With a population of nearly 20,000 people, the village of Germantown is a charming community located in the southeastern corner of Washington County. With its strong German heritage, a thriving business community, and proximity to the City of Milwaukee, it is an excellent place to reside.
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Homes for Sale in Germantown, WI
Germantown in Wisconsin is a town that offers big benefits for its residents. Here, tight knit communities enjoy open space in the suburbs and a great quality of life. It’s a place where tradition and timeless values meet progress and rejuvenation. With a revitalized downtown, affordable yet desirable housing, new job opportunities brought in by the finance and retail sector, and great schools, Germantown is quietly and confidently becoming a place you might want to consider making your home.
Before we look at what you get when looking at homes for sale in Germantown, WI, let’s have a quick look at the history of the area.
A brief history
Germantown became part of the United States in 1833 with the Treaty of Chicago, which saw many of the Potawatomi tribe move out of the region and west into areas such as Kansas. Migration from European settlers followed in the 1940s and as the name of the town suggests, they came predominantly from Germany.
Its rich and colorful history includes a somber time when it briefly became the location of a prisoner of war camp, housing 500 captured German soldiers during WW2. It has also had its share of economic difficulty in previous decades. But these days, Germantown is a highly desirable location to settle, and here’s why.
The state of the market
Germantown is very stable in its appreciation rates and shows stable growth throughout the last 3 years, even through the height of the pandemic. Germantown, as a residential area, has grown in popularity over the last 2 years, but at a sustainable rate. Homes spent a median time of 47 days on the market before being sold in 2021. In 2022, the median time spent on the market was down to 34 days. This is indicative of an area which is gradually becoming more popular.
It is important to remember that while there are realty opportunities in Germantown, there is limited stock and many homes sell above their listed price. A particularly desirable home can fetch up to 10% above its listed value and spend only 25 days on the market before it is sold.
Around 75% of people in Germantown own their home with the other 25% renting. This makes investing in a property in Germantown, with a view to renting it out a viable option. The area can support investment for renting yet still retains a sense of community as most people who live here own their homes.
Types of homes for sale in Germantown
The market is predominantly made up of single-family homes which account for more than 60% of the homes for sale, in Germantown WI. However, there are also apartment complexes, which make up about 20% of homes, and Townhomes which make up around 10% of the housing. Almost half the homes have 3 bedrooms, 20% have 4, and a smaller amount at around 4% have 5 bedrooms. If you have a small family or are looking to house only yourself there’s still some good options with 25% of homes having 1 or 2 bedrooms.
At the higher end of the market, or what could be considered the luxury end at $1.25M, you can get a 4 bedroom home with 4 baths. The land covered would be in the region of 7,260 sq ft and there would be enough space in the garage to house 4 vehicles. Along with a pool, you could expect the house to have many high end amenities including a game room, full bar and a walk in wine closet.
At around the $600,000 mark, you can get a lovely home with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. The area covered would be around 3000 sq ft. The design would make use of the surroundings with large windows allowing not only ample natural light in but also providing great views all around.
In the $350,000 price range, there’s still some very enticing properties to be had. Again, you can get 3 beds but likely there will be 1 bath. This being Germantown, you’ll still get a lot of space for your investment and are likely to land a property that covers over 2000 sq ft. You should be looking to have a patio, quite likely a shed or outdoor space and a large garage.
Living in Germantown
People who live in Germantown actually like the place they live in. It scores highly in most independent sites that assess the livability of locations, and many reviews posted are positive. Here are the basics that would make you look at homes for sale in Germantown, WI.
Space
Quite often when looking online, you’ll see references to Germantown feeling spacious. It has a suburban feel and if you’re moving in from a place like a packed metropolis like Chicago, it can be a wonderful new experience having so much space for yourself.
A small population
In many ways, less is more. With a population of around 20,000, Germantown is not a city where people don’t get to know each other. The space you have allows for privacy but a small town naturally lends itself to people being more neighborly to each other. Quality of life is important here, and part of that is knowing that you live in an area where you’re more likely to be friendly and happy with the people you live around.
Safety
Being part of a community makes the area intrinsically safer than it would be in a large city. This affects every part of your day to day life, especially if you’re raising a family.
Education
Germantown ranks very highly in the education it offers, and choices are excellent for both public and private schools. There are 27 public schools in Germantown with another 142 private schools in or near the area.
Germantown High School is a public school which offers excellent academic courses, with a reputation for having very strong teachers. Over 1300 students go to this school and it has a good student/teacher ratio of 15-1. A good public elementary school is Rockfield Elementary, which caters for over 350 students, has very good state test scores, and has a student/teacher ratio of 14-1. Kennedy Middle School has almost 1000 students, and has a strong reputation for its strong academics, and quality of teachers. It has a student to teacher ratio of 15-1.
