semi-retiring to Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison, Beloit: apartment, low crime, homes)

[acreplus]

I have been on internet looking at profiles of places in Wisconsin from Beloit to Wisconsin Dells and on realtor.com to get a feel for what homes are available. My husband will be semi-retiring in 1 yr or so. Still not sure where to move. Currently live in Chicago area on 2.5 acres. Space is a must. Have sister in Northwest Wisconsin, but our kids will probably stay in Chicago area when we move. Want to live no further North than possibly Madison area but would consider further North if needed to find perfect location. Want to live in rural area or nice suburb with 1 plus acres. Both husband and I will still need to look for work. Looking for home with land for $200,000 to $300,000 and low property taxes, if such a thing still exists. Want friendly people, low crime and no perverts would be great. We will not have family near and looking for good neighbors and friends. We are nearing 50 years old but young at heart. My husband still rides dirtbikes and looking for places to ride. Near lake would be great too. Would like to take up fishing with our extra time. I like to shop for antiques. Am I asking for too much?

[CADRMNDANES]

You would like Stoughton & Middleton .

The Dells are just a tourist trap http://www.city-data.com/forum/wisco...sin-dells.html .

[Drover]

If you need work and if it needs to be more remunerative than service-economy stuff, you'll probably want to stick close by to Madison, so in that sense CADRMNDANES is headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, the Madison housing market is expensive, so 300K isn't going to get you very far in Middleton. It sure isn't going to get you 1+ acres unless you don't mind living in a tent -- but that probably won't pass city code. You'll need to be further out from the city to get space in that range. You might find something on the outskirts of Stoughton in your price range. Other areas to consider are the outskirts of: Black Earth, Cross Plains, Mt. Horeb, Lodi, Marshall, etc. -- places far enough from the city that they're not in immediate danger of being bought up by developers. As you get closer to the city, property prices rise very quickly.

[acreplus]

Thanks to both for the feedback. I need to do more research on the housing market in different areas to fit our price range, but wanted to know where to start looking. If we have to spend more, than so be it. This lady doesn't camp; my husband....that's a different story. Just want a 3 bed ranch under 10 yrs old w/basement appx 1700 sq ft. with a little land. The big city doesn't interest us. My husband has always traveled a distance to work anyway, so if we are further out, that's okay too.

[CADRMNDANES]

I didn't see your price range earlier. Actually there are some smaller homes in Middleton that are around 300.00. They have larger lots but not an acre.

Try Cambridge, Sun Prairie, Windsor, Fitchburg, Waunakee, Lodi, Deforest, and Bristol .

We looked at a beautiful English Tudor in Windsor, WI. for 469,900 on 7 acres. I'm sure they will take an offer. It's been on the market since March.

Go to Restaino Bunbury & Associates webpage. They have a great search tool. You can also get detailed information on the property.

[acreplus]

Thanks again. I have been reading various postings on Wisconsin and am a concerned about newbies not being received so well. Recent postings also state the winter is really brutal. However, my sister lives in Chetek and the winter season may start a little early and end a little later than Chicago,but it's really not much different. I am not a winter outdoor type. So the cabin fever thing concerns me if their isn't much else to do but outdoor sports. At least in the Chicago suburbs you can find a lot of things to see and do indoors. Another concern that just came up is if our daughter decides to move with us (which I would prefer) rather than go to college in the Chicago area and live with godparents or share an apartment with a good friend. There has to be substance abuse meetings several days a week for her to attend. She has been clean for 2 years now and we are very proud of her. Her meetings and support people are very important. She got involved with a very bad boyfriend at a young age. I truly believe she is responsible for her choices but peer pressure and boys are very hard to avoid. She is a very bright and gifted student and is in a good direction right now and I want her to keep going in that direction. Does anyone have any input on meetings in support in Wisconsin. She goes to 3 meetings a week now and socializes with certain members and group activities. Most recently she went river rafting in Wisconsin in June with the group.

[CADRMNDANES]

I'm sure she can find meetings in Madison. You can always start there and maybe they can refer her to meetings else where in the state.

I have met lots of friendly folks in Wisc. We always tell people where we are from (CA) and no one was ever rude. We asked them questions about the schools and the area. We had many pleasant conversations with people we didn't even know.

Well, there are always the malls where you can walk around during the winter. I don't think you will have a problem finding something to do if you drove into Madison.

[LML]

There are several good meetings for both da and aa in Madison. Meriter hospital has an especially good support system.

[acreplus]

Thanks. When we visited my sister in Chetek last year my husband took my daughter to a meeting and only one other person showed up. They didn't have NA and she had to attend an AA meeting instead which is fine, but only one other person showed up. I don't want to have my daughter drive an hour away to attend meetings at night and drive home so late by herself at a young age. I know I can go online and check where NA meetings are but that does not indicate how many people generally attend. I was curious as to how far she would need to go to find a larger meeting that met weekly and had other meetings besides once a week too. thanks again. I know I worry too much!!!

[Drover]

Pardon my bluntness, but what did you expect to find in a town of about 38 people in the middle of the sticks?? Chetek is very small town that isn't near anything. How far she would need to go to find a larger meeting will depend greatly on how far you are from a substantial city such as Madison or the Milwaukee area (I use those because of your prior indication that you wish to settle in southern Wisconsin). That's where you're going to find the most support. You might have to accept the tradeoff of a longer drive for her in exchange for a more complete support network unless you let go of the idea of having open land in your price range and opt to live closer to a substantial urban area instead.