One Special Christmas Card

One Christmas card travelled back and forth between two friends for over 50 years. By Suzanne Loudamy tricountyleader.com

In 1950, Acker Hanks began sending a Christmas card to his friend Lee Kelley and this year, it has received its last post.

The two men had met right out of college as they began their careers. Hanks was a teacher in New Waverly and Kelley started his job with the U.S. Forestry Service.

Full Story The traveling Christmas card

Happy Holidays! A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at BuyWisconsinLand.com

Who's the Mitten State?

If you are on Twitter or Facebook you already know that Travel Wisconsin, the State Tourism Bureau, has changed it's logo to a mitten that has the shape of Wisconsin.  In fact, they recently changed the original brown mitten to a green and gold one, in light of the Packers success.

What you may not know is that many people in Michigan are quite upset about this.  They believe that their state, not ours, looks like a mitten and that Wisconsin has taken their identity.  Many news stories and blogs have been showing up about this issue.  Here's a selection of them, from both sides, so you can decide where you fall on this mitten state debate.

From WBAY.com in Green Bay - The Great Wisconsin-Michigan Mitten Flap

From Examiner.com - Mittengate - Wisconsin adopts mangled hand logo

From NPR.com - Michiganders Get Territorial About Mitten Comparison

From the Detroit Free Press - Freep.com readers take the gloves off in mitten debate

From USAToday.com - Michigan gives thumbs down to Wisconsin's mitten travel campaign

From the DailyMail.com in the UK - The gloves are off! Michigan and Wisconsin trade blows out over which state looks more like a MITTEN

From Gawker.com - Dumbest War Ever Erupts Over Which State Looks Most Like a Mitten

How Much Does Thanksgiving Dinner Cost

Wonder how the average Thanksgiving meal costs? From the Wisconsin Farm Bureau

While strong demand for turkey and other items will increase the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Wisconsin shoppers, its cost is still a better deal than a trip through the drive-thru.  

That’s the finding of Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s annual Thanksgiving price survey of traditional items like turkey, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie for a family of 10. This year’s average price of $50.17 marked an increase of $4.91 (10.8 percent) over last year.  

When that total is divided by 10, it shows that the cost to prepare a nutritious, home-cooked Thanksgiving meal is $5.02. 

Full Story Thanksgiving in Wisconsin Will Cost More

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at BuyWisconsinLand.com

Whitetail Deer Gun Season Starts November 19th

In Wisconsin November brings two important holidays - Thanksgiving and Whitetail Deer Gun Season. Soon blaze orange will be everywhere in the woods, and venison burgers are sure to follow.

New firearms regulations will be in effect beginning November 19th, for all the details see this article from the Wisconsin DNR New firearm rules take effect on opening day of gun deer hunt

Still looking for your own hunting property?  BuyWisconsinLand.com has wooded acreages and properties with trails for your ATV or snowmobile in over 40 Wisconsin Counties.  How about 80 acres bordered by County Land in Jackson County, the Whitetail Capital of Wisconsin!

Check out all our listings and call 877-339-6535 or email property@buywisconsinland.com - we'd love to help find your dream hunting or recreational property.

Good luck to all the hunter and have a safe and successful hunting season.

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Discounts to First Time Hunters, Fishermen

Wisconsin is hoping to make fishing and hunting more attractive to young people - article from the Chicago Tribune

Wisconsin Republicans have introduced a sweeping bill to boost hunting and fishing in the state by offering steep discounts to first-time license applicants and making it more difficult to close off land.

States and outdoor groups have been stepping up efforts to retain and recruit hunters as suburbs gobble up land, the population ages and video games, social media and sports consume children's time.

Outdoor advocates fear the country's outdoor traditions — and the billions of dollars they pump into the economy through equipment and license sales, gas purchases, restaurant visits and hotel stays — are fading away.

