Who We Are 

Knoblauch Builders LLC is a Minnesota company started in 1999 by John and Sharon Knoblauch. John and Sharon met at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. John completed a degree in business administration while Sharon received a degree in accounting. The couple graduated in 1984 and were married three years later. Soon after, they had three beautiful children, Joseph, David and Sarah.

Prior to starting Knoblauch Builders, John was a designer and lead coordinator for 12 years. He oversaw the construction of over 300 homes with his own real estate brokerage company named Metro Area Properties Incorporated, representing a company called Deutsch construction located in New Prague, Minnesota.  Out of college, Sharon worked as an accountant. She is now the full time business manager, accountant, and designer for Knoblauch Builders. She is also a real estate agent for our brokerage clients.

Through Knoblauch Builders, John and Sharon have built over 170 homes and have completed over 30 remodel projects and basement finishes. John and Sharon can help you with building your new home, or remodel your existing home through Knoblauch Builders. You are also welcome to take advantage of our real estate brokerage company, Metro Area Properties, to sell your existing home.

Family History

In 1855, John’s great grandfather, Anton Knoblauch, came down the Minnesota River from St. Paul on a paddle wheeler and got off the boat at Carver, Minnesota. He Prospered in this new land of opportunity where he operated a grain elevator and a bank. He and his wife, Anna, raised a family which included John’s great-grandfather, William Joseph.

In 1910, William and his wife Edith moved to a homestead site on the north side of Carver county where they operated a fruit farm and William became the director of the Excelsior Fruit Growers Association. William and Edith had three children, Marguerite, Marc and Charles. John’s grandfather was Marc. Marguerite lived at the homestead site until she was 101 years old. John and his father, Joe, purchased the property from Marguerite and her brother Charles in September of 1995. This started the development of Knob Hill Lane. John and Sharon designed, developed, and built their own home along with 20 of their neighbor’s homes on this historical land.

John Knoblauch, the youngest of 6 children, grew up in Hopkins under the shadow of parents, Joe and Margie Knoblauch. Joe was a school principal in Hopkins for over 30 years and was also a real estate developer/investor.

Sharon Walter grew up in Chaska on highway 41, which was still a small rural dirt road when she was born. Her parents, Dallan and Donna walter, were proud hardworking folks with Dallan’s ornamental iron work known throughout the region.