32. Edward Scissorhands

Johnny Depp's pale, leather-suited, scissor-handed Edward stands out amidst the colorful suburban Christmastime landscape of Tim Burton's 1990 fantasy, although his story is one that ultimately proves perfectly in tune with the season's spirit of open-hearted inclusiveness.

31. The Santa Clause

In 1994 a very specific Christmas fear formed for some children: that Santa would fall off their roof and to his death. Way to make a lovely holiday into a complete nightmare, mid-1990s filmmakers. When Tim Allen inadvertently causes Santa to die on his property, he has to assume the role of the next Santa Claus. There’s a lot of body-shaming stuff here that likely doesn’t fly as well in 2019, but this movie is featured in enough Christmas movie marathons that it belongs on the list.

30. Carol

No, Carol was never intended to be a Christmas movie. But neither was Love, Actually. And still, watching Rooney Mara as a retail worker in a Santa hat fall for a mink-wearing Cate Blanchette can bring as much warm jitters as watching Keira Knightley open her door to the, “Say it’s carol singers,” sign.

29. The Polar Express

For those who saw the behind the scenes process of this motion-captured animated hit, you might wish you could unsee the image of Tom Hanks in a bodysuit with hundreds of little dots all over him. For those who haven’t, don’t ruin the magic for yourself. This classic tale of a Christmas Eve trip to the North Pole is told in such hyper-realistic animation that you might just start to feel like you’re on the locomotive yourself.

28. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

In 2000, Jim Carrey put on a big green Grinch suit to bring the famous cartoon to life. Because it’s Jim Carrey, there’s a lot of improvised humor. There’s also a pretty gross cheese-eating scene that only passes because Jim Carrey can pull it off.

27. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas

John Cho and Kal Penn's stoner buddies find themselves at odds after the latter destroys their Christmas tree, leading to an all-night adventure of holiday madness in the best of the duo's big-screen outings.

26. Die Hard

Ho-ho-ho, he's got a machine gun—Bruce Willis's John McClane, that is, while battling terrorists in John McTiernan's peerless one-against-many action classic.

25. While You Were Sleeping

If Die Hard gets to be a Christmas movie, so does While You Were Sleeping. After Sandra Bullock saves a man pushed in front of an L train on Christmas Day, she finds herself in quite a predicament. After admiring the man from afar from some time, she mutters, “I was going to marry him,” which a nurse mistakes as meaning that she’s his fiancee. Soon after she befriends his family who welcomes her with open arms. The only problem is, she ends up falling for the man’s brother.

24. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Writer-director Shane Black sets virtually all of his films around Christmas (see also: Lethal Weapon and Iron Man 3), although none embrace the season quite as heartily as the filmmaker's 2005 neo-noir comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer as a thief-turned-actor and a private eye, respectively, who wind up partnering on a case.

23. Gremlins

There's far more naughtiness than niceness on display in Joe Dante's terrific 1984 horror comedy in which a cute, mystical Chinese creature known as a "mogwai" named Gizmo—when fed after midnight, or touched by water—gives bubbling birth to mischievous monsters.

22. The Shop Around the Corner

Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan are employees at a Budapest leathergoods shop who can't stand each other—even as they're falling in love as anonymous pen pals—in this memorable romantic comedy set during the holidays.

21. A Christmas Tale

French auteur Arnaud Desplechin crafts a sprawling, spellbinding portrait of familial dysfunction—and, ultimately, reconciliation and togetherness—with this 2008 drama about a clan reuniting, uneasily, at Christmas–only to learn that their matriarch (Catherine Deneuve) is dying of leukemia.

20. Black Christmas

Bob Clark's 1974 gem (starring Olivia Hussey, John Saxon, Margot Kidder, and Keir Dullea) is the granddaddy of modern slasher movies, recounting the gruesome tale of a group of sorority girls who are preyed upon by a mysterious, psychotic killer.

19. Eyes Wide Shut

It may be better known for its other elements–like, say, that unforgettable masked-participant orgy–but Stanley Kubrick's final feature is, at heart, a study of individual desires and marital tensions encased in a velvety Christmastime atmosphere.

18. Little Women

Just like sisters, the 1994 and 2019 adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s novel were conceived from the same source and have transformed into their own unique interpretations. And, just like the March sisters, every Little Women fan usually has already picked their favorite interpretation. Still, these two films both feature star-studded casts with a heart-warming tale of sisterhood at its core. And, as far as Christmas movies go, they both feature picturesque vignettes of white Christmases in New England filled with feasts, fires, frolicking, and family.

17. The Best Man Holiday

Director Malcolm D. Lee reassembles the cast from his 1999 feature, with his group of old friends reuniting for the first time after 15 years for Christmas, which serves as a backdrop for various interpersonal issues.

16. Meet Me in St. Louis

Vincente Minnelli's 1944 musical is comprised of vignettes set during a variety of seasons, but none are as famous as the one featuring star (and Minnelli's future wife) Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Read the original article at www.esquire.com.

15. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph is a legend, and as an adult in these trying times, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer feels a bit like the underdog story we need. There’s clearly some social justice themes going on, but at the core of this story of Rudolph and his dental-savvy friends is a time-tested tale that proves that being different isn’t something to be ashamed of—it’s something to embrace.

14. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Listen. Charlie Brown is an institution, and can you really say it’s the holiday season if the Peanuts theme hasn’t played in a Starbucks near you? After finding himself in a bout of seasonal depression (relatable), Charlie Brown tries to put together a Christmas play before Linus reminds him what the true meaning of Christmas is.

13. Elf

Will Ferrell is a clownish orphan raised by Santa and his elves in the North Pole who journeys to New York City to locate his biological father–a cynical book publisher played by James Caan–in this absurd (and surprisingly sweet) fish-out-of-water fantasy.

12. The Apartment

A single man (Jack Lemmon) lets his co-workers use his residence for their affairs—but then falls in love with his boss's mistress (Shirley MacClaine). Billy Wilder's 1960 comedy won the Academy Award for Best Picture, with good reason: It's one of American cinema's all-time greats. And that, in turn, makes it one of the all-time great Christmas movies as well, given that its tale of loneliness and love takes place on and around December 25.

11. The Nightmare Before Christmas

It’s a debate for the ages: is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? For the sake of this conversation, we’re going with Christmas. The Tim Burton specialty is a masterful work of visual tricks and treats, in a creepy way that only he can accomplish. As long as he’s as charming at Nightmare is, we're okay with a skeleton Santa showing up on Christmas.

10. A Christmas Carol

Still the finest adaptation of Charles Dickens' legendary tale, this superb 1951 feature charts the familiar Christmas Eve ordeal of nasty miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim), who's visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

9. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Jim Henson died during pre-production of this 1992 film, but his spirit lives on in its seamless blend of zaniness and heart–both of which help make this musical Dickens adaptation an underrated triumph.

8. Bad Santa

Billy Bob Thornton's thieving department store Santa injects some nasty deviancy into the Yuletide season in this uproarious black comedy from director Terry Zwigoff.

7. Miracle on 34th St.

You can't go wrong with this perennial Christmas staple about the trial of a man claiming to be Santa Claus (the original is great, but the 1994 remake starring Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson is pretty good, too).

6. Scrooged

Riffing on Dickens, Bill Murray is an arrogant and thoughtless TV executive who, while planning to stage a live production of A Christmas Carol, winds up living out a crazed variation of that very story in Richard Donner's amusing update.

5. Home Alone

Macaulay Culkin is forgotten by his family and forced to battle a couple of dimwit thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) around Christmas in this enduring children's adventure from director Chris Columbus and writer John Hughes.

4. White Christmas

Featuring a new version of the song from which the film gets its title (and which was originally sung by star Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn), this 1954 musical features Crosby and Danny Kaye as music-act partners who team up with two sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to help their former military commander save his Vermont lodge.

3. A Christmas Story

Nine years after Black Christmas, director Bob Clark made another holiday classic—albeit of a very different sort—with this beloved nostalgia-soaked saga of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), who wants nothing more for Christmas than an air rifle. If you have cable, it'll no doubt be playing on a 24-hour loop on some Turner network this December 25.

2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Rarely has a series' third installment been the equal of its two predecessors, but such is the case with this threequel involving Clark (Chevy Chase), Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), Audrey (Juliette Lewis), and Rusty Griswold's (Johnny Galecki) mishap-besieged family get-together.

1. It's a Wonderful Life

Few films define Christmas like Frank Capra's 1946 fantasy starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, who, on the verge of committing suicide, is visited by an angel who shows him the true importance of his life.

There's your list, now you can sit back and have a nice hot chocolate with marshmallows near the campfire!

Read the full article at www.esquire.com.

Tis the season for giving, and after you’ve pick the perfect gift, try one of these unique but, personal ways to make they perfect gift extraordinary. With just a few items you already have laying around the house, you can create personalized, gorgeous gift wrap.

1. Hand-Stamped Polka Dots. Stephanie White really knocked it out of the park when she created this adorable hand-stamped packaging. Her materials are minimal (she used an eraser to create the dots!) and the final look is festive without being over done.

2. Typographic Gift Wrap. Back in 2010 ManMade posted this sleek intersection of gift tag and gift wrap and the look still feels fresh. Over on the ManMade blog you’ll get an in-depth guide for replicated the look.

3. Homemade Holiday Gift Wrap. Whitney of Eat Sleep Cuddle pointed out that making these adorable designs was a healthy take on holiday cookie decorating. She got the mess, the creative indulgence, and the gorgeous end result, but she didn’t end up with big batch of cookies calling her name.

4. DIY Stamp Roller. As if the lint roller wasn’t useful enough, Natalie Karmer over at Handmade Charlotte expanded its utility into the holidays. With a little craft foam and baker’s twine she created a wintery scene that can be used on gift wrap and cards.

5. Potato Stamps?!? Design Sponge did an incredible job of transforming something very ordinary into something extraordinary by blending an age-old stamping technique with modern shapes.

6. “Chalkboard” Paper.  CreativeLive instructor and all-around-inspirational-maven, Bonnie Christine, put black paper with a white paint marker to work to create an adorable chalkboard effect. In her Christmas Chalkboard Packaging post, Bonnie demonstrates the results you’ll get with different pen types and even offers a downloadable icon guide.

7. Repurposed Tissue Paper. Have too much tissue paper and not enough wrapping paper? Or maybe you favor the funky vibe of tie dye?  This dyed tissue paper uses up that excess paper and gives you the ability to customize your colors, creating a fun and festive look.