Full Story Wisconsin lawmakers consider ways to boost hunting, fishing

Find a great hunting or fishing property for your family BuyWisconsinLand.com

Moose Spotted in Wisconsin

Story by Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel

Gene and Sue Esker have grown accustomed to living among the wild ones at their Town of Minocqua home.

"Oh sure, bears and deer are coming through all the time," said Sue Esker. "We've seen wolves. And the other night we saw a gray fox." 

The Eskers appreciate the wildlife. It's one reason they retired on the shores of Shishebogama Lake. 

But after living there for 13 years, it takes an extraordinary critter sighting to stop the couple in their tracks.

Full Story Young bull moose spotted at Shishebogama Lake

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Lease Your Land to Wisconsin

Interested in putting your wooded acreage to work for you? Check out this article from Wisconsin Outdoor Fun about leasing land to the State of Wisconsin that would make it available for the public to use.

MADISON – With $1.9 million federal dollars available for leasing, the Department of Natural Resources is seeking landowners interested in opening their lands for public access to hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife observation.  

The funds are available through the Voluntary Public Access (VPA) Program of the 2008 Farm Bill.

Full Story $1.9 million available for hunting, fishing, trapping, viewing leases

Looking for land to call your own? We have listings on over 40 Wisconsin Counties. BuyWisconsinLand.com

Getting Mortgage Approval

Buying real estate, whether it's your first home, hunting acreage or investment property, usually involves getting a loan.  To help understand what will help you succeed in getting mortgage approval, here's an article from Real Estate News, Tips, And Information a blog by Lisa Udy, a Broker in Logan Utah.

When applying for a mortgage loan, there is a great deal of paperwork involved in the process. After filling out all of the necessary paperwork, however, many homebuyers are still completely in the dark regarding the actual mortgage approval process. 

As a result, they sit on pins and needles as they wonder whether they will be approved for the loan they seek to get the home for sale they want. To help alleviate this stress, it is beneficial to learn more about the mortgage approval process before filling out any of the paperwork.

Full Story Understanding The Mortgage Approval Process

Find your dream property BuyWisconsinLand.com 

Help Break the Duck Duck Goose Record

Want to be part of Guinness World Record history?

On September 3rd in the city of Kenosha there will be an to break the current world record of 1,634 people for the largest game of Duck Duck Goose. Join in the fun from 3:30PM and 6PM downtown from 59th Street and 6th Avenue to 50th Street and 7th Avenue.

Find more information on the Kenosha Convention and Visitor Bureau site Duck Duck Goose or on the event Facebook pages Duck Duck Goose Event and Breaking the Duck Duck Goose Record

See Volunteer information for this event on Facebook Event Volunteers

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The Offer to Purchase

When you decide to buy property in Wisconsin, you will be signing an Offer to Purchase form. These are standard forms, created and approved by the State of Wisconsin that all Realtors® use.

Do you read your forms before you sign them? Sometimes long forms filled with legal language get a bit overwhelming to try to understand quickly, when you are ready to make an offer.

Here are a couple of links from the State of Wisconsin website with a Vacant Land Offer to Purchase and a Residential Offer to Purchase (these forms are current at the time of this writing) you can review and read before you head out to buy. Know what is and isn't on the form, and be ready with questions when you are ready to buy.
Vacant Land Offer to Purchase
Residential Offer to Purchase

If you have questions, ask our Realtors® at BuyWisconsinLand.com property@buywisconsinland.com

Hunting Property

Only one more month of summer left, and then we head into the fall hunting seasons! Find great properties all across Wisconsin - like this 40 acres in Adams County:


Need more room? How about this 160 acres in Jackson County:


Many more listings, some with trails for your ATV or snowmobile, many close to great fishing lakes. Visit BuyWisconsinLand.com for hunting properties in over 40 Wisconsin Counties. We look forward to working with you to help you find your dream hunting property.

Fish for Charity

Tuesday July 16th is the 15th Annual Phillips Area Charity Classic Muskie Tournament.

