News | Stapleton Realty

Sellers Market?

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2023-01-18T13:44:07-05:00January 18th, 2023|General, News, Oconomowoc, Selling a Home|

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you’re likely hearing about the cooling housing market and wondering what that means for you. While it’s not the peak intensity we saw during the pandemic, we’re still in a sellers’ market. That means you haven’t missed your window. Realtor.com explains: “. . . while prospective home sellers may lament that they missed their prime window, in reality, this is still a terrific time to sell. In fact, according to a recent Realtor.com® home seller survey, 95% of sellers who sold their home in the past year got more than they paid for it. Nonetheless, some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to [...]

History of the Boat Parade

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2022-10-05T10:38:31-05:00October 5th, 2022|General, Maureen's Musings, News, Oconomowoc|

The Oconomowoc Boat parade has a long history of entertaining hundreds of people over the decades. A lot of hard work and creativity has gone into the creation of boats over the years. The parade‘s original date is uncertain as to when it began, but there was a day time parade with no lights in the 1970’s. In 1972 the Bill Chapman boat won 1st place with the “Good Ship Lollipop”. The parade then took a hiatus for a few years, and began again in earnest in 1989. That was the year the Reitbrock boat won 1st place. The next year, in 1990, the Zeutzius boat was decorated as a French Café and [...]

Is the Market Still HOT?

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2022-10-05T10:36:03-05:00October 5th, 2022|Buying a Home, First-Time Home Buyers, General, News, Oconomowoc, Selling a Home|

Many people watch the real estate market with great interest. It is fun to imagine what we could sell our homes for or to see what the houses near us are selling for. Without question, these past months have been some of the hottest months in real estate in the Lake Country in years. We have seen a much smaller inventory, which has driven the prices for what comes for sale up. On top of the increased prices, multiple offers have come in with greater than asking offer amounts, escalator clauses and no contingencies. Many buyers have thrown up the white flag for the moment in hopes “things will calm down.” [...]

Celebrating 40 Years

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-07-06T16:59:37-05:00July 6th, 2021|General, News, Oconomowoc|

Being forty years in the business is not just about experience, it is mostly about the relationships and the help we have been able to provide to the people we work with. In those years, we have created developments, listed many homes, businesses or land for our clients and helped them to find the same. Selling a property, especially a home, is about connecting the needs and lifestyle wants of our clients with the right fit for them. It is this experience that informs and guides our work to this day. While most of the Realtors at Stapleton Realty have not been here for all of those forty years, we benefit from [...]

Confusing Home Buying/Selling Days

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-05-11T15:40:59-05:00May 11th, 2021|Buying a Home, News, Oconomowoc, Selling a Home|

It is attractive to think about selling your home today. Higher prices, low interest rates to buy something else, and bidding wars with multiple offers per sale, all make it look inviting. Before you pick up the phone to give us a call, there are some things you should know and consider. To begin down the road of selling today, you first have to know where you are going. Having a destination frees you from the worry of not being able to find another home in a limited inventory market. The trick to buying something else before you sell your home is having the ability to finance the purchase separate from the [...]

Chapman Park

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-05-11T15:45:09-05:00April 20th, 2021|Maureen's Musings, News, Oconomowoc|

Do you know about Chapman Park? Coming this summer is a new park in the City of Oconomowoc dedicated to the life and accomplishments of Attorney Bill Chapman. The 18 acre park is located on the southeast side of the City and features grassy pathways and a pond know by some as “Aunt Polly’s Washtub”. The first phase of the park, thanks to a generous donation by Pabst Farms, and supported by the City of Oconomowoc, showcases a bronze bust of Bill and short history of his contributions to our communities. The six small bronze plaques that you will find placed along the pathway of the park, offer a collective testament highlighting [...]

Spotlight on Oconomowoc

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-03-12T15:09:21-05:00March 12th, 2021|Maureen's Musings, News, Oconomowoc|

A big thank-you goes out to the city crews who have been diligent about shoveling off the skating rink on Fowler Lake. It has provided hours of fun and entertainment not only to skaters and hockey players but also those of us who get to watch them on a regular basis. It brings another element of liveliness to our downtown which in turn has created a center for activities, stores, restaurants, and entertainment. The spotlight is on downtown Oconomowoc. Let’s hope it keeps shining brightly for many years to come. Original Publication: The Enterprise, March 4th 2021 Photo Credit: Downtown Oconomowoc Business District https://www.downtownoconomowoc.org/ https://www.oconomowoc-wi.gov/ https://www.visitoconomowoc.com/

Pre-Listing Repairs

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-03-12T15:06:13-05:00March 12th, 2021|General, News, Selling a Home|

We all have a list of repair items around our houses that we have lived with for years and in most cases can be handled quickly and for little money. In most scenarios when you list your home the buyers will ask for the chance to have a home inspection conducted. This is where major defects can be found and sometimes those small things you have been living with will be brought to the attention of the buyers. Taking care of small things shows buyers that you have maintained your property. Just a couple of examples to get you started… Deep clean all surfaces. Tighten bolts on toilets. Repair torn window [...]

Our Community

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-03-12T15:06:46-05:00March 12th, 2021|General, Maureen's Musings, News, Oconomowoc|

The Oconomowoc Area Foundation was only a sparkle in our eyes when a group first met to discuss the needs of our community. It is so very exciting to see how that little sparkle has grown to be a very bright showing spot above us. It is easy to look around the beautiful area where live in and not see or think about the fact that there are people and places that need help. We began to prioritize who we could serve and what we could do, as a group, to make this part of our little world a better place to live, work and recreate in. It didn't take long to [...]

How can we help you?

Bonnie Lewis-Tschannen2021-03-12T14:58:59-05:00March 12th, 2021|Buying a Home, First-Time Home Buyers, General, News, Selling a Home|

Q: Why use Stapleton to buy or sell your home? A: Our Realtors chose to work at Stapleton because it is a small agency with a deliberate focus on providing our clients with personal service. We have a Google 5 star rating because of this focus. Q: Is Stapleton exclusive in what they sell: Lake properties, price range or residential. A: Stapleton Realtors can help to sell homes on a lake or off-water, in any price range, and have experience selling condos, vacant land or any other type of property you have to sell. Q:How should I choose a real estate company? A: Because this is a personal financial choice, you need a company in which you see a [...]