MARKET REPORT FOR MILTON, WISCONSIN - December, 2011 The winds of change are still blowing across the local real estate market in Milton, Wisconsin. Considering the numbers for the last 30 days across the Milton School District, we are getting back to a "normal" market, rather than a "Buyer's" or "Seller's" market. Some of the price ranges will vary as you'll see from the actual numbers. Single Family Residences - Milton School District - December 10, 2011   Price                #Sold       #For Sale      #Month's  Supply 0 - 50K                0             3                ----- 50 - 100K             1           10                10.0 100 - 150K           7           25                  3.6 150 - 200K           3           28                  9,3 200 - 250K           3           24   ... 12/10/2011

  Avoiding Problems with Your Escrow Account If you are using a mortgage to purchase your first home it is highly likely that the lender will request that you use escrow in order to handle the annual homeowner's insurance and taxes on the property. This is reflected by an additional payment on top of the interest and principal payment that you make on the home loan. Ideally, the lender will review this account every year to see if there are overpayments or underpayments and change the escrow accordingly. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world and companies do make mistakes. Here are some important facts to help you understand the basics of an escrow account. Taxes Property taxes are usually reviewed one year after a home has been purchased. At this time the property will likely... 11/07/2011

“We are writing this testimonial to inform any potential clients that Michael Collins successfully helped save our home. We found ourselves in a financial hardship which caused us to be late on mortgage payments. This eventually led our lender to foreclose on our home. Michael Collins was able to negotiate with our lender and cancel the court auction. This gave us time to resolve our financial difficulties and eventually work out a payment plan with the bank.” “We both strongly endorse Michael Collins as an agent who has the experience and resources to help people like us in a similar situation. We are deeply gratefull for his efforts and plan to use him as our agent in any future real estate transactions.” Chris & Linda C.(Janesville, WI)Rock Realty Clients —– “I found myself in a bad ... 10/12/2011

Milton WI Short Sale Realtors®53563  Are you looking for a Milton Wisconsin Short Sale Realtor®or Real Estate Agent? Rock Realty is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Short Sales and Bank Owned Foreclosures in the Milton WI area. My name is Michael Collins, broker for Rock Realty. I have completed the Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource training and have been given the SFR designation through the National Association of Realtors®. Feel free to contact me directly at 608-921-8536 for help with any of your short sale questions. I have helped many Milton home owners with their distressed property needs. REALTORS® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportu... 09/26/2011

Real estate continues to be a tough and stressful  business, and the weather up here in Wisconsin hasn't been very cooperative either. So when we finally got a decent day a week ago, my wife wisely suggested we take a hike. A brisk walk outside always clears my head and sharpens my focus...    This is a small state park that sees few visitors just a short distance away from our house, so we "beat feet" and soon had the woods and trails all to ourselves. It was a beautiful morning to be outside. A walk in the park usually has a few fringe benefits besides the fresh air.  I do some of my best business thinking when I'm away from the business itself, and today was no exception. I always like to see a big, strong, healthy tree. It is a symbol of something permanent, something that has survi... 05/01/2011

BUYER: Should I offer just a little more than the assessed valuation? A lot of Buyers think there is some kind of magic ratio between the assessed value and the offer price that will be accepted. I usually try to explain that the assessed value leans heavily on the square footage of the home and the size of the lot. It has less relationship to condition and curb appeal. Market value, or the price that will get an accepted offer, is more closely associated with buyer appeal. The condition, curb appeal, decorating, landscaping, and recent updates carry more weight than square footage and lot size. Since not everyone in town accepts my reasoning, (always a few skeptics, y'know?) I decided to see if the sales stats would back me up. The two charts that follow show the sales in my hometown i... 01/09/2011

Here are some quotes via Twitter, found today: 1) "You can't change the wind, but you can adjust your sails." ~ Unknown 2) Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you in life JFK 3) Those who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it" Anonymous 08/02/2010

According to a report from the Janesville Gazette, the Milton Wisconsin WMCA is moving.  The new facility isn't far though, they are taking over a former tanning salon next door.  The new facility should add features like shower stalls and a free weights area. All in all, it's nice to hear that a local business is expanding.  Commercial real estate has been a tough market as of late.  You can see the article here: Milton WI WMCA Are you looking to move to Milton Wisconsin?  Are you thinking of selling your home in the Milton area?  If so, please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards,Michael Collins - BrokerRock RealtyRock Solid Real Estate StrategiesPO Box 2444Janesville, WI 53547-2444c: 608.921.8536f: 877.774.7625Mike@RockRealtyWI.comhttp://www.rockrealtywi.com/Follow us:www.twitter.c... 06/16/2010

Today, the public have a chance to talk about the proposed changes to Milton's downtown square.  Proposed changes are to the 'streetscape' and possible additional parking. If you have any suggestions or opinions, I would suggest you use todays public input opportunity to have your voice heard.  You can see the full article below: Milton Wisconsin Downtown Regards,Michael Collins - BrokerRock RealtyRock Solid Real Estate StrategiesPO Box 2444Janesville, WI 53547-2444c: 608.921.8536f: 877.774.7625Mike@RockRealtyWI.comhttp://www.rockrealtywi.com/Follow us:www.twitter.com/RockRealtywww.facebook.com/RockRealtyMike 05/27/2010

Looking for exceptional value? Tower Hill Real Estate in Milton, Wisconsin is the place to look! There are only three properties currently for sale, but all three are worth considering. They range in price from $209,811 to $265,000. The oldest is only 15 years, and all are well kept. There is one 3 bedroom and two 4 bedroom homes, all with at least 2 full baths. All are laid out with a master suite. The toughest part may be choosing just one.....    The Tower Hill portion of Milton is nicely positioned within walking distance of several parks. The largest, Schillberg Park, is home to several baseball and soccer fields, as well as a football practice field. It has a large playground, and is home to the Milton's annual Fourth of July Celebration. The Fourth of July Celebration is one of t... 04/04/2010

Waterman Estates in Milton, Wisconsin - A Great Place to Buy or Build a Home. This newer neighborhood just outside of Milton, Wisconsin has some ideal country settings. The lots are large size, and the subdivision restrictions insure that your home will have the maximum chance to appreciate in value. Waterman Estates has several homes that were built as Parade Homes and displayed by the local home builders association during the local Parade of Homes. Here's a typical home built for the Parade, that's currently not on the market:   Located just 2 miles from Milton, Wisconsin, Waterman Estatesis also only a short distance from Wisconsin State Highway 26. Its location makes it easy to access Janesville and I-90, only about 4 miles to the south. One of the best features of Waterman Estates... 03/29/2010