Register at Ross’s Sport Shop on Lake Avenue in Phillips at 6AM and then join in the fun of this catch and release musky tournament on Phillips Chain of Lakes. Total cash prizes of $14,400.00 (based on 60 two-person teams): $7,500 to 1st place winner, $3,000 second, $2,000 third, $1,000 fourth and $900 fifth. Prizes, drawings and raffles at 4:30PM at Harbor View on Long Lake and live music 9PM. Proceeds to benefit a local non-profit group.

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Wisconsin Odd History

History includes tributes to the brave, the adventureous, the generous...and the odd.

Wisconsin has had it share of odd history as well, some funny like Filthy Lucre, some happy like The Man Who Vanished, some interesting like Aunt Mary Ann and some just puzzling like Legislator Obsessed with Underwear.

Read more odd stories and information about the History of Wisconsin, check out the Wisconsin Historical Society's website wisconsinhistory.org

We here at BuyWisconsinLand.com wish everyone a safe and fun fulled 4th of July weekend.

Visiting Every County in Wisconsin

The story of an adventurous Wisconsin family travelling across our state by Jim Stingl | In My Opinion Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

This might be a first, the state tourism folks tell me. A New Berlin guy and his two sons are visiting every one of Wisconsin's 72 counties this week.

That's a pace of 10 or 11 a day, with a stop at each courthouse to snap a photo as proof that they - Tim Johnson and sons Ben, 11, and Noah, 6 - were truly there.

You could argue that this is more of a quest than a vacation, and in fact Tim's wife, Jenny, and 14-year-old daughter, Emma, took that position and decided to stay home instead. For some reason, seven straight days of driving some 400 miles to far-flung courthouses didn't appeal to them.

Full Story From Adams to Wood, family will visit all 72

We have land listings in over 40 Wisconsin Counties. Find your dream property: BuyWisconsinLand.com

Fun in Wisconsin

One of the great things about Wisconsin is every community has it's own activities and festivals. Each town, large or small, has at least one (most have more) event that draws folks from all over to come and enjoy the day.

When planning your purchase of a dream property you should take the time to get to know the area you are looking in, know what the local community is about and times they celebrate - so you can join in the fun!

On our BuyWisconsinLand.com site we have a page with links to many Wisconsin's County tourism pages. Government and Tourism page Feel free to visit and check out what each area has to offer.

Looking for something this weekend? Visit WITravel.com This site has all the latest events scrolling at the top right side of the page, letting you know whats coming up, so you can make plans for your getaway.

P&G Helps Special Olympics

Just watch and like, share or comment on this special YouTube video on Procter and Gamble's Thank You Moms Channel and they will donate $1 to Special Olympics. It's a short but beautiful video and terrific cause.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=7HJa46dB2LQ

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Selling Land Yourself

Do you own a recreational property or large acreage hunting land that you've been trying to sell yourself? Trying to make more money and avoiding paying Real Estate commissions?

Let us help! BuyWisconsinLand.com/DIY is a program we've set up to help you advertise your property. We'll help you get your property seen by buyers across the state looking for land. And all those leads will come directly to you, by email, so you can still sell the property yourself and save money!

For details see www.BuyWisconsinLand.com/DIY or contact diy@buywisconsinland.com We look forward to working with you.

Building Parcel

At BuyWisconsinLand.com we feature many large acreage wooded parcels. Who wouldn't want a large tract of land filled with trees and wildlife, room to play and relax away from it all.

But maybe you don't need or want so much land, but still want room to play? We currently have 3 - yes 3 - 20 acre parcels just south of Wisconsin Rapids available that might be what you are looking for.

These nicely wooded 20 acre parcels are on black top road, with power and phone nearby, just minutes from Nepco Lake and Lake Petenwell. They are on the ATV trail and in a great hunting area. $57,300/each
Listing 1648
Listing 1649
Listing 1650

Check out all our land listings in over 40 Wisconsin Counties BuyWisconsinLand.com

Property Boundaries

When you're buying vacant land, you may decide to have the property surveyed to determine or verify the exact boundaries of the parcel. Just like when finding the right Realtor® to assist you in finding the right property you need to find the right Professional Land Surveyor to work with you and who can get the job done right.

