Sell Your Northwoods Property Before the Snow Flies!

Hey there, Northwoods neighbors — it’s your friends at Eliason Realty of the North. We’ve been helping folks buy and sell cabins, lake homes, and wooded retreats across Vilas, Oneida, Gogebic, and the surrounding counties for decades. And if you’re thinking about putting your place on the market, here’s the truth from the shores of Lac Vieux Desert to the trails around the Rainbow Flowage: late fall is one of the smartest times to list.

Sure, everybody talks about spring being “selling season.” The eagles are soaring, the trilliums are popping, and half the state suddenly remembers they want a place Up North. But right now — while the tamaracks are glowing gold and the wood stoves are just getting fired up — we’re seeing something different: serious buyers who are ready to pull the trigger before the ice sets in.

Who’s actually shopping in November? 

These aren’t tire-kickers scrolling Zillow with a pumpkin spice latte. These are the folks who NEED to close before year-end:

•  Families relocating for a new job at the paper mill or the hospital in Rhinelander

•  Retirees who want to lock in their dream lake house before the 2025 tax season kicks in

•  Upper-Midwest buyers who lost out on three offers last summer and refuse to wait another six months

•  Relocations — they’ve landed their dream job up north, now they must find a place to live, asap, especially those with hard January start dates

Fewer listings = your property gets the spotlight

Every fall we watch the same thing happen: half the “For Sale” signs come down. Sellers yank their listings thinking, “We’ll try again when the lilacs bloom.” That leaves a wide-open runway for the homes that stay active. Your lakefront on Palmer Lake? Your log home walkable to downtown Eagle River? Suddenly it’s one of only a handful of fresh options in the buyer’s inbox.

Less competition means:

•  Your listing photos dominate the first page of realtor.com and zillow.com searches and social media

•  Showings from cash buyers and those who’ve already been pre-approved and know exactly what they can spend

•  Stronger offers because buyers don’t have ten other comparables to pit against yours

• Year-end incentives light a fire under buyers. We’re seeing more cash flowing this time of year than you’d expect:

•  Folks rushing to close before December 31 for mortgage – interest deductions

•  1031 exchange investors swapping out rental cabins before the tax deadline

•  Relocation companies pushing hard to get their people settled before the holidays

How to make your Northwoods property shine when the sun sets at 4:30 PM

Listing in late fall just means leaning into what makes our area magical this time of year. 

Here’s our Eliason Realty playbook: Crank up the cozy

•  Fire up the fireplace or wood stove 30 minutes before a showing (nothing says “welcome home” like that crackle)

•  Swap out any burnt-out bulbs for warm LEDs—especially in those dark cedar corners

•  Leave a basket of blankets on the couch; buyers remember how a place FEELS. 

Show off the off-season perks

•  Rake the leaves (or snow-blow the drive) right before photos—clean lines matter

•  Stage the three-season porch with Adirondack chairs and a flannel throw so buyers picture themselves watching the snow fall over the lake

•  Slip a simple balsam wreath on the door—smells like the Northwoods without screaming “Christmas explosion”

Stay flexible like a true Yooper

Motivated buyers might be driving up from Madison or Chicago after work on a Friday. If you can swing evening or weekend showings, do it.

Price it like you live here — realistically. We’ll pull the freshest comps from Watersmeet to Hazelhurst and give you the straight talk. Late-fall buyers have been watching the market all summer; they’ll spot an overpriced listing faster than a bear spots an unguarded cooler. Start strong, sell smooth.

Highlight “move-right-in” features 

Buyers who need to close fast love:

•  New forced-air furnace or boiler (huge peace of mind when it’s -20°)

•  New well or recent septic inspection

•  Snowblower and firewood stack included—little things that scream “we’ve got you covered”

Roll with the weather. We keep boot trays and extra ice melt. We remind buyers to bring their boots and dress warm. We’ll make sure every buyer steps inside warm, dry, and ready to fall in love.

What the process actually looks like right now

Fewer showings? Yep. But the ones we DO get are gold. Buyers have already toured 27 mismatched listings and are laser-focused. Appraisers and inspectors have lighter calendars, title companies aren’t slammed, and lenders are hungry for year-end closings. We’ve closed plenty of deals between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve— 

Give us a shout at Eliason Realty of the North. Let’s grab a coffee at Eagle River Roasters, Jamie’s Java, meet at your property, or Zoom — whatever works. We’ll get your place in front of the right buyer before the ball drops on 2025.

Contact us today at one of our offices:

• Eagle River 715-479-4431
• Land O’ Lakes 715-547-3341
• St Germain 715–542-3223

Or drop us a note at EliasonRealty.com.

Looking forward to talking with you soon, seeing you in town, — or at your closing!

—The Eliason Realty of the North Team