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Tuesday, April 29. 2008Friday, April 25. 2008Monday, April 21. 2008Friday, April 18. 2008Wisconsin waterfront owners... get the most accurate pier information
Oh, that picture sure looks nice. If you don't own waterfront property in Wisconsin but would like to watch sunsets like this one, please contact us. Friday, April 11. 2008How much is lake frontage in Wisconsin selling for? Find out here.By Sandy Ebben, Vice President, Rhinelander office
Real estate agents are often asked what the 'going rate' for water frontage is. The answer is ‘it depends’.
There are many variables in determining the value of a lake lot. The first is the lake itself. There are lakes in the Northern Wisconsin that command premium prices and lakes that don’t. Trout Lake and Lake Tomahawk are premium lakes. Mud Lake is not.
Features of the lake that determine value are:
Lake Size and Depth. A 3000 acre lake appeals to more buyers than a 20 acre lake. Larger lakes are better recreational lakes than smaller lakes. The depth of the lake will also affect recreation on the lake. A shallow lake may have very few fish in it and can be very weedy and less appealing than a deep lake.
Lakes on a Chain. The more lakes you can get to the higher the price.
Lake Clarity Lakes in Northern Wisconsin range from crystal clear to dark brown. Clear water lakes are more popular for swimming and boating. Darker lakes tend to have better fishing.
How developed is the lake. A lake with a home or cottage ever 100 feet is not as appealing as a lake that has a lot of wild, undeveloped shoreline, especially if its State Forest lands.
The second consideration in pricing water frontage is the physical features of the land. The slope of the lot to the water is an important feature. If the description says "ideal for an exposed basement" you can expect to climb some stairs to get to the beach. "Fisherman’s frontage" means you aren't going to be swimming off your shoreline.’Southern exposure' means you will have the sun on your shoreline most of the day. A lot on the south end of the lake has 'northern exposure' and will be in the shade most of the time.
So the answer to the question is that lake frontage sells for between $100 and $6,000 a foot in the Northwood’s. A one acre lot with 217 feet of frontage on Trout Lake (a 117’ deep, 3916 acre lake in Boulder Junction) sold for $1,350,000 in 2005. A lot on Fickle Lake (a 26’ deep 10 acre lake in Price County) sold for $21,000 in January 2007. .
So next time you go shopping for lake property tell your agent that you want “a large wooded lot with southern exposure, sandy beach, gradual slope to the water, next to State land on a clear water lake that is over 500 acres and part of a chain"--and your price range is under $100,000. Then let me know what you find.
Friday, April 11. 2008Tuesday, April 8. 2008Friday, April 4. 2008Wednesday, April 2. 2008Wisconsin lake property owners... good news about piers!Straight from the Wisconsin REALTORS Asssoiation press release is some excellent news for Wisconsin lake property owners.............. This issue has been on the table for a long time and a bill was finally signed yesterday.  April 1, 2008 Contact: Tom Larson IMMEDIATE RELEASE (608) 212-0066 REALTORS Praise New Pier Protection Law Group Credits Governor and Bipartisan Legislative Leaders Madison -- Wisconsin waterfront property owners can rejoice after new legislation to protect existing piers was signed into law today, according to the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). Assembly Bill 297 establishes grandfathering standards for existing piers and will provide permanent protection from future regulations to approximately 99% of the existing piers. The new law exempts from new regulations (or "grandfathers") all piers up to 8-feet wide and loading platforms or "decks" (located at the end of the pier) that are 200 square feet or less. The law also grandfathers decks between 200 and 300 square feet, as long as they are no wider than 10 feet. "This new law is very important to waterfront property owners and will provide certainty as to which piers are legal, and which are not," said Mike Spranger, WRA Chairman. Spranger also thanked Governor Doyle and legislative leaders of both political parties for passage of the bill saying, "The new law strikes a good balance between the rights of property owners and the rights of the public to use and enjoy our waterways." Assembly Bill 297 was the work product of a broad coalition of key stakeholders including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the Wisconsin Builders Association, and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes. It passed both houses in the legislature with unanimous support. While some existing piers will not be grandfathered, the law makes the process easier and more equitable for obtaining the necessary permits to keep these piers in place. "This new permitting process recognizes that many of these piers have been in place for decades and it would be unfair to make waterfront property owners rip them out," said Bill Malkasian, President, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association. While a pier adds monetary value to waterfront property because it provides access to the water for boating and recreation, there can also be a significant emotional attachment for some property owners. "A pier is the place where many families have spent countless hours swimming, fishing and spending time together," said Spranger. "Piers are emblematic of summer-time fun in Wisconsin." And here's hoping that summer will really arrive one day so we can use those piers!
Tuesday, April 1. 2008 |
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