Moe Land Surveying, Inc has created this online brochure which outlines exactly what a Professional Land Surveyor is, what they do and answers many questions you may have about getting a land survey. The site has 13 pages of information including "When do you need a Land Surveyor" "Methods of Surveying" "Ten Types of Surveys" and more. Check it our here Professional Land Surveyors

Remember, we at BuyWisconsinLand.com want you to get the information you need to make an informed choice when purchasing your dream property.

Land Buying Checklist

With Spring in the air, now is the time when you begin thinking about summer plans, including finding that perfect recreational property for you and your family to enjoy for many years to come. Whether you enjoy hunting, hiking, ATVing, birdwatching, camping, or just want to have a place away from the city to call your own, buying land is still a major purchase and you need as much information as possible to make your dreams come true.

This Ezine Article by Brandan Marchand is a great checklist of things to look for and ask your Realtor® about when looking at property.

Perhaps you have dreamed about owning a piece of property, building your dream home and living happily ever after. What many don't consider is that buying raw land can be challenging and should be approached with great diligence and caution.

Unlike a home for sale, raw land may appear innocent. In most cases - large defects are readily apparent in a home. Mold, structural problems, cracks and leaks stand out and can easily be found by a qualified home inspector. In a land purchase, your problems are harder to find and usually more severe. Some questions one should ask when buying raw land.

Full Story Buying Raw Land - An Insider's Guide

A great place to begin your property search is BuyWisconsinLand.com. We have listings in over 40 Counties in Wisconsin, and we use the latest technology to get you the information you need to make an informed choice when purchasing your dream property. Check out our website, send us an email property@buywisconsinland.com or call 877-339-6535. We look forward to working with you.

Shopping for Property In Winter

Last week we ran a post in our Wisconsin Land, our investing in property blog, about why looking at vacant land and large acreage property during winter can be beneficial for you as Buyer. This advice applies when buying a property for recreational use as well, because the more information you have, the happier you will be with your land purchase.

Check out this post Buying Property In Winter and then check out BuyWisconsinLand.com for the latest listings. And when you come out to see property, don't forget your boots!

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Land Conservation Funding Freeze

Reported by Kristen Elicerio wkbt.com

LA CROSSE, Wis. - Funding for local land conservation is in jeopardy after the Wisconsin DNR freezes all state Stewardship Fund grants. It's part of Governor Scott Walker's goal to balance the state budget.

The state gives out $86 million a year to the Stewardship Project.

The majority is for purchasing state parks and forests, but it also includes grant programs that local governments and conservation organizations can tap into for project funding.

Full Story DNR Freezes Land Conservation Funding - WKBT News 8 - La Crosse, WI

Local Blogs

When you are looking for recreational property, something almost as important as the property itself is knowing more about the area where the property is located. After all, this is where you plan to bring the family for vacations or enjoy weekend getaways and maybe even plan to retire.

At BuyWisconsinLand.com we have created several local blogs, with events and happenings, as well as properties for that area. Feel free to check out local celebrations and activities; maybe you'll see something that sparks your interest. We want to get you the information you need to make an informed choice when purchasing your dream property.

Happy reading!

Wisconsin Land - Adams County
Wisconsin Land - Clark County
Wisconsin Land - Eau Claire County
Wisconsin Land - Jackson County
Wisconsin Land - Juneau County
Wisconsin Land - Wood County

Will You Be a Millionaire?

Who doesn't want to be a Millionaire? But can you become one?

Here's a fun calculator from Morgage-Calc.com. All you do is put in your current savings and how much more you will save each month, and the interest rate for your savings account and Voilà - the calculator will tell you when you will become a Millionaire!

How Long Until You're a Millionaire?

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