THIS STORY IS FROM OUR BUYING IN THE BURBS PACKAGE. READ MORE HERE.
Some people dream about sugar plums at Christmas. First-time homebuyers Jon and Molly Heilman see family and friends, a Yule log burning in the fireplace, and decadent pie fresh out of the oven. The Heilmans don’t have children yet but can already picture their future. “It’s exciting to think about family traditions in our new home,” Molly says, “and one of the biggest is having our own Wassail” – an Old English celebration that toasts life with a spiked apple cider. “One of my fondest childhood memories is my parents’ annual holiday Wassail.”
Last year, Molly baked a yule log cake for the holiday party since there was no fireplace in the newlyweds’ rented duplex in Shorewood. This year, she’ll have the real thing burning in her new home.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
First-Home Must Haves
Considering their plans to host family and friends, what do you think is on their list of must-haves? You guessed it. “An updated kitchen. It was near the top of our list,” says Jon. “Did I mention that Molly is a great baker?”
Molly was imagining the holidays when she walked through their new home for the first time. “I loved the open living room and dining room – the fireplace, mantel and big window.” The window is a favorite of George’s, too. That’s the couple’s beloved goldendoodle. “He’ll sit at the window for hours,” Molly says.
Logistically speaking, the Heilmans would need room for family to stay over. One guest bedroom was a must-have. And Molly was thinking ahead. “The third bedroom looked perfect for a nursery with pale green walls and a little nook. I could just see it.”
Here are the homes the Heilmans considered.
Which do you think they chose?
More for the Money
The Heilmans’ budget was capped at $400,000. They considered three properties on Milwaukee’s North Shore, each with three bedrooms. “We loved the walkability of Shorewood,” Jon says, “but in the end, we were drawn to the family feel of Fox Point and Bayside.”
With a budget and location locked, their broker, Jay Schmidt from the Jay Schmidt Group at Keller Williams, devised a plan to help Jon and Molly get more for their money. “We started by looking at homes that had been on the market a bit, pursuing properties Jon and Molly might be able to get below asking,” Schmidt says.
Despite the seller’s market, Schmidt’s strategy worked. The Heilmans made an offer below the asking price of the home they chose, the sellers countered, and the two parties came to an agreement that satisfied everyone.
“Getting the keys to our first home was surreal,” Jon recalls. “After all the planning and looking, it felt like someone else’s house when we walked inside.” But that feeling dissipated when they started to make new memories. Molly remembers the day they moved in. “A group of friends came to help us and at the end of the day, we treated everyone to pizza. We were all sitting around laughing and eating. That’s when our new house started to feel like our first-ever home.”
Answer: The two-story Fox Point colonial
