Brookfield, WI

Life in suburban Brookfield Wisconsin is pretty typical Americana. Half acre lots are the norm, with attractive, lush landscaping and a variety of home styles and ages. There is a good amount of natural land along the Fox River that's been placed in conservancy, so wildlife is pretty abundant. We have had as many as a dozen deer in our yard at once, a resident woodchuck who has raised several litters of young and of course the birds. Robins, finches, chickadees, cardinals, bluejays, wrens - you name it. Chipmunks inhabit our terraces and families of grey squirrels nest in our big maples. This summer has been unseasonably cool, so our windows are open all the time - we love the fresh air as opposed to central air. Usually around 5:15 a.m. I awaken to the sounds of several varieties of songbirds chirping away. If I've had a late night, the "early birds" can actually be annoying at the crack of dawn. Today I inadvertently slept in until 7 am! What a shock when I woke up without the chirps and tweets. Over coffee my husband remarked that he saw a coyote trotting through the tree-line along our back lot line..... no wonder the birds and chipmunks were silent this morning. And I got some extra shut-eye!

Pat Mullikin is a long-term resident of Brookfield, Wisconsin. For your clients coming to or leaving from Milwaukee Metro or Brookfield, Wisconsin, Pat Mullikin of Keller Williams Milwaukee is your referral source.

Having lived in Brookfield Wisconsin for most of my life, I am uniquely qualified to comment on the quality of life offered in this great Waukesha County community. First and foremost in my mind is the school district, The Elmbrook School District, which encompasses all of the tiny Village of Elm Grove (lived there for 10 years of my life too), the entire City of Brookfield, part of the Town of Brookfield, and a teeny-tiny sliver of the City of New Berlin. Elmbrook has been turning out college-bound kids for decades, with their ACT Participation of 83.5% being the highest of all Waukesha County school districts in the 2007-08 test year, and their average composite score of 24.8 in the same year being the highest in Waukesha County as well! Both high schools (Brookfield East High School and Brookfield Central High School) are undergoing major renovations at this time, and the district rebuilt two elementary schools (Brookfield Elementary and Dixon Elementary) a few years ago. These schools are world-class facilities, and the commitment of the staff, faculty and parents to the education of the children are a contributing factor in maintaining high property values in Brookfield and Elm Grove.

Pat Mullikin of Keller Williams Milwaukee is a resident of Brookfield Wisconsin and is a trusted referral agent in the entire Metro Milwaukee area. Contact Pat at 414-305-1949 or email at MilwaukeeAgent@yahoo.com

Doesn't it make you happy when you have an experience with another person that makes you remember that people are inherently good and generous!?! Today I had a closing on a foreclosure property. I worked with the buyers, and this purchase was their first investment property. We had looked for a few months and kept finding junky homes with serious problems. They were about to give up when this home became available. It was well priced and really, truly looked like it was only a "paint and carpet" rehab. Long story short... there were 11 offers made on this home, 8 of which were over asking price! The listing agent, who is a very busy agent with a ton of listings always called with updates personally, usually answered his cell phone, never got rattled or rude (even though I was not the sharpest knife in the drawer!), always returned calls in a reasonable time and always seemed well prepared. We have served on the local board together, so we were acquainted, and through this friendly transaction I'm glad to say I have become friends with John Protiva of First Realty here in Milwaukee. There's usually no reason for the professionals involved in a real estate transaction together to be adversarial. Our business is tough enough without us giving each other alot of grief. If the other agent in the transaction isn't the sharpest knife, try to give them a break. Always do your share and more, offer assistance and courtesy and your attitidue will be remembered for the next transaction. Realize that even if you have a certain specialty or niche market, that specialty might not exist in a year or two and you will be the one on the learning side of the transaction. Agents you snubbed or were rude to in the past might have superior knowledge in the future. Don't set yourself up for a "payback" situation that might hurt your client's interests. Today count your blessings and celebrate generosity!

There were 54 sales in July 2009 with an average sales price of $287,217, with a list to sales price of 94.40% and an average time on the market of 141 days.

There are currently 525 active listings with an average list price of $375,000 and a average time on the market of 230 days.

The sales results in July 2009 were 3 fewer than in July 2008. However, the number of new listing increased by 22 when compared to the same activity in July 2008.

In the Waukesha County real estate market many things are taking place. Many first time home buyers have a magnificent incentive in buying a home in Waukesha County with the first time home buyers credit (call or email Tom Braatz for more information), and in addition to that there are wonderful rates,selection, and prices that are very attractive. I even have used many programs to get buyers into their home and many require a low down payment, some of these are VA with 0% down,FHA with 3 1/2 percent down, and a rural home loan program that required a few percent. The beauty is if you are a first time home buyer you may still qualify for a $8,000 credit. And that's the way it is in Waukesha County; absolutely beautiful! On another note I would like to extend a thank you to Walter Cronkite who passed away Friday at his home in New York. This was a decent human being, the most trusted man in America, and from the time I was a kid watching him with the break of JFK's death, to watching that funeral on TV, with all the trials and tribulations of the 60's and the crowning achievement of the Apollo moon landing, and so much more, one could always turn on the TV and count on him. I grew up watching him and I always admired his conviction to excellence and the deep love he had for the greatest country on Earth. Thank you Walter Cronkite.

Wishing you a productive day, and see you at closing!

Tom Braatz

Looking for Waukesha real estate agents? Like to know what your Waukesha Real Estateor Waukesha County Real Estate , or Waukesha County Lake homes for sale or what your homes for sale in Waukesha County are worth on-line? Get it on-line: Market Analysis Want to find that right home? Dream Home Finder

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Stay on top of Wisconsin real estate with this agent help. You can get the following information off our24/7 free pre-recorded service by requesting it in Wisconsin. If you need to sell your property within the next 90 days and want a exclusive seller package just feel free to call 1-800-800-7140 Ext 101. If you need to buy within the next 90 days or so we have our work cut out for us; just call 1-800-800-7140 Ext 103 and request the Buyer VIP package.