There’s no need for a little snow to keep you from finding the right piece of land to own . . .

Winter is a great time of year to head up north and look at property in northern Wisconsin and Michigan.  With the leaves off the trees and snow on the ground it’s easy to see the topography and lay of the land.  For waterfront and view property, it’s an excellent way to see potential views that otherwise might be hidden when the leaves are on.  For people that plan on using their vacation property in the winter it’s always nice to see that the roads are plowed and that access is attainable with the vehicles they own.  Come on up, we’ve got the snowshoes and are ready to help you find great land to own this winter so you’ll be ready to get up north and start enjoying your new property when the snow melts.

We hate to toot our own horn, but here are some comments from a few of the many people we’ve recently helped buy land in Wisconsin and Michigan.  Thanks to all who sent back the kind and helpful feedback about your property search.

More property owner evaluations on the next page:
Read the rest of this entry »

From light windbreakers to heavy parkas overnight, the first blizzard of Winter 2009/2010 dropped a total of 14.7 inches of snow on Green Bay, Wisconsin, a December storm high.  Here’s the view from the Loon Lake Realty office:

Snowdrift

Dear Farmer Smith:

I’m looking at buying some land in northern Wisconsin to get away to on the weekends.  A friend told me that I should get at least an acre for privacy and seclusion.  How big is an acre?

Thanks for your help,
C.T. Slicker

Dear C.T.:

Thanks for asking.  Now just what do you plan on doing up north that you’re so concerned about privacy?  When I want some privacy (And, I live on 40 acres.) I just go into the outhouse and latch the door.

An acre is 43,560 square feet; square being the key word AND the confusing word.  An acre doesn’t necessarily have to be square. It could be a strip of land one foot wide and over eight miles long.  Sort of hard to get any privacy on a piece of land shaped like that, isn’t it?  If the acre is a square it would measure approximately 208.7 feet on all sides.

Now keep in mind, as unlikely as it is that you’ll come across a real estate listing over eight miles long, it’s just as unlikely you’ll come across an acre that is a perfect square.  Why you ask?  Well, if we were sitting in the barnyard and I could draw a sketch in the dirt with a stick I’m sure I could make it all pretty clear for you;  it connects to why Greenland looks to be as large as these United States on one of those old National Geographic wall maps.  And, it has to do with the fact that as 40 and 80 acre tracts are split up they are divided to make sense on the ground, not on paper.

Back to your privacy and seclusion . . . as you get out and start looking at property in Northern Wisconsin there will be more to privacy than just the size of the land.  There are hills, roads and woods to think about.  What’s going to be more secluded (for whatever it is you’re going to be doing up north):  one level acre of field on a four lane superhighway or a 1/4 acre of hardwoods and pines at the end of a little dead-end road?

Good luck with your land,
Farmer Smith

P.S. For just a little more info about the size of an acre, and a nice drawing of how an acre compares to a football field take a look at Wikipedia.

Farm Smith

It’s official, from the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue:

“Recreational and waterfront properties in many Wisconsin communities, often undeveloped land, remain stable overall.”

Read the official press release and follow the links to Wisconsin Equalized Property Values here:
Wisconsin Real Estate Values PDF

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:  “. . . there are bargains in Wisconsin now on recreational land.”

Read the original article here: JS Online

11/12/2008 7:47:00 AM

Ag-Rural Land Remains A Sound Investment

The recent economic turbulence that has placed the Dow Jones Industrial average and global financial markets in turmoil has investors understandably skittish. With the value of their stock portfolios declining, Americans with discretionary cash are looking for alternatives.

Often overlooked is agricultural land. With one exception — that being the farm crisis of the early 1980s — rural land values have increased steadily since the 1950s. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, rural land values rose 13.5 percent nationwide during the previous decade alone, while dollars invested in the S&P 500 produced no gain after accounting for inflation (E.S. Browning, “Stocks Tarnished by Lost Decade,” Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2008). Read the rest of this entry »

The real estate brokers and agents at Loon Lake Realty invest a great deal of time driving to and walking potential new property listings to offer. Here’s one that didn’t make the cut.

• Way back at the end of a little gravel road, very secluded. - Check.
• A beautiful mix of pines and hardwoods. - Check.
• Power run all the way to the lake. - Check.
• A no wake lake, serene and quiet. - Check.
• Deer peacefully foraging along the lake shore. - Check.
• Clear, clean looking water. - Check.
• Sand bottom. - Another wasted tank of gas.

Another lake property not for sale by Loon Lake Realty.

Well before Ernest Hemingway popularized Michigan’s rivers and streams as settings and backdrops for his early short stories, Michigan was known as a trout fishing paradise.  However, there is more to Michigan than just the Big Two-Hearted River.  Other famous Michigan rivers and streams include Bear Creek, the Little Manistee River, the Pine River, the Boardman River, the Au Sable River and the Pere Marquette.  This list wouldn’t be complete without mention of the Manistee River.

Located in the western lower peninsula of northern Michigan, the Manistee River offers over two hundred thirty miles of the finest steelhead, salmon and trout fishing that can be found anywhere in the lower forty eight states.  Who better to offer insight and knowledge about the Big Manistee than someone who makes their living by offering fly fishing guide services?  Schmidt Outfitters has an excellent article about the Manistee River on their website:  Manistee River - Michigan Fly Fishing