We all know you can do a Google search, or check Yelp for a restaurant review or Indeed for a local job…but how about diving really deep into a local community? Whether you are looking to get more connected to your current community, or you are exploring other cities as a possibility for relocation down the road, here are some of my favorite sites for learning more.

Great online news and event sources

Nextdoor App – In the Google or Play store, you can find Nextdoor…it’s like Facebook but with your neighbors. Lost your dog? THIS is the place to post. Want to know if the power went out for anyone else, also, log into Nextdoor. From posting your local organization’s BINGO event to offering up free junk at the end of your driveway, you can’t beat the easiest way to connect with your immediate neighbors. I’ve seen people with broken arms ask for assistance shoveling, teenagers looking to find babysitting jobs, and even neighbors reporting a suspicious vehicle driving around slowly at night. And if you have a local business, you can list it and post for free.

The Patch – This site provides a hyper-focus on over 1,200 cities all over the US. In MN, The Patch is limited to Twin Cities primarily but that does include the south metro communities (Lakeville, Burnsville, Rosemount, Shakopee, even down to Northfield). You choose your “home community” (mine is Lakeville, for example) but you can follow nearby communities as well. The Patch features local news and events written by both staff and community members. Patch welcomes and encourages community members to post directly to the site – so check it out and even consider adding some local content!

Newsbreak – This site is similar (although, more esthetically pleasing if that matters, in my opinion) to The Patch. The app has more functionality than the website, providing push alerts to breaking news and allowing the user to contribute local video content. You can follow as many communities as you like and news sources come from a huge variety of sources (over 10K!). The site/app also features local events and weather.

Bring Me The News – Locally owned and focused on all things Minnesota, Bring Me The News has the most important, interesting, and entertaining news and sports happening right now. This company focuses on delivering digestible, contextualized stories in a fast-paced world, at a time when it can be tough to cut through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle.

Southern Minnesota News – This site features regional and state news headlines.

SouthernMinn.com – This site has local news, jobs, obituaries, and daily newsletters.

Southeast MN Homes.com – Shameless plug, but my website features up-to-the-minute real estate information you can check out anytime on your phone or PC!