First House

[#UnleashSean]

Planning on soon buying my first house around the Milwaukee area (Waukesha, Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Bayview, Cudahy, St Francis, etc). The one place I have determined 100% to not move to is West Allis. I'm looking for either a 2 or 3 bedroom place, with a nice finished or unfinished basement to put a bar and a giant TV for those big games. I'm budgeting for 140kish to buy.

Any tips or tricks I should look into from all you old people who have had a house for years?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Buy the worst house in a good neighborhood. As you can afford to make improvements you will achieve a better ROI.

[Sir Lawrence]

What part of town do you work?  Or isn't that an issue?

[GGGG]

Out of curiosity, and maybe this is because I don't know Milwaukee as much as I used to, but why potentially Cudahy and not West Allis?

[#UnleashSean]

What part of town do you work?  Or isn't that an issue?

I work at a school in Wauwatosa as a counselor at the moment, close to the zoo, so getting there hasn't been too rough from the two places I split time at now.

Out of curiosity, and maybe this is because I don't know Milwaukee as much as I used to, but why potentially Cudahy and not West Allis?

From what I've seen from friends while renting and while looking at housing prices over the years, West Allis is slowly falling apart and becoming a trash heap. From my time spent there I've had no interactions that have changed my mind. (Including looking at some "high end" apartments there)

[Dr. Blackheart]

I work at a school in Wauwatosa as a counselor at the moment, close to the zoo, so getting there hasn't been too rough from the two places I split time at now.


From what I've seen from friends while renting and while looking at housing prices over the years, West Allis is slowly falling apart and becoming a trash heap. From my time spent there I've had no interactions that have changed my mind. (Including looking at some "high end" apartments there)

Agree and Cudahy is getting better.  Question:  Married with kids?  School district mattas.

[GGGG]

From what I've seen from friends while renting and while looking at housing prices over the years, West Allis is slowly falling apart and becoming a trash heap. From my time spent there I've had no interactions that have changed my mind. (Including looking at some "high end" apartments there)

OK, I generally agree with that, but that doesn't describe Cudahy too?

Anyway, the neighborhood that I always thought was underrated was the one around Alverno down off 43rd Street. 

[Jockey]

Planning on soon buying my first house around the Milwaukee area (Waukesha, Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Bayview, Cudahy, St Francis, etc). The one place I have determined 100% to not move to is West Allis. I'm looking for either a 2 or 3 bedroom place, with a nice finished or unfinished basement to put a bar and a giant TV for those big games. I'm budgeting for 140kish to buy.

Any tips or tricks I should look into from all you old people who have had a house for years?

My only advice would be to look at a lot of houses to get a good idea of what you want and prices of houses. I spent over a year looking when I bought my first house and went through several realtors till I found one who would work with me rather that just try to sell me on every new place on the market.

But buying a first house is stressful. It will pass.

[Lighthouse 84]

Agree and Cudahy is getting better.  Question:  Married with kids?  School district mattas.

Married with kids or not, school district mattas.  Resale is much better with a good school district.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Married with kids or not, school district mattas.  Resale is much better with a good school district.

Unless you want an urban condo/townhouse, true. But lifestage comes into play.

[Jay Bee]

Not sure if it applies to u, but I know ZFB had to make sure his crib (also $140k) was at least 4 blocks from any schools or parks

[GGGG]

Married with kids or not, school district mattas.  Resale is much better with a good school district.

But you also get more house for the money when you buy in. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

But you also get more house for the money when you buy in.

Absolutely but if you are an empty nester, location matters over kids, if there are no kids planned or in the rear view mirror, schools are less important.  For example, the West Loop right now is on fire yet the schools suck.  But if you are buying for kids, the West Loop location is not a plus.

[skianth16]

If you're looking in the St. Francis and Cudahy areas, don't rule out Oak Creek. It's not that much farther from where you work, and there are plenty of areas with quick highway access that would help with the commute. It's a growing suburb, so prices have gone up in recent years, but there are still plenty of homes in your price range. In the last few years, a bunch of new businesses and restaurants have opened up, and the schools are pretty good for the area too. Taxes aren't as low as Waukesha county, but they're better than in Tosa or Milwaukee.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

If you're looking in the St. Francis and Cudahy areas, don't rule out Oak Creek. It's not that much farther from where you work, and there are plenty of areas with quick highway access that would help with the commute. It's a growing suburb, so prices have gone up in recent years, but there are still plenty of homes in your price range. In the last few years, a bunch of new businesses and restaurants have opened up, and the schools are pretty good for the area too. Taxes aren't as low as Waukesha county, but they're better than in Tosa or Milwaukee.

Oak Creek is close to On The Border too.

[Sir Lawrence]

'Tosa is a good place to start your search.  The area between Center Street, south to Menomonee River Parkway should have plenty of starter homes.  The school district is pretty good, and if private school is your thing, there are very good Catholic and Lutheran and Montessori schools in that area.  I don't agree with your assessment of West Allis (especially near Greenfield Park and the area near KK Parkway), but I'm not going to try and change your mind either.