8. Upcycled Newsprint, Paper Bags, and Maps. Before you throw those old newspapers, paper bags, and maps into the recycling bin consider incorporating them into a thrifty, unique wrapping design. In her Make post, Vanessa Coppola offered the excellent tip of using a low heat iron to smooth out the wrinkles.

9. Upcycled Belt Bow. Need some wrapping ideas for dear old Dad? Boxwood Clippings suggests using a belt he has “outgrown” instead of a traditional bow to create a memorably masculine look.

10. Drop Cloth Gift Bag. Create a paint-ready alternative to traditional wrapping paper, by sewing a drop cloth into a durable gift bag. This unique wrapping can be embellished with paint before or after the gift is wrapped because the paint will not soak through.

11. Washi Taped Gift Wrap. For a quick and colorful way to customize any wrapping paper DIY Inspired recommends decorating your packages with washi tape. There are so many colors and patterns to choose from and you probably already have a hefty collection of inspiring washi tape rolls sitting in your craft closet.

12. Artfully Folded Fabric Wrap. For great conversation starter, Evermine Occasions suggests wrapping your gifts in the ancient Japanese tradition, furoshiki. This is fabric origami for your gifts. Bonus idea, wrap your gifts in a set of new dish towels, for reuseable wrapping paper.

13. Create-Your-Own Crayon Paper. Have some little ones itching to tear open their presents? Wrap your gift in white paper, attach some crayons, have them design their own package.

14. Paper Towel Tube Box. Need a little gift box in a pinch? Decoracion 2.0 has a wholly unexpected and awesome suggestion: use a halved paper towel roll, fold in the edges to create a perfect pillow box. Finish the look with a wide bow!

15. Pineapple Surprise. Looking for a perfect hostess gift? Brighten up any holiday party with pineapple packaging. Who doesn’t love champagne and chocolate?

16. Snazzy Gift Card Snow Globes. Giving just a gift card often isn’t much fun. One Charming Party has an excellent suggesting for stepping up the gift card game and packaging it into a winter wonderland snow globe!

17.  Fun and Festive Surprise Balls! Add layers of fun to your holiday unwrapping with surprise ball packaging. You can hide little gifts throughout, so the recipient finds fresh treasures in each layer.

18. Frosty the Bread Tie. Some of the best gifts are handmade, particularly when you can eat them. But don’t just decorate those gourmet goodies, add some holiday cheer to the package with adorable, upcycled snowman bread ties.

19. Wee Little Walnut Wrap. Nothing else could feel more magical than giving a gift wrapped in a walnut shell. This idea from Curly Birds feels as if magical elves packaged it themselves.

20. Paint Can Gift Wrap. For a quick, inexpensive but unique gift bag idea, try an empty paint can from the hardware store. It can be a sturdy alternative to the traditional paper gift bag Add your goodies inside and seal the lid. Trim your gift with a festive bow.

21. Sweater Sleeve Cozies. Nothing says warm and comfy quite like a sweater. Have wornout sweaters that you over-loved? Recycle an old Sweater Sleeve and make a fall-perfect cozy wine bottle wrapping.

Love them all? Be sure to pin this collage to your DIY Gift Wrap board on Pinterest!

Have a merry Christmas everyone! You can read the original article at www.creativelive.com.

Share Your Real Estate Success Stories!

Share your stories with us and inspire others! Send an email to membersupport@wiscoreia.com if you'd like to participate in our SHARE YOUR STORY campaign and be featured on social media. We're excited to hear your success stories!

Buying a home empowers you to take control of your life, increases your self-worth, and best of all, gives you options to diversify your financial life. While it might feel overwhelming or out of reach, these women show that against certain odds or challenges, home ownership has so much to offer. Here are five incredible success stories to inspire you:

She owns properties despite her debt

Stephanie Bousley still has close to $100,000 in student loan debt—even while she owns two properties. “I could liquidate my properties and probably pay [the loans] all off,” she said, but she isn’t letting that debt define her or stand in her way.

While living in Singapore in 2013, she decided to use a bonus from work to purchase a rental property in Minnesota. Even though she was living abroad, she managed to find a place within her budget and with potential to increase in value. She rents out the property and cash-flows about $250 a month, even after paying her property management company.

That property has increased in value by 65% in the past five years. “It comforts me to know the asset is there if I ever need the cash,” she says.

Bousley now lives in Los Angeles, and though her mortgage is steep, she prefers owning her home to renting one. Her approach to finances is holistic, and she doesn’t define her worth by student loans alone. Owning properties and managing her own finances is important to her, as she puts it: “It’s a huge boost for my self-esteem and my self-worth.”

She’s a home owner who travels full-time

Even though her life was admittedly less stable than other friends who hadn’t yet bought homes, Cori Carl recognized the value in home ownership even on her $40,000 salary. With a private loan from her mother, she bought a home in Brooklyn and rented out a room.

Having her own home gave her a feeling of control in her life, and an opportunity to learn about taking care of things for herself.

She sold the apartment for twice what she paid and bought her next apartment in cash. “Buying an affordable apartment and having a roommate gave me the freedom to not worry about my bills. It’s given me the ability to work for organizations I believe in, doing work I find fascinating,”she told me over email.

While she could have kept some of the cash from her first sale instead of paying off her mortgage right away, now she has the freedom to rent her new place and cash-flow all the rent money.  She lives “a really nice life on a modest income.”

