Hartford, Wisconsin is situated in southeastern Wisconsin just 35 miles north of Milwaukee. A suburban small town with a population of 13,000, Hartford is in Washington County and surrounded by the Kettle Moraine Forest. Because of this, Hartford offers a wide array of recreational activities and is a great place for raising a family.
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Houses for Sale in Hartford, WI
Hartford, WI is an unassuming and charming town in Wisconsin. It has a relatively small population of a little over 15,000, and the people who live here are warm, friendly, and welcoming. There’s nothing explosive or overly extravagant about Hartford, but in the air there’s a sense of confidence about where this place is heading, and over the last few years it’s been growing.
More people are looking at Hartford; its population, the demand for homes, and their value are on the rise. Now it’s attracting young professionals, families, and retirees from all over the country. Here, we’ll run you through why, and what awaits you in Hartford.
The climate
Not everyone wants it hot and sunny all year round. Many like the change of season, and find it adds a natural rhythm and pace to life. Hartford enjoys all four seasons. The spring and summers are relatively mild, with highs of around 81 degrees in July. Indeed, it is very pleasant from June to August and while you wouldn’t ever call Hartford tropical, it does enjoy its fair share of balmy nights. The winters are cold but you’ll get lots of snow and Hartford is perfectly positioned to take advantage of some great skiing resorts.
Whatever the season, Hartford offers an abundance of natural beauty where people enjoy the varied outdoor activities.
A brief history
Hartford has a colorful history that stretches back with the indigenous people of the Potawatomi and the Menominee. The first European settlers arrived in the mid 19th century with John Thiel and Nicolaus Simon, among the first of many German immigrants who would follow. Other settlers came from New England and this wave of farmers would quickly clear lands for farming, construct roads, and connect the city with a post office.
In the later part of the 19th century and early 20th, Hartford began to transition from an agrarian based economy to one focusing on industry and manufacturing. This industrial legacy continues to today and Hartford is now home to many large manufacturers.
Today, Hartford is a town that not only has a strong economy, it’s a place where residents can raise their families in a friendly community that enjoys great amenities.
Hartford real estate
In September 2022, the median price of a residential property in Hartford, WI stood at $369,900 with a median price per square foot of $191. This represented a 11.9% increase over the previous year, and this is a stable trend for Hartford. Indeed, if we look over a 3 year period starting from November 2019 we see a steady, sustainable increase in home prices. In November 2019, home prices were listed at a median of around $270,000. By November 2021, this figure had risen to almost $322,500 leading up to the figures we see in the 3rd quarter of 2022.
This suggests that houses for sale in Hartford, WI are a good investment and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
Another indication of the desirability of the area for investors is how much the average time a property spends on the market before being sold has decreased in the past 2 years. In March 2020, the median time it took to sell a home in Hartford was 89 days. In September, this number had plummeted to just 48 days.
Low inventory and high demand, a phenomenon seen throughout much of the country, is likely to push housing prices continuously upward. As it stands, houses for sale in Hartford, WI sell on average at 101.21% above their asking price. This is good news for sellers who can be confident that they can keep asking prices relatively high, and still entertain multiple bids. For buyers, it’s still the case that they can land their desired homes, but they are very much advised to work with professional realtors in the area.
Hartford offers good first home options
Ever rising interest rates have hit some house buyers more than others. First time buyers are likely to be most affected. They tend to be younger buyers who have not necessarily reached their maximum earning potential, and are more likely to be raising or planning to raise a family. These factors make increasing interest rates much more of a hindrance in acquiring a first home.
However, with the median house price of $369,900 being much lower than the national average of $440,300, first time buyers are better able to afford the properties they want, in a great neighborhood, without overstretching themselves financially.
For investors looking at the higher end of the market, such as luxury properties, there are houses for sale in Hartford, WI that represent fantastic value for money. Some properties not only come with great homes, but also substantial acreage.
What you can get in Hartford
Although house pricing takes into consideration a myriad of factors, such as location, there are some generals that you can expect certain price brackets.
The high end
At the luxury end of the market, at $1.2M or higher, you can expect lots of space. Land coverage can go up to 40 acres and typically if you’re paying around a million, you’ll have at least 8 acres of land. Beds can range from 3-6 as well as baths, and finishings will be superior and luxurious. You can expect features like walk-in closets, formal dining rooms, plenty of storage space, multi-vehicle garage and fantastic kitchens. The locations will be prime and your view and surroundings stunning. Some locations will even give you access to hunting and fishing grounds.
Moderate
At around the $450,000 mark you can get a delightful property. Many houses for sale in Harford, WI in this range come with 3-4 beds and baths, so there’s plenty of space for a growing family. Finishes will be of superior or high-quality and you can expect the property to cover 2,500-3,000 sq ft.
