Loans & Drones

Loans & Drones Brian Merritt is your favorite mortgage broker guru, who also does drone videos for Realtors, clients, and the community.

09/02/2026

🏗️ Lincoln Flats is officially going DOWN… before it goes UP!

If you’ve driven past the Lincoln Flats project in Detroit Lakes lately, you’ve probably noticed one BIG change — there’s a huge hole in the ground!

Excavation is well underway for the underground parking garage, and it really puts into perspective just how substantial this new development is going to be.

Lincoln Flats will eventually bring 36 new apartment homes to Detroit Lakes, along with underground parking, a recreation club, and a unique connection to the historic Lincoln School.

Right now, though, it’s all about digging deep and building the foundation for what’s to come. It’s going to be fun watching this project rise out of the ground over the months ahead!

🎥 Take a look at the progress from above!

09/01/2026

🚨 BREAKING NEWS FROM WEST LAKE DRIVE! 🚨

The asphalt is going down RIGHT NOW! 🛣️🚧

After a summer of construction, West Lake Drive in Detroit Lakes is entering the home stretch. Crews are laying pavement today, landscaping is well underway, and you can finally see this phase of the project coming together!

And the clock is ticking… ⏰

The goal is to have this phase completed before the big Labor Day weekend, and judging by what’s happening today, they’re making a serious push for the finish line!

Take a look from above as fresh asphalt transforms West Lake Drive before our eyes. It’s been quite a journey following this project throughout the summer and it is exciting to watch it all come together.

👏 Way to go, crews - the finish line is in sight!

08/29/2026

🎶 “Standing Room Only” - A Special Moment at Rock the Ort 🌅

Some songs just seem to fit the moment perfectly.

At Rock the Ort at Ortenstone Gardens in Detroit Lakes, Patrick Murphy “Standing Room Only” provided the soundtrack for a truly beautiful evening.

As the music played, the scenery seemed to become part of the performance - the incredible sculptures and flowers throughout Ortenstone Gardens, the lake stretching into the distance, and a Minnesota sunset reflecting across the water. 🌸🎨🌅

But perhaps the most touching moment came near the end, as the audience raised their cell phones and hundreds of little lights began glowing together to the music. ✨

For a few minutes, it wasn’t just a concert. It was one of those experiences where the music, people and surroundings all came together to create a memory.

This video is my attempt to capture just a little bit of that feeling.

🎵 Patrick Murphy - “Standing Room Only”
📍 Ortenstone Gardens | Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

Hosted by Project 412

08/29/2026

🎶 ROCK THE ORT — Music, Sunset & a Perfect Detroit Lakes Evening! 🌅

There are concerts… and then there are those moments where the setting, the music and the people all come together just right.

Last night’s Rock the Ort at Ortenstone Gardens & Sculpture Park was one of those evenings thanks to Project 412.

Nashville singer-songwriters Patrick Murphy and Ben Williams didn’t just perform for the crowd — they mingled right among the audience, creating an up-close and personal experience as an absolutely incredible Detroit Lakes sunset unfolded across the lake behind them. 🎸🌅

Great music. Great people. An amazing setting. And another one of those summer nights that reminds us just how special Detroit Lakes can be.

Here’s just a short glimpse of Rock the Ort and a sunset that provided a pretty spectacular encore of its own.

08/28/2026

⛳ A New Chapter for the North 9 Bar & Grille - Valley City Town and Country Club 🚂

This week, I was asked by new owner Brian Gullickson to capture the the North 9 Bar & Grille from the air - and what a scenic setting it is in!

Brian has been putting a tremendous amount of work into restoring and improving the club, bringing new life to this beautiful property and taking it to a whole new level.

But there’s one feature that truly sets this property apart - the nearly mile-long railroad trestle stretching across the landscape and creating an incredible backdrop. You simply don’t see a setting like this at your everyday round of golf!

In this drone video, we get an up-close look at the massive trestle - and I was fortunate enough to capture a train making its way across it while I was in the air. 🚂

Between the rolling greens, the Sheyenne River, the beautiful scenery, and that unmistakable railroad trestle, the North 9 Bar & Grille - Valley City Town and Country Club is definitely worth seeing from a whole new perspective.

Congratulations to Brian on this new chapter and all the work he’s putting into making this historic club something truly special!

08/28/2026

🎉 50 YEARS IN DETROIT LAKES! 🎉

What a milestone! The Holiday Inn Detroit Lakes - Lakefront celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a special ribbon cutting alongside the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce! ✂️🎀

For half a century, the Holiday Inn has been part of the Detroit Lakes story - welcoming visitors, hosting celebrations and gatherings, and giving guests a beautiful place to experience everything our lakes area has to offer.

It’s pretty incredible to think about how much Detroit Lakes has changed over the past 50 years, while this familiar lakefront landmark has continued welcoming generation after generation of guests.

Congratulations to the entire Holiday Inn team on 50 years of hospitality in Detroit Lakes! Here’s to the memories already made - and many more still to come! 🥂🌊

08/26/2026

🏡 Lake Views from Sunrise to Sunset! 🌅🌊

Imagine starting your morning with the sun coming up over the water and ending your day watching the colors of a Minnesota sunset—all from home.

📍 49779 Trowbridge Circle, Vergas, MN

This beautiful property offers lake views you can enjoy any time of the day. Whether it’s that first cup of coffee in the morning or relaxing at the end of the evening, lake country living doesn’t get much better than this.

Interested in seeing it for yourself? Give Scott Davis at Jack Chivers Realty a call at 218-234-6544 to learn more or schedule a showing.

🎥 Take a look at the video, enjoy the views, and just imagine calling this place HOME!

08/25/2026

🚧 West Lake Drive Construction Update – The Race to Labor Day! 🚧

Things are really starting to come together along West Lake Drive in Detroit Lakes!

The sidewalks are nearly all in, and next up will be landscaping before the pavement goes down. But right now, the biggest transformation—and the primary focus of the crews—is happening at the boat ramp area at the end of Rossman Avenue. 🛥️

There’s still plenty of work to do, and it’s definitely going to be a nail-biter, but from the progress we’re seeing, it looks like they just might pull it off and have this phase completed by their goal of Labor Day Weekend!

It’s been fun documenting this project from the air and watching West Lake Drive take shape one phase at a time. We’re getting close!

08/16/2026

🐄🎉 Cormorant Daze 2026 — Meet Mayor Bobby! 🎉🐄

Only in Minnesota can you go to a community festival and come home with a cow for mayor! 😂

Cormorant Daze was in full swing yesterday, and one of the biggest moments was the election of the town’s newest honorary mayor. After years of canine leadership, the voters decided it was time for a change — and Bobby the cow got the job! 🐄 The announcement brought plenty of smiles and cheers from the crowd!

And that was just one part of an incredible day.

🎶 Enjoy the sounds of the Island Time Band as we take a quick flight over all the action — dozens of vendors, Kiddie Land, the Pedal Tractor Pull, an amazing Auto Show, great food, and people everywhere enjoying a beautiful Minnesota summer day.

There was so much more to see, taste, hear, and experience than I could possibly squeeze into this short drone video.

If you missed Cormorant Daze this year, put it on your calendar for next year. Some things you just have to experience for yourself!

And congratulations to Mayor Bobby — I'm guessing the town council meetings are about to get a little more interesting. 🐄😂

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25777 110th Street
Detroit Lakes, MN
56501

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