Brookfield Academy is regarded by many as the finest private school in Wisconsin. It scores excellently for its academics, teachers, sports, clubs and activities, and its ability to prepare its students for higher education. The school caters for students all the way from elementary to high school. The teaching ratio is, as you would expect, better than in a public school, with the student/teacher ratio being 8-1. While ranked 1st in many reviews for private schools, it also came 2nd for its specialization in STEM subjects.
Cost of living
At first glance it would seem that Germantown is just a little more expensive than the national average or cost of living in the USA. If we look at an overall comparison of the US national average which numbers at 100, Germantown scores at 105.5, not a great deal over but still higher than most places in Wisconsin and most places in the US.
However, when you take into account that the average household income in Germantown is almost $80,000 and the national average is a little under $58,000, a clearer picture emerges. The average household in Germantown makes over 25% more than the national average with a small rise in cost of living.
Things to do in Germantown
Enjoy the open space
There are over 400 acres of open spaces and parks in Germantown. It’s a great place to get outside and enjoy yourself and your family as most parks have picnic tables, electricity ports and easy access to parking. Pets are also welcome but do note that they need to be leashed.
There’s an archery range in Dheinsville Park that has targets that range incrementally from 10-40 yards. If you’re feeling really energetic there’s a Disc Golf Course, which is basically golf using a frisbee; it will definitely keep you in shape, and do wonders for your cardio.
If you prefer your exercise a little more traditional Blackstone Creek Golf Club is great for both seasoned and beginner golfers. The fairways are beautifully maintained and the river makes for great water features to play through.
Dining
Dining out in Germantown is a varied, delicious and fun experience, with most places catering to all members of the family. Here are just a few places that could become your local places to eat.
Von Rothenburg Bier Stube
Could you imagine a place called Germantown not having a traditional beer garden? This place looks so authentic, it transports you to Bavaria. The atmosphere is casual and fun, the drinks are great, and the food hearty. Furthermore, it’s kid friendly and a great place to take the family for lunch.
Hung Hao Restaurant
Hung Hao is a family owned Chinese restaurant that has been in operation for over 20 years. As such the dishes are very familiar with locals who keep coming back for the favorites. Although it’s a quality restaurant, the prices are very reasonable and the dishes are consistently delicious.
Robert’s Frozen Custard
This restaurant serves American food, does it well, and gives you a great venue to eat in. You’ll find your burgers and wings here but there are a few surprises on the menu such as the Croissant Avocado Club sandwich, which is highly recommended. The dessert menu covers every favorite and then some, the clue’s in the name of the restaurant. It’s worth a trip just for the shakes alone.
Should you invest in Germantown, WI?
Much has been said about the housing market correcting itself after the meteoric rise in house prices over the last couple of years. To be clear, most analysts and experts are predicting a righting of the market, not a bursting of a housing bubble. This means that houses are likely to appreciate for the foreseeable future but not at the unsustainable rate that we had seen in the last couple of years.
When we look at a town like Germantown, we see an incredibly stable housing market where residents enjoy a very high quality of life. This is not generally a place where people are looking to flip homes. Traditionally, it’s a place where buyers come in with the long term plan to stay, live, and raise a family in a very good neighborhood, while at the same time knowing that there will be growth in their equity.
Working with the right real estate professionals
The Emmer Real Estate Group is headed by Jim Emmer, a Wisconsin native with decades of experience in the housing industry. He leads a top team with the best resources, the experience, and the drive to deliver the service and results we think you deserve.
Here’s what one of our clients had to say about us.
Amanda & Chris – Hartford, WI
“After months on the market with another company and no offers, we were frustrated with the slow process of a sale.
Jim’s call to us after our home expired was a welcome relief. Emmer’s marketing showed immediate results with qualified showings. It took just 46 days to get an accepted offer and we achieved 99% of the asking price. We can’t wait to purchase our next home with your team!”
If you’re looking for a new place to call home and you’re interested in what Germantown has to offer, we’ve got some of the most appealing homes for sale in Germantown. We can also help if you’re looking to buy or sell property in Washington County, Ozaukee County, Green Lake County, Dodge County, Waukesha County, Fond Du Lac County, and Marquette County. With our broad range of experience we can assist with any type of home for any buyer, just let us know what you’re looking to achieve.
Call us at our West Bend Office at 262.629.4747 or leave a message here. Alternatively you can reach us at our Green Lake Office at 920.294.4747 or leave a message here. Let’s start your journey to a better home in Wisconsin.