About
Proud of our rental homes, proud of the people in them.
GNS Properties, LLC is a family business owned by Shawn and Paulette Hagen. The company name is the first letter of each of their three oldest daughters, Gabrielle, Nicole, and Sophia. A fourth daughter, Ava, joined the family after the company was named. Shawn and Paulette personally handle painting, repairs, lawn care, and cleaning. GNS has been in business for more than 14 years and rents exclusively in Hawley, Minnesota and Barnesville, Minnesota.
The story
What does GNS stand for?
GNS is the first letter of each of our three oldest daughters, Gabrielle, Nicole, and Sophia.
GNS is the first letter of each of our three oldest daughters names: Gabrielle, Nicole, and Sophia. When we started the company, we wanted something that reminded us, and our renters, that this is a family thing.
Our fourth daughter, Ava, joined after the name was already set. She is just as much a part of the business, even if she got in on the title a little late.
We started GNS Properties because we love taking a house that has been through a lot, putting real care into it, and turning it back into a good home for a family. Over the years, that has grown into a steady collection of rentals in Hawley and Barnesville.
How we work
Who handles maintenance at a GNS rental?
Shawn and Paulette Hagen do it themselves. No management company, no call center.
Shawn and Paulette handle the day-to-day ourselves. Painting, basic repairs, lawn care, and cleaning between renters are not tasks we hand off to a management company. We show up, we fix it, and we keep the place the way we would want it if we lived there.
That is also why it is us who answers the phone at 701-371-1724.
What we promise
Small things, done right
- Clean, move-in ready homes. We do not hand over the keys until we would be okay living in it ourselves.
- A direct line to the owners. You reach Shawn or Paulette, not a call center.
- Fair, written leases. Clear terms, no surprises.
- Equal Opportunity Renter. Always.
Our neighborhoods
Why only Hawley and Barnesville?
We are intentionally focused on these two communities. Small towns are where we grew up, and they are where our family lives. We look forward to growing carefully, but only when we can do it as well as we do it here.
Family FAQ
Questions we get about the family and the business
- Who founded GNS Properties?
- Shawn and Paulette Hagen founded GNS Properties, LLC. They still personally run the business today.
- Why is it called GNS?
- GNS is the first letter of each of the Hagens three oldest daughters, Gabrielle, Nicole, and Sophia.
- Is there a fourth Hagen daughter?
- Yes. Ava is the youngest daughter. She joined after the company was named, but she is just as much a part of the family business.
- Does GNS use a property management company?
- No. Shawn and Paulette handle maintenance, painting, repairs, and tenant communication themselves.
- Where does GNS operate?
- GNS rents exclusively in Hawley, Minnesota and Barnesville, Minnesota, both in Clay County.