“Right now, I travel full time and run a nonprofit. I can’t think of anything I’d want to change about my life if I magically came into riches tomorrow,” she said.

She found a passion for hosting to keep her home

When Sarah Langley bought her first home in 2008, she had a dream of giving her counseling patients exemplary care downstairs from her home—“like Jason Seaver (RIP) of Growing Pains sitcom,” she said.

Soon, however, the cards seemed stacked against her. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and she became her mother’s caretaker.  She had to close her practice in 2015, and the house still wasn’t worth as much as she had paid for it.  She felt stuck.

The only option seemed like a rental company, which would manage the house while renting it out—but rather than receiving any money from her rental property, she would owe the rental company about $110 a month. “I really felt stuck again,” she said.

At a conference, she learned about renting her home on Airbnb. It took four months to get her first renters on the site, but after that, things really turned around. “I realized I had a passion to host and entertain,” she said. “It has been a very rewarding experience ever since.”

She faced her college board to make smart financial moves

When she learned of her college’s on-campus living requirements, Lisa Bradley didn’t let it stop her from carrying out her plan to own a home.

She had already asked her parents to co-sign a mortgage on a house near the school. Bradley figured that if she rented rooms to friends, she could make a profit on the house if she sold it four years later.

There was a catch: the school had a two-year on-campus requirement. So, she made a PowerPoint and presented it to the board, to prove the seriousness of her endeavor, which she considered her first foray into entrepreneurship. Of course, they were convinced.

She cash-flowed the rent money to help pay for college and sold the house three years later for a $20,000 profit.

It gave Bradley a taste for entrepreneurship and inspired her to start her own company, R.Riveter, which was featured on Shark Tank in 2016.

She believes real estate is about helping others

Melissa Steele bought her first home while in college in Buffalo, New York. It was a three-bedroom house, and she rented the other two bedrooms out to friends, where they could pay less than market value for rent.

With the rental income and some of her salary, she paid off her first home in two years.

Since then, she has purchased four properties in Tennessee, each of which cash-flows about $300 every month for a total of $1,200 a month for the past five years.

But Steele didn’t stop there—she pitched the idea of an investment property in San Diego to her husband, and their $35,000 in renovations already increased their house value by about $100,000.  Rather than flip it for a profit, they are building two rental units in the backyard.  Her hope is not only to pay for her mortgage, but to empower other women to make similar financial moves.  At 29, she is spreading the wealth. “I live, breathe, and love real estate,” she said.  And it seems to love her back!

Like any big endeavor, home ownership has its challenges.  But it’s not out of your reach to make property ownership work for your individual situation. Consulting with the right professionals is an important part of making property ownership lucrative and easy.

Feeling inspired? Share your stories of property ownership with us!

Coronavirus in Wisconsin: Almost half of results were positive Tuesday

The state reported the most COVID-19 deaths in almost a week

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported the most COVID-19 deaths in almost a week, and nearly half of all coronavirus tests returned Tuesday came back positive.

The state received 7,299 results -- 51 fewer than yesterday, and the fewest since Sept. 26. Of these, 3,501 came back positive, or 48% (47.97%). The remaining 3,798 were negative. Cases were reported in 71 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

Fifty-four more people were added to COVID-19′s death toll, bringing it to 4,122. These deaths were in 26 counties, with multiple deaths in 15 of them: Brown (3), Chippewa, Columbia, Dane (3), Dodge (3), Door, Grant (3), Jefferson (2), Kenosha (5), La Crosse (3), Marinette (2), Milwaukee (3), Oconto, Outagamie (2), Ozaukee, Pierce (2), Polk, Racine (4), Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan (3), Vernon (2), Walworth, Waukesha (5), Waupaca and Wood counties. Death totals were revised in Green and Pepin counties.

The death rate remains 0.93% of all known cases for a sixth straight day.

Wisconsin is averaging 3,421 new coronavirus cases and 45 COVID-19 deaths per day over the last 7 days. Both of these are down from Monday’s rolling average.

County case and death numbers appear later in this article.

To date, more than 46% of Wisconsin’s population has been tested for the coronavirus at least once, and 7.6% of the population tested positive. The DHS reports 442,396 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and two-and-a-quarter-million (2,259,792) tested negative.

One in 10 people ever diagnosed with the coronavirus in Wisconsin is still an active case: 44,076 people. The number of patients who are recovered is up to 394,095, which is 89.1%. The DHS points out a person may still suffer effects of their infection, such as “brain fog” or loss of taste or smell, even when they fall under the “recovered” category, which means they survived 30 days after diagnosis or onset of symptoms or were medically cleared.

Hospitals have begun receiving their share of the 49,725 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine being shipped to Wisconsin this week. Health care providers and nursing homes staff and residents are first in line to receive them. CLICK HERE to read more about the distribution plans.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

The DHS reported 184 more COVID-19 patients sent to hospitals. That’s the most COVID-19 hospitalizations in 24 hours since last Wednesday, but the number of patients hospitalized decreased to 1,461 -- 10 fewer than Monday. Changes in daily hospitalization figures take discharges and deaths into account. The number of those in intensive care increased, from 319 to 331, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA).

An average 144 people have been hospitalized every day over the past 7 days. That moving average has been declining for the last 10 days.

