The Milwaukee Post

4 • Milwaukee Post • August 16, 2013 WEEK IN REVIEW Home sales in July increase 18.7% in region STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST 1 Sales of single-family homes in the metropolitan Milwaukee market rose 18.7 percent, according to data collected the Metro Listing Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors. There were a total of 1,978 homes sold in July compared with 1,666 in July 2012. Each of the four counties saw healthy increases in July sales when compared with the same month in 2012, led by a 134unit gain in Waukesha County. The county sold 639 homes in the month compared with 505 in July 2012, a 26.5 percent increase. In Milwaukee County, there were 92 additional sales from 2012 (991 vs. 899), representing a 10.2 percent change. Washington County sold 58 more homes (203 vs. 145), a 40 percent change, and Ozaukee County sold 28 more homes (145 vs. 117), a 24 percent increase. The GMAR said the cumulative level of sales through July 2013 puts the Milwaukee market at the same level last seen in the early 2000s. "The 10,571 sales through July 31st indicated the overall market was sturdy and had a solid level of activity built on a relatively strong regional economy. As the local economy continues to improve, particularly with regard to employment, the real estate market will continue to grow into the future," the GMAR said in a release. The GMAR projects about 18,071 homes will be sold by the end of the year in the 2 Reader's Digest Association to relocate; Goodwill potential new tenant 3 Local company