Eau Claire Real Estate's Blog: All Categories

Recently the powers that be at the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin decided that real estate agent websites can no longer contain the phrase "Search the MLS." MLS, of course, stands for Multiple Listing Service and refers to the practice of offering of commission to other real estate agents if they bring a buyer to a seller or seller's agent. MLS also refers to the database that houses listings from many real estate agencies. I believe that this change is hurting the general public immediately and will harm real estate agents and brokers in the long term.

The justification given for this rule change is as follows:

Using the term "MLS" gives consumers the impression that they have access to the MLS, when in fact, they have access to a…

Geography:

Northern Boundary: Harding Ave and Lake Street

Eastern Boundary: Putnam Park

Southern Boundary: Putnam Park

Western Boundary: UW-Eau Claire campus

The Third Ward is surrounded on three sides by a river bluff. To the East and South of the Third Ward, that bluff is part of Putnam Park, a 105-acre state wildlife preserve located in the heart of the city. Little Niagara Creek runs through Putnam Park, through the UW-EC campus (under Phillips Hall), and eventually empties into the Chippewa River. The park itself is owned by UW-Eau Claire, which borders the Third Ward to the West.

Demmler Park is a city park located in the Third Ward. Demmler Park has new playground equipment (on sand), a softball field, a pavilion and warming hut,…

Eau Claire’s East Hill Neighborhood

Above: A section of trail linking Boyd and Archery Parks.

Geographical range

Northern border – Eau Claire River

Eastern Border: US Business Hwy 53 / Hastings Way

Southern Border: Brackett Avenue

Eastern Border: Eau Claire Downtown Business District

In the West end of the neighborhood, the homes tend to be older. Some were built as early as 1876 and have design elements that borrow from Queen Anne, Victorian, and Italianate styles. Some East Hill homes remain single-family homes; some have been divided into duplexes. The West side of the neighborhood is only about a 15-minute walk to the UW-Eau Claire campus. The West end of the neighborhood borders Downtown Eau Claire and all of its… Read Full Post

Ok, so I know “top 10” lists are dead. But I need to get this blog rolling with a topic, so I thought I would write about something I know well. Following are just some thoughts on why I think Eau Claire is a great place to be.

1. Eau Claire, a city of about 65,000 people, has 19 parks covering over 2200 acres and 80 miles of trails. Two major rivers, the Eau Claire and the Chippewa, convene downtown. It is an ideal mixture of urban and rural.

2. Housing and rent are very affordable. The average home in Eau Claire sold for around $140,000 in 2006.

3. Our public schools are excellent. Wisconsin average ACT scores are always in the top 3 nationally, and Eau Claire students’ average score of 22.5 tops the Wisconsin average of 22.1.

4. Strong…