The eight-county Fox Valley region currently has 86 COVID-19 patients (four fewer than Monday), with 15 in ICU (four more than Monday). The seven-county Northeast region has 107 patients (1 more than Monday), with 26 in ICU (one less than Monday).

The alternate care facility at the state fairgrounds was treating 6 patients Tuesday, the same as Monday. Through late last week, the field hospital had treated 156 people since opening on October 14.

HOSPITAL READINESS

The WHA reports 15% of intensive care beds and 16.3% of all hospital beds in the state’s 134 hospitals are open.

The Fox Valley region’s 13 hospitals have 19 ICU beds (18.3%) and 114 (13.4%) of all beds open among them. The Northeast region’s 10 hospitals have 36 ICU beds (17.4%) and 203 of all beds (21.2%) open.

These beds are for all patients, not just COVID-19, and whether a bed can be filled depends on whether the hospital has the necessary medical and support staff.

The need for personal protective equipment (PPE) remains unchanged from Monday: 18 hospitals report less than a 7-day supply of gowns, 13 have a short supply of paper medical masks, 11 are short on goggles, and 9 are low on N95 masks.

Article continues with county-by-county case totals below the video

TUESDAY’S COUNTY CASE NUMBERS (Counties with new cases or deaths are indicated in bold)

Wisconsin*

• Adams – 1,206 cases (+7) (10 deaths)
• Ashland – 893 cases (+14) (13 deaths)
• Barron – 4,050 cases (+7) (50 deaths)
• Bayfield - 843 cases (+12) (16 deaths)
• Brown – 24,547 cases (+208) (153 deaths) (+3)
• Buffalo – 911 cases (+3) (6 deaths)
• Burnett – 920 cases (+3) (15 deaths)
• Calumet – 4,416 cases (+19) (30 deaths)
• Chippewa – 5,476 cases (+13) (62 deaths) (+1)
• Clark – 2,524 cases (+17) (44 deaths)
• Columbia – 3,892 cases (+10) (20 deaths) (+1)
• Crawford – 1,471 cases (+5) (11 deaths)
• Dane – 30,682 cases (+29) (116 deaths) (+3)
• Dodge – 9,724 cases (+27) (90 deaths) (+3)
• Door - 1,791 cases (+5) (12 deaths) (+1)
• Douglas – 2,697 cases (+54) (14 deaths)
• Dunn – 3,182 cases (+17) (20 deaths)
• Eau Claire – 8,537 cases (+23) (65 deaths)
• Florence - 380 cases (+1) (12 deaths)
• Fond du Lac – 9,674 cases (+73) (59 deaths)
• Forest - 783 cases (+3) (20 deaths)
• Grant – 3,864 cases (+13) (73 deaths) (+3)
• Green – 2,023 cases (+1) (7 deaths) (deaths revised -1 by state)
• Green Lake - 1,300 cases (+12) (9 deaths)
• Iowa - 1,503 cases (+12) (5 deaths)
• Iron - 400 cases (+2) (10 deaths)
• Jackson - 2,082 cases (+15) (6 deaths)
• Jefferson – 6,079 cases (+38) (47 deaths) (+2)
• Juneau - 2,209 cases (+10) (8 deaths)
• Kenosha – 11,148 cases (+164) (183 deaths) (+5)
• Kewaunee - 1,865 cases (+26) (22 deaths)
• La Crosse – 9,220 cases (+74) (46 deaths) (+3)
• Lafayette - 1,157 cases (+3) (4 deaths)
• Langlade - 1,687 cases (+13) (29 deaths)
• Lincoln – 2,215 cases (+9) (36 deaths)
• Manitowoc – 5,572 cases (+35) (47 deaths)
• Marathon – 11,023 cases (+37) (142 deaths)
• Marinette - 3,334 cases (+23) (38 deaths) (+2)
• Marquette – 1,104 cases (+2) (15 deaths)
• Menominee - 654 cases (+6) (9 deaths)
• Milwaukee – 78,267 (+722) (819 deaths) (+3)
• Monroe – 3,084 cases (+24) (20 deaths)
• Oconto – 3,523 cases (+2) (35 deaths) (+1)
• Oneida - 2,624 cases (+8) (46 deaths)
• Outagamie – 15,070 cases (+77) (143 deaths) (+2)
• Ozaukee - 5,673 cases (+124) (44 deaths) (+1)
• Pepin – 579 cases (+9) (4 deaths) (deaths revised -1 by state)
• Pierce – 2,641 cases (+34) (23 deaths) (+2)
• Polk – 2,713 cases (+26) (21 deaths) (+1)
• Portage – 5,155 cases (+20) (43 deaths)
• Price – 861 cases (+4) (4 deaths)
• Racine – 16,021 cases (+215) (225 deaths) (+4)
• Richland - 981 cases (+2) (13 deaths)
• Rock – 10,959 cases (+35) (104 deaths) (+1)
• Rusk - 1,022 cases (+8) (11 deaths)
• Sauk – 4,051 cases (cases revised -10 by state) (22 deaths) (+1)
• Sawyer - 1,070 cases (+11) (8 deaths)
• Shawano – 3,928 cases (+14) (53 deaths)
• Sheboygan – 10,406 cases (+25) (82 deaths) (+3)
• St. Croix – 4,978 cases (+55) (22 deaths)
• Taylor - 1,475 cases (+5) (13 deaths)
• Trempealeau – 2,746 cases (+15) (24 deaths)
• Vernon – 1,345 cases (+7) (19 deaths) (+2)
• Vilas - 1,446 cases (+10) (19 deaths)
• Walworth – 6,985 cases (+64) (71 deaths) (+1)
• Washburn – 907 cases (+12) (8 deaths)
• Washington – 10,497 cases (+168) (87 deaths)
• Waukesha – 31,200 cases (+642) (289 deaths) (+5)
• Waupaca – 3,915 cases (+15) (93 deaths) (+1)
• Waushara – 1,839 cases (+9) (13 deaths)
• Winnebago – 14,328 cases (+61) (138 deaths)
• Wood – 5,069 cases (+44) (32 deaths) (+1)

