newer agencies cannot.

  • Continuous family operation since 1952. The institutional memory of how this market has behaved over seven-plus decades informs every transaction we handle.

  • Direct shoreline knowledge. We know the practical differences between Big Spirit's east and west shores, between Templar Park and Crandall's Beach, between Marble Beach and Orleans Beach.

  • Lot-level detail. We know which buildable lots will pass perc testing, which association covenants restrict short-term rentals, and which channel properties have dock-permit limitations.

  • Off-market relationships. Three generations of community relationships surface opportunities that never reach the MLS.

  • Full-team coverage. Our licensed Realtors® cover every property category: lakefront, lake-access, in-town, commercial, and vacant land.

  • Year-round presence. Our Spirit Lake office is open Monday through Friday year-round, not just during summer peak season.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hoien Realty

How long has Hoien Realty been serving the Iowa Great Lakes?

Hoien Realty was founded in Spirit Lake, Iowa in 1952. The agency has worked the Iowa Great Lakes market continuously since then, with three generations of the Hoien family building the brokerage's reputation across more than seven decades. The firm was founded by Blaine Hoien and has been led by Eric Hoien since the mid-1980s.

Is Hoien Realty a family-owned business?

Yes. Hoien Realty has been family-owned and operated since Blaine Hoien founded the agency in 1952. Eric Hoien joined the business in 1984 and serves as the principal broker today. Family ownership across multiple generations means consistent values, direct accountability, and a depth of institutional knowledge about the Iowa Great Lakes market that newer agencies cannot replicate.

What is the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation?

The Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) is an advanced professional designation granted by the Residential Real Estate Council. CRS-designated agents must complete extensive coursework in residential real estate and meet rigorous transaction-volume and ethical-conduct requirements. Fewer than 4% of Realtors® nationwide hold the CRS. Eric Hoien holds this designation, reflecting both decades of experience and ongoing professional development.

What geographic areas does Hoien Realty serve?

Hoien Realty serves the entire Iowa Great Lakes region, including the towns of Spirit Lake, Okoboji, West Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Milford, Wahpeton, Lake Park, and Orleans. The team specializes in lakefront, lake-access, and in-town properties on Big Spirit Lake, East Lake Okoboji, and West Lake Okoboji. Hoien Realty also handles commercial real estate and vacant land throughout Dickinson County.

Does Hoien Realty handle commercial real estate?

Yes. Hoien Realty represents buyers, sellers, and investors in commercial real estate transactions throughout Dickinson County. The team handles retail, office, mixed-use, and investment properties across the Iowa Great Lakes region. Commercial clients benefit from the same long-term local market knowledge that informs the firm's residential work.

Can Hoien Realty help buyers relocating from out of state?

Yes. A significant portion of Iowa Great Lakes buyers come from the Twin Cities, Des Moines, Omaha, Chicago, and other regional markets. Hoien Realty agents help out-of-state buyers understand the differences between lakes, communities, and property types, coordinate showings during visits to the area, and manage the transaction remotely when needed. The team also makes referrals to local lenders, inspectors, and contractors familiar with lake-area properties.

What types of properties does the team specialize in?

Hoien Realty specializes in five property categories: lakefront homes on Big Spirit Lake, East Lake Okoboji, and West Lake Okoboji; lake-access and association-shoreline homes one or two lots back from the water; in-town residential homes within Spirit Lake, Okoboji, and surrounding communities; vacant land for buyers wanting to build; and commercial real estate throughout Dickinson County. Each agent on the team has a primary specialization, and clients are matched accordingly.

How can I start working with Hoien Realty?

The fastest way to start working with Hoien Realty is to call our Spirit Lake office at (712) 336-2790 during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Buyers and sellers can also send a message through our contact page or browse current listings in our active properties database. A team member will respond within one business day to begin the consultation.

Start Your Iowa Great Lakes Real Estate Journey

Three generations of experience. One conversation away. Whether you're buying a Big Spirit Lake lakefront home, selling a longtime family property, or relocating to the Iowa Great Lakes from out of state, Hoien Realty has the local depth to make sure your transaction is the one you wanted.

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Hoien Realty

1723 Hill Avenue
Spirit Lake, IA 51360

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed Saturday and Sunday