Michele Bachmann's new digs

Michele Bachmann's new digs

While Michele Bachmann has been busy blaming poor people and minorities for the Wall Street meltdown and housing foreclosures, she’s also been busy dealing with her own housing crisis: how to sell her toney Stillwater home and move into her new $1.27 million manor overlooking the 18th hole of Stoneridge Golf Course in West Lakeland Township.

Bachmann and her husband, Marcus, listed their 3,200-square-foot Stillwater home this summer at $359,000. It’s still for sale. Their palatial new digs on the golf course are considerably larger, at 5,200 square feet. Built in 2005 on 3.22 acres, it carried an original price tag of $1.75 million, but was listed for as low as $949,900 this summer. Its 2008 assessed value is $1,271,800, down from $1,290,500 in 2007. The Bachmanns’ purchase price is not known.

In 2007, it was featured as a “Dream Home” in the Parade of Homes tour.

“Casual elegance defined by deep rich colors and textures is presented in a European flavor throughout this four-bedroom walkout residence,” the listing read. “The stone exterior with a grand manor roof sets the stage for this dream home overlooking the 18th hole of the Stoneridge Golf Course.

“The arched stone entry is complimented with a western red cedar distressed door with iron highlights. Once inside the foyer, iron rails and hand scraped walnut plank flooring invites you into the gallery where arched openings lead to the magnificent main floor spaces.

”Both the formal dining adjacent to the foyer and a quaint breakfast bay overlook the golf course allowing for quality entertaining or a casual living atmosphere.”

Few amenities were spared: maple kitchen with granite and limestone countertops, powder room, wine cellar, bar, exercise room, resource room, four bathrooms, spa, fully paneled library with a see-through fireplace. And, of course, a three-car garage.

With all that space for “quality entertaining,” Bachmann may not have to go to Lake Minnetonka the next time George Bush or Dick Cheney come to town to raise money for her. She can have them out to her million-dollar country chateau on the back nine at Stoneridge instead.

Not bad for someone who’s never known anything but a government paycheck.