Best Northern Cities In Wisconsin To Live? (Rice Lake, Minocqua: for sale, how much)

[labarbmb]

My wife and I have a goal to move back to Wisconsin in the next 5 to 10 years. We want to live up north on some water. I'm way more familiar with the NW but know that there are a ton of clean clear lakes in the NE. We'd love Hayward we know, but outside of that we don't have a ton of experience in the other areas (besides Rice Lake, which I think we'd like to live a bit further north than that). It would be nice to have a descent sized city nearby but we won't need it for work, just for a little socializing. I think living near a resort town would be fun because you get a lot of people visiting in the summer but I don't think I would want to "have" to deal with it when we don't want to. As in, it would be great to be a little removed from the chaos but close enough that we can experience it when wanted.

I'd love to hear all your great feedback on good northern cities and your favorite lakes!

Thanks!

[crazyme4878]

I really like Land O'Lakes. Nearby Eagle River seems to have a lot to offer (although I have only visited, never lived), but LOL is a little more removed and all that closer to the UP and everything it offers. I also love Sylvania Wilderness area and have dreamed of being able to afford a parcel of land that backs up to it.

On Eagle River, my husband worked in nearby Watersmeet for a summer and our son and I would come visit on the weekends (which he worked) and we would often go to ER for the day. I liked the grocery store, they seem to have a couple coffee houses and some decent restaurants, a farmers market, a very nice-albeit small--children's museum (in case you have visiting grandkids), a touristy little main street, etc. That was eight years ago, but I was there for the day two years ago and it hasn't seemed to change too much.

[Kandy]

Check out the lakes around Minocqua.

[Drover]

I'm a big fan of the Three Lakes/Eagle River chain of lakes.

[hankejp]

Be prepared to spend big money for a lake front home, especially in Minocqua.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by hankejp

Be prepared to spend big money for a lake front home, especially in Minocqua.

The tax bills are fun too.

[labarbmb]

Ya, we understand the costs will be high, but we have an aggressive savings plan so that hopefully we can get what we want up there. Of course, things come up, so we understand that we may have to make sacrafices on lake, land, house, etc.

[ImaloneJill]

My husband and I were determined to buy a lakefront house up north. However, after looking at prices in the Minocqua/Boulder Junction area, or less of a drive from Chgo. (Dells area), we admitted it was not in our price range. We changed our thinking and started looking at riverfront property. We ended up buying on the Chippewa River-3.5 acres up in northern Rusk. Our wants were a bit different from yours-away from touristy towns, wooded big pines, fishing. Eventually, we want to either retire there or be there at least 6 mo. out of the year. There is so much nature and peace there.
Right now tho, it seems property around a lake has come down and there are many people putting their properties up for sale. If it continues for a few years, you may get what you want.

[Drover]

^^ Yeh, a good compromise might be to look for a riverfront property on a navigable river with access to a nearby lake.

[crazyme4878]

My perfect property would have a trout stream on it. Or just a stream (the trout part is for my husband and boys, although the boys would just love a stream). I like the idea of a river, however, you need to look at the lay of the land in regards to possible flooding.

I would also like to suggest that the OP look at the UP. I'm not sure if their ties/desires are really strong to stay in Wisconsin, but if they aren't... You can usually get a better deal in the UP. And always, when buying land, figure out how much is low land and how much is high land. Especially in the UP.