We have not spent much time in Mercer over the years other than riding through, looking to change that this year. The wife and I have started looking at areas for a house to use for vacations and eventually relocate to. Just trying to get some info about the town. For comparison we have spent time in the following places Land O Lakes, Boulder, Manitowish, Bergland, Munising, and Calumet. Interested to find out how the town vibe is. yes used a kid term "vibe". Each place has its own feel and mind set it seems. Any input on the local economy, trail system, and off trail fire roads or park lands to ride would be appreciated. If anyone reading this lives in the area and wants to start a private chat I an open to that as well.
Mercer WI area info
- Thread starter Tuck
- Start date
pclark
Well-known member
Mercer is a growing part of the northwoods. More affordable than say Manitowish Waters as far as real estate. If you wanted to buy, you might be able to get on a smaller lake or off water for a reasonable price, when I say that don't be shocked at the prices! Mercer caters to the ATV, SXS crowd and Iron County has extensive trail systems. For snowmobiling its a great area to base out of, the trails anyway out of Mercer are awesome and their groomers are some of the best. Great restaurants/bars in any direction. Snowmobile west of Mercer and you can get to Price County which is awesome trails and ride up to Lake Superior in a couple of hours, UP is very close. Always buy in the Fall as most people are looking to unload all the work of getting the cabin in shape for winter, bringing in piers, boats, etc, seems like they drop prices to move the sale.
pclark
Well-known member
Right on Braaa!!!!!
You got the Drip! (and not the plumbing version either)
thank you for the insight about the area. About the price of things we have been looking not serious for awhile, just collecting info and it seems the price has gone up the last few years. I cant help but wonder if it will adjust a little better in the near future or just continue to rise. Told the wife we should have been serious about it 3 years ago. We will be heading up this Thursday for a long weekend of house hunting and spending time in the area.
I have been following your garage project on here as well, it is looking good!
pclark
Well-known member
It really depends on the level of inventory on the market, for instance, in the MW area there is hardly anything available so prices are high and I think they always will be because property on the Manitowish Chain is always in demand. I think the Mercer area is a good place to start looking and you are really close to MW, BJ, PI, and even Minocqua is only 40 minutes south. I looked for years myself and finally pulled the trigger in 2015 and was lucky because that seemed to be the bottom of the market at the time. Really glad we did as prices are really unattainable here now unless you are a millionaire several times over. Fall is the best time to make an offer, do your homework on the property and work with a realtor, Century 21 in Mercer is good.
70chevelle
Member
Mercer is great. The TFF is the most beautiful place in the state and it saddens me my grandparents have passed and I cannot go there anymore as their cabin on the flowage is sold.
well this might be a long serious search. Inventory is low, prices on the higher end and offers are made within days of listing coming out. Its not like we can run up after work every other day. Do people really buy a house site unseen? that is just not in my wheel house. Found one of interest and it seems that current market deems it 80k more that 3 years ago, yes we recall the house and from memory it does not appear that 80k of improvements have been done.
Sad to say, but that is what is happening in the northwoods. My house has doubled in value in 7 years. And yes, I have put a lot of improvements into the house but not that much.
pclark
Well-known member
Tuck, you hit the nail on the head as far as the current market conditions right now. I personally would not buy a house sight unseen but many people do it or set terms like, inspection, if things found needing to fixed the seller and the buyer agree to the terms and amounts. Not sure if you are working with a realtor but I would because you don't live up here. The market dictates the high prices right now, you have heard the saying "they are not making water anymore". Another way to think about it is Buy something to get you foot in the door and then sell and move up when something else becomes available. Or wait and see what happens, not sure things will change all that much.
pclark
Well-known member
I bought my place in 2015 for $300K, didn't want to pay that but realized that if we were ever going to get on the Manitowish Chain it was now or never so we signed, had the place inspected, and everything turned out awesome. We did walk through the house prior to buying, it needed new septic and that was written into contract. I can tell you now with the addition of my garage, it has more than tripled in price. Do your homework, check out what needs to be done/fixed because if you think real estate is high priced you will be shocked at what people charge for excavation, concrete, building garages, additions to homes, etc. And, you will wait a couple of years to get on the list to get these things done, not enough laborers up here right now, probably never will. There is none or little negotiation on the prices either.
Northwoods prices started to climb in 2019 they skyrocketed during the pandemic buyers wanting to get away from populated areas and most stayed. Interest rates are high compared to 2019 so I would buy sign at the going rate and refinance as they go down eventually. I now live on the WI Fox River and prices are way up from 2019 lots of improvements ongoing which adds value too. Only seemingly inexpensive homes here need updates which most do themselves or hire out 50-50. If the home has been updated like Paul is doing it commands a very high price. Just the way the market is now.
we started looking for a mild fixer upper, that may change to a major fixer upper. I am a carpenter turned business owner here at home. You touched on another question I always have and that is work situation since I am not ready to retire just yet. We have shortage of workers here as well, however price is still negotiable though here. With that being said, it sounds like I would be a one man show since labor pool is small in the northwoods, that will limit the job size so I was thinking more of property maintenance /handyman stuff. Not sure how working for someone would go after 20+ years in business, ha maybe it would be more relaxing lol.
goofy600
Well-known member
Tuck, you will be able to write your own check when it comes to work in the northwoods if you want. Have a friend that has people giving him 10k just to hold a place in line 2 years out and then sign a time and materials contract. Crazy the money some can spend. And the handyman work is endless also.
pclark
Well-known member
Jim, you are so correct, people on MW just pay whatever it takes, money is no option. And Tuck, handyman work is really easy to come by, I watch 3 homes for people who head to Florida for the winter on our road. You could make it a full time job if you want, I just do it for something to do and one guy lets me store my boat in his shop. My neighbor lets me store the pontoon boat in her 2nd garage, you help people they return the favor. There are some really great people up here.
Whatever you do don’t buy a house that needs to be stained and needs a ladder to access. Stainers are at least 2 years out and staining season is short. They want $20k plus and stain doesn’t last that long what a racket! Buy a home with lpn ,vinyl or steel siding cedar siding or logs big time maintenance.
hermie
Active member
One other option would be to go more east or west. Very nice areas but not such a vacation destiny that Vilas and Iron county are. You will find some better pricing on homes if you get out of vacation land. We bought 7 years ago and sure glad we did because with today's pricing and interest rates we would not be able to buy or we could maybe buy but not have enough money left to enjoy it.
Tim in Indiana
Active member
You can be a very busy and successful as a handyman or small contractor if just do three simple things.
1. Be available; answer your phone, return messages, follow up.
2. Do what you say you will do. Send the quote, show up when you said you would, finish on time or explain in advance why you can't. Be honest about your schedule. Tell people immediately if you don't have time or aren't interested.
3. Work past 3:00 pm.
These very simple things are foreign to many of the contractors in the Northwoods.
1. Be available; answer your phone, return messages, follow up.
2. Do what you say you will do. Send the quote, show up when you said you would, finish on time or explain in advance why you can't. Be honest about your schedule. Tell people immediately if you don't have time or aren't interested.
3. Work past 3:00 pm.
These very simple things are foreign to many of the contractors in the Northwoods.
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pclark
Well-known member
Very true, I could clean up here. But I'm entering retirement so no interested in that. So many don't have a clue how to be succesful. Follow up is the key to any profession in my opinion first and foremost.