Bay View is very hot now, and has been for several years.   I personally believe you will pay a premium to settle there.  Plus there are too many hipsters for my taste.  St. Francis and Cudahy are intriguing areas, and you might do  very well there.  And Oak Creek is exploding, but the travel time to your job then gets to be an issue.

As Jockey indicated, buying your first house can be very stressful, but once you take the plunge, it's funny how it all works out.  Don't fall in love with a place that you can't afford. 

[MU82]

My little brother lived right near the Milwaukee/Tosa line in this neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/2800+N+Lefeber+Ave,+Milwaukee,+WI+53210/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88051b5018644961:0xe20d87eaa7c899e?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjs9iHmsnZAhWPyVMKHblTBoYQ8gEIKjAA

He loved it and only moved because his wife wanted a bigger home. They ended up getting divorced and he wishes he were back there!

I thought the neighborhood was really cute and well-kept. The homes were older but looked to be in good shape, and people seemed to take a lot of pride in their yards, etc.

I have no idea what houses there go for now, nor do I know much about the schools.

[#UnleashSean]

Agree and Cudahy is getting better.  Question:  Married with kids?  School district mattas.

No kids, not married yet. Still sounds like I should look for a decent school district though.

Not sure if it applies to u, but I know ZFB had to make sure his crib (also $140k) was at least 4 blocks from any schools or parks

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

If you're looking in the St. Francis and Cudahy areas, don't rule out Oak Creek. It's not that much farther from where you work, and there are plenty of areas with quick highway access that would help with the commute. It's a growing suburb, so prices have gone up in recent years, but there are still plenty of homes in your price range. In the last few years, a bunch of new businesses and restaurants have opened up, and the schools are pretty good for the area too. Taxes aren't as low as Waukesha county, but they're better than in Tosa or Milwaukee.

I'll definitely have to look towards Oak Creek.

My little brother lived right near the Milwaukee/Tosa line in this neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/2800+N+Lefeber+Ave,+Milwaukee,+WI+53210/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88051b5018644961:0xe20d87eaa7c899e?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjs9iHmsnZAhWPyVMKHblTBoYQ8gEIKjAA

He loved it and only moved because his wife wanted a bigger home. They ended up getting divorced and he wishes he were back there!

I thought the neighborhood was really cute and well-kept. The homes were older but looked to be in good shape, and people seemed to take a lot of pride in their yards, etc.

I have no idea what houses there go for now, nor do I know much about the schools.

Just looked at the area, the only houses for sale are out of my price range by about 50k =/

[GB Warrior]

Agree and Cudahy is getting better.  Question:  Married with kids?  School district mattas.

My now-wife and I lived in Cudahy (bought a townhouse as first property purchase) after renting in Bayview for several years out of college. Our part of Cudahy (northern, near Layton) was nice, if not boring. Quiet, never felt unsafe. Would recommend for people in the millennial generation who just want to build up the equity pre-kids.

After having our first, we recently purchased back into Bayview (interest in the Montessori schools that are part of MPS, willingness to pay for private if that doesn't work out), and we couldn't be happier back in our favorite little neighborhood. There are certainly less desirable places in Bayview and people broadly construe what is actually Bayview, but if you're within a mile or so east or south of the heart of Bayview (defined by yours truly as Sugar Maple), you're in a pretty good area.

[MU82]

Just looked at the area, the only houses for sale are out of my price range by about 50k =/

Sorry to hear that. I remember my bro saying houses had appreciated there pretty good.

I wish you good luck. Getting that first house is always an exciting step to feeling like a real adult! Keep us posted with what you decide.

[Spotcheck Billy]

The Palm Tavern is for sale (310K IIRC) and includes living quarters, maybe rent the bar to some one else?

[MUfan12]

Tosa could be tough on that budget. Super hot area. I'd maybe look at the areas that are technically Milwaukee, but just outside of the Tosa limits (North of Burleigh, South of Bluemound, east of Hawley, etc.) Usually nice houses without the premium.

[MU82]

If I ever move back to Milwaukee, I'll have to live near Leon's on S 27th so I could walk there 5x a week. Then I can die fat and happy.

[LAMUfan]

My little brother lived right near the Milwaukee/Tosa line in this neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/2800+N+Lefeber+Ave,+Milwaukee,+WI+53210/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88051b5018644961:0xe20d87eaa7c899e?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjs9iHmsnZAhWPyVMKHblTBoYQ8gEIKjAA

He loved it and only moved because his wife wanted a bigger home. They ended up getting divorced and he wishes he were back there!

I thought the neighborhood was really cute and well-kept. The homes were older but looked to be in good shape, and people seemed to take a lot of pride in their yards, etc.

I have no idea what houses there go for now, nor do I know much about the schools.

Similar set up in terms of being by tosa but not in tosa (so cheaper) is just south of Bluemound in the 70s-80s.  I had a two bedroom in that area years ago, good starter

[skianth16]

Oak Creek is close to On The Border too.

Yeah, it's only 6 minutes from my pla.... er, uh, yeah, I heard that too.