Modest
There are properties that are very affordable in the region. It is possible to get 3 beds and 1.5 baths for under $230,000. Of course, at this very affordable range, you won’t be looking at acres of land to call your own but the property should still cover in the region of around 1,000+ sq ft, and depending on your location you can still get excellent views and surroundings.
There are many types of home in Hartford but many on the market are single family detached homes. Ranch homes are very common, but you’ll also see Colonial styles and Greek Revival.
Is now a good time to sell in Hartford, WI
Although the population is growing and there are many draws to living in Hartford, people move, and for a variety of reasons.
What many have in common when they’re looking to move is that they need assistance to sell their home, both in terms of marketing and just for straightforward honest guidance on the many facets of selling.
What can be said here is that it is a good time to sell your property in Hartford. Demand is high, it’s a sellers market, and if you’ve had your home for a while, you’ve built up strong equity in your house. Since appreciation of home prices in Hartford is steady as opposed to meteoric, it’s not likely that holding on to a property will make it any more advantageous when buying a new property in another part of the country. Of course, this all depends on your conditions and where you plan to move.
The Emmer Real Estate GroupDF can help answer any questions you have about putting your home up for sale, and they bring to the table real estate professionals who employ the smartest marketing strategies should you decide a move is right for you.
Living and working in Hartford, WI
Along with a great choice of houses for sale in Hartford, WI, other factors draw many to this town. Here we’ll take a look at what it’s like to live, work and play in Hartford.
Cost of living
The cost of living in any place is best described in comparison to another, preferably to the place from where you’re moving. If we were to compare the town to major urban cities such as New York or neighborhoods in California, Hartford would easily show itself to be much more livable. However, to make the comparison more balanced, we can compare Hartford to the national average for which we will assign a criteria score of 100.
When it comes to cost of living, Hartford is lower in almost every criteria that impacts your finances. The overall score for cost of living in Hartford is 96.9 compared to the national average of 100. When we break it down to specific criteria, Hartford is considerably cheaper for–as we’ve just seen–housing, which scores 95, groceries at 98 and a massive difference of 87.4 for transportation.
However, while Hartford is a more affordable place to live in than the national average, it is also more expensive than the average for Wisconsin.
Hartford occupies a very sweet spot. While on average, you’re more likely to enjoy a better cost of living in Hartford than wherever you’re moving from, you can be confident that Hartford is one of the more desirable towns to live in the Wisconsin region.
Employment in Hartford
The current and future employment prospects are bright in Hartford. The town enjoys a lower unemployment rate than the national average with the town registering 4% unemployment compared to the national average of 6%. Encouragingly, Hartford is set to surpass the national average for future job growth albeit only slightly with Hartford predicted to grow by 33.8% while nationally the figure is 33.5%.
While the employment field is diverse, the town employs significant numbers in the fields of HealthCare and retail. Over 20% of Hartford is employed in manufacturing with Broan-NuTone a major employer.
Schools
Hartford offers a wide selection of good public and private schools for families. There are also a number of schools within the surrounding areas adding to your options.
The pick of public elementary schools include Erin Elementary School, Rossman Elementary School, and Addison Elementary School. While each school is stronger than the others in different aspects, all 3 perform above average when it comes to test scores.
If you prefer to enroll in a private school, there’s Peace Lutheran School, St. Augustine Inc, and St. Kilian. As you would expect, these private schools offer better facilities than the public schools but what truly stands out for St. Augustine Inc and St. Kilian is their very low student to teacher ratio. Also note that St. Augustine can accommodate your children all the way to grade 12.
Hartford High is a solid choice for a public high school. It has a good student to teacher ratio and is rated highly by more than 1 independent review site.
Hartford for all stages of life
The median age in Hartford, WI is 37.9 years. This puts it firmly in an age demographic where there will be many young families. However, Hartford is also a great place to retire. There are a considerable number of senior and active living communities in and around the town, many of which are very highly rated.
If you’d prefer to retire outside an assisted living community, you then have your choice of either downsizing to a very affordable new home or, if you’re in the position to do so, go for something more luxurious.
Finding your place in Hartford, WI
While there are a considerable number of properties, houses for sale in Hartford are being snapped up quicker than ever before and stock is decreasing. With house prices expected to continuously rise at a steady rate, now is the best time to make a move if you’re thinking of buying a home in Wisconsin.
The Emmer Real Estate Group, headed by founder Jim Emmer, is here to make that transaction and move smooth and hassle free. With a whole team of real estate professionals, Emmer Real Estate Group is there 24/7 working for you.
Whether you’re buying or selling, the group has an abundance of experience and expertise and with Jim at the helm, they are always ready to provide service utilizing top tier resources. Their mission: To help people achieve their real estate goals through proven non-traditional methods. This team achieves results.
Contact 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 venture today.