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula **

• Alger - 177 cases (1 death)
• Baraga - 452 cases (28 deaths) (+2)
• Chippewa - 468 cases (+7) (8 deaths)
• Delta – 2,396 cases (+2) (53 deaths)
• Dickinson - 1,887 cases (+12) (52 deaths) (+1)
• Gogebic - 684 cases (+4) (12 deaths)
• Houghton – 1,501 cases (+14) (17 deaths) (+3)
• Iron – 734 cases (32 deaths) (cases revised -1 by state)
• Keweenaw – 67 cases (1 death)
• Luce – 122 cases
• Mackinac - 247 cases (+1) (1 death)
• Marquette - 2,973 cases (+9) (47 deaths) (+3)
• Menominee - 1,336 cases (+9) (22 deaths)
• Ontonagon – 272 cases (+1) (14 deaths)
• Schoolcraft - 187 cases (2 deaths) (cases revised -1 by state)

Last week, the DHS published a new, interactive map online that shows COVID-19 virus cases and deaths by county, municipality, ZIP Code or school district (CLICK HERE). You can view cases and deaths by total numbers or per capita or deaths as a percentage of total cases. Health Secretary-designee Andrea Palm says it “offers new ways for people to understand COVID-19 activity within their communities.”

* Viewers have asked us why the state has different numbers than what’s reported on some county health department websites. The DHS reports cases from all health departments within a county’s boundaries, including tribal, municipal and county health departments; county websites may not. Also, public health departments update their data at various times whereas the DHS freezes the numbers it receives by the same time every day to compile the afternoon report.

The DHS reports deaths attributed to COVID-19 or in which COVID-19 contributed to their death. Most of the people severely affected by the coronavirus have underlying illnesses or conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or obesity, which raises a person’s risk of dying from COVID-19 but would’ve lived longer if not for their infection. The state may revise case and death numbers after further review, such as the victim’s residence, duplicated records, or a correction in lab results. Details can be found on the DHS website and Frequently Asked Questions.

**The state of Michigan does not update numbers on Sundays. Monday’s numbers include updates since Saturday’s reporting deadline.

Symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Prevention

• The coronavirus is a new, or “novel,” virus. Nobody has a natural immunity to it. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.
• To help prevent the spread of the virus:
• Stay at least six feet away from other people
• Avoid close contact with people who are or appear sick
• Stay at home as much as possible
• Cancel events and avoid groups, gatherings, play dates and nonessential appointments
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
• Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask. At a minimum, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

Source: www.wsaw.com

Ever wondered why joining a REIA is worth your time and money? In our experience, the benefits of being a member far outweigh the annual fees and will be well worth your time. Here are our top three reasons to join WiscoREIA:

What are the benefits?

1. Networking

WiscoREIA is a great place to meet other real estate investors, real estate agents, contractors, and other industry leaders who can help you succeed in the business. Share and find great deals!

2. Mentorship

Our hosts and mentors have decades of experience to share. If you are new to real estate investing, finding mentors can provide personal value and insights that you might not get elsewhere.

3. Education

WiscoREIA has fantastic educational programs and speakers. Some of the many helpful topics are how to identify properties with high appreciation, how to grow your rental portfolio, tax strategy options, landlording mistakes to avoid, property management, hard-money lending, and MORE!

Even better, you can request any real estate topic for upcoming WiscoREIA events. Room for learning is endless if you find motivation in the right place.

Your first meeting with WiscoREIA is always FREE. Become part of our growing community of like-minded investors.

The area housing market is starting to see some changes... and it's for the better.

America's economy is reeling, but realtor Dan Ludwig says people are still buying homes.

"Demand. Absolutely demand," said Ludwig.

The Wisconsin Realtors Associations says May home sales slid almost 25% from 2019. Sales rebounded in June to just a 4.5% dip.

Realtors Association consultant David Clark says there are a few reasons why.

"We were still very pleasantly surprised., given a lot of the sales closed in June of this year were based on contracts accepted during the point in time the economy was basically on lock down," said Clark, "mortgage rates are at historical lows. In the last three months April, May and June we recorded new record lows each of those months."

Ludwig says living and working from smaller spaces is also a contributing factor.

"People are understanding that going through this COVID, I want a house. If I'm going to be isolated I want to be isolated in a house," said Ludwig.

Realtors are also seeing a new generation of buyers.

"We're looking at a lot of millennials right now who are purchasing these homes," said Ludwig.

"There has been a move of millenials into owner occupied housing," said Clark, "they have started making that shift and that will continue to fuel the demand."

Buyers are also willing to pay more. Median prices are up by 3.6% from last year.

Ludwig said, "real estate is all about supply and demand and whenever you have more demand than supply the price is going to go up."

"The market can be characterized as a strong seller's market," said Clark, "the demand side has bounced back pretty well."

A sellers market, because there are plenty of people ready to bid on their next home sweet home.

Source: Fox 11 Online

WiscoREIA December Newsletter is Out!

Download link: WiscoREIA December Newsletter

October to November Market Updates:

GREEN BAY

Median Sale Price:

• Increased from $139,950 in October of 2019 to $174,900 in October of 2020.

Months Supply of Inventory:

• Decreased from 3.76 in October of 2019 to 3.1 in October of 2020.

New Listings:

• Decreased from 127 in October of 2019 to 113 in October of 2020.

Pending Listings:

• Increased from 118 in October of 2019 to 129 in October of 2020.

Closed Listings:

• Increased from 120 in October of 2019 to 134 in October of 2020.

APPLETON

Median Sale Price:

• Increased from $166,900 in October of 2019 to $183,000 in October of 2020.

Months Supply of Inventory:

• Increased from 3.3 in October of 2019 to 3.58 in October of 2020.

New Listings:

• Increased from 91 in October of 2019 to 98 in October of 2020.

Pending Listings:

• Increased from 69 in October of 2019 to 88 in October of 2020.

Closed Listings:

• Increased from 67 in October of 2019 to 92 in October of 2020.

KENOSHA

Median Sale Price:

• Increased from $200,900 in November of 2019 to $221,000 in November of 2020.

New Listings:

• Decreased from 161 in November of 2019 to 159 in November of 2020.

Pending Listings:

• Decreased from 122 in November of 2019 to 54 in November of 2020.

Sold Listings:

• Increased from 157 in November of 2019 to 193 in November of 2020.

EAU CLAIRE

Median List Price:

• $254,836

Pending Listings:

• 11 units.

Sold Listings:

• 238 units.

WAUSAU

Median List Price:

• $180,649

Median Sale Price:

• $177,566

Sold Listings:

• 76 units.

October 2020 Home Sales Report

Downloadable October 2020 Home Sales Data - WisconsinHousingData-Oct2020

Wisconsin Housing Statistics - Wisconsin Housing Data

WiscoREIA – Fueled by record-low mortgage rates, Wisconsin’s existing home market saw another sharp increase in sales and prices in October, according to the most recent monthly analysis conducted by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). For the seventh straight month, mortgage rates fell into record-low territory, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropping to 2.83% in October. As a result, existing home sales increased 24.9% in October 2020 compared to October 2019, and the median price increased 16.3% to $227,324 over that same 12-month period. On a year-to-date basis, home sales are up 4.5% relative to the sales in the first 10 months of 2019, and the median price rose to $220,000, which is an increase of 11.1% compared to the January-through-October period of 2019. 

“There’s no doubt that these record-low mortgage rates are a big reason our strong sales and growth were robust in every region of the state,” said WRA Chairman Steve Beers. Home sales increased by double-digit margins in all regions, with closed sales up between 13.6% and 17.3% in the Central, Northeast and West regions. More robust sales growth was seen in the Southeast region, up 25.2%; the South Central region, up 35.2%; and the North, up 42.1%. “We would have sold even more homes if the supply was there,” said Beers. Six months of available inventory is considered to be balanced, with inventory levels below that benchmark considered a seller’s market. Every region in the state was well below the six-month level, with the North region having the most supply at 4.4 months and the South Central region the lowest at three months of available supply. Unfortunately, months of supply declined in every region over the last 12 months. 

“With demand pressure so strong, buyers are moving quickly, which means homes aren’t on the market very long,” said WRA President & CEO Michael Theo. Average days on the market (DOM) follows a regular seasonal pattern, typically falling through the summer and then peaking in the winter months. Still, comparing the same month last year, DOM fell 8.8% to just 83 days statewide. In contrast, just five years ago, the October DOM peaked at 134 days, or 38.1% longer than today.

“This hot market continues to push home prices up with price appreciation in the double digits since July,” said Theo. The Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index shows the fraction of the median-priced home that a buyer with median household income qualifies to purchase, assuming 20% down and the remaining balance financed at current rates with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. The index fell to 199, a drop of 6.5% from October 2019. The loss in affordability would have been significantly worse had mortgage rates not dropped by nearly 1%, or down 86 basis points, over the last 12 months. “Despite our increasing prices, Wisconsin housing remains affordable compared to the national average,” said Theo. The National Association of REALTORS® reports that the national index stood at 159.6 in September, whereas the Wisconsin index was 194.8 for that same month.

“Following the wild swings in real GDP in the previous two quarters, the expectation is that the economy will once again settle into a pattern of solid growth with low inflation for 2021,” said David Clark, Marquette University economist and consultant to the WRA. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank conducts the Survey of Professional Forecasters, which includes economists from business, consulting firms and academia. The latest survey projects real GDP growth of 4% and inflation of 2% for 2021. “Clearly there remains uncertainty but the prospect of an effective COVID-19 vaccine should lead to sustained growth over the foreseeable future,” said Clark.

“As we move into the winter months, buyers should remember that this can be a good time to buy as competition and prices tend to moderate,” said Theo. He points out that this continues to be a great time to buy a home. “Mortgage rates are at historic lows, which translates into lower monthly payments,” said Theo. As the economy returns to a sustained growth path, mortgage rates will likely bottom out. “Working with a REALTOR® maximizes your likelihood of success in this hot market,” he said.

Source: Wisconsin Realtors Association

'The pandemic has not slowed demand one bit' in Wisconsin's housing market

Elizabeth Duthie has been thinking about buying her first home for years. 

At the beginning of September, Duthie saw a place she loved online so she called a real estate agent.  

"It was no longer on the market," Duthie said. 

Duthie, a 38-year-old researcher in the Center for Urban Population Health at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was shopping in the perpetually hot market for houses priced under $250,000. 

That market, in metro Milwaukee and across Wisconsin, has remained strong into fall.

Unlike the typical pattern of a busy spring and summer, Milwaukee's real estate market started to warm up late this summer and has yet to cool off.  In a typical year, sales tend to drop as temperatures fall.

Duthie's real estate agent, Beth Jaworski with Shorewest Realtors, said many of her clients are deciding to go forward with long-anticipated moves

"The pandemic has not slowed demand one bit," she said. "The problem is lack of inventory. We've had lack of inventory for a few years. It was just really made worse with the pandemic." 

The metropolitan Milwaukee housing market is making up for time lost this spring during the state's stay-at-home order. Sales in the four-county area were up 28.2% in September compared to the same time last year, according to the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors. 

The hot market exists across the Badger State, not just in southeastern Wisconsin. 

“It’s super-bonkers for us in central,” said Paula Hall, executive director of the Central Wisconsin Board of Realtors. “Green Bay has always had a relatively hot market. For us to be as busy, crazy as it is, is a little strange for us. We tend to be middle of the road, middle of the state.”

Real estate agents, moving companies and industry officials say there’s nothing soft about the current housing market, calling it “busy,” “crazy” and “completely insane.”

They attribute their very busy summer and fall to three things: a shortage of homes for sale, 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates below 3% (the rate hit and all-time low of 2.81% on Thursday) and a huge volume of requests to refinance existing mortgages. 

The result: Finding a right-priced, attractive property is more difficult now than it has been in years. 

Prices are increasing with strong demand from buyers. The Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors said a lack of inventory, especially for properties under $300,000, is pushing up prices. Listings have been down around southeastern Wisconsin. 

"There is little doubt that 2020 will wind up in much better shape than many had worried about at the beginning of the pandemic," the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors wrote.  

Duthie plans to close on a three-bedroom Cape Cod-style home in Wauwatosa at the end of the month. Duthie, who has been living in a one-bedroom apartment on Milwaukee's east side, is eager to use a spare bedroom as a dedicated office space. She might adopt a dog, too.

'Bottlenecked'

Buyers should anticipate not only needing more time to find the right house, but also more time to complete their purchase once they do.

Victoria Seehafer is president and owner of Century 21 Aspire Group, which sells properties in the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area.

Seehafer said it used to be possible to go from accepted offer to closing in about 30 days. Now, with the volume of refinancings happening, Seehafer said an appraisal can take weeks while closing any sale requires a minimum of six weeks. 

“Everything is very bottlenecked right now because people are refinancing,” Seehafer said. “We (real estate agents) have to juggle the things we didn’t always have to, like appraisals. All those pieces have to fit together. It’s taken a bit of strategy to get dates and deadlines together so they work at the end.”

Seehafer said title companies in the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area have “handled this really, really well” by hiring extra staff to work through the purchases and refinancings.

It’s not so easy in other parts of the business. 

'Unlike anything I've seen'

Garret Alford, owner of Oshkosh-based Appraisal Professionals LLC, said he can conduct three property visits and complete four appraisal reports in a day, at most. Right now, he’s getting 10 to 15 appraisal orders per day. He said it takes about a month for him to turn around a job right now and said buyers are caught in the middle of a system being overtaxed. 

“I’m always steady, but I would say this year, due to record low (mortgage) rates, the volume we’re doing is unlike anything I’ve seen before,” Alford said. “You just try to do your best. I’m happy with doing what I can do.”

 The industry has remained busy into September, which has helped businesses like Economy Movers make up for revenue it lost this summer, said Steve Marquardt, general manager for the Green Bay-based company.

"We've been able to sustain operations," he said. "We had a few guys on partial unemployment and we spread the hours around rather than seeing one guy get 50 hours and another guy get 20 hours. But it wasn't a typical summer where they're working 50-plus hours a week, which had been normal."

Refinancing requests rise

Marquardt's crews are a little less busy than bankers, appraisers and inspectors working to keep up with the volume of refinancings occurring  as the interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages has dropped below 3%. 

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s quarterly finance forecast showed mortgage purchase amounts declined 2% year-over-year in the second quarter, from $355 billion financed in 2019 to $348 billion in 2020. 

MBA also tracks the number of mortgage applications through a weekly survey that covers 75% of all national mortgage applications. The weekly reports indicate the number of mortgage applications rise and fall from week-to-week, but have increased 28% to 40% compared to the same period in 2019.

All the while, mortgage refinancing requests continue to become a larger volume of the originations reported each quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2019, 55% of mortgages started were for refinancing. In the second quarter of 2020, that number had risen to 63%, MBA reported.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, written by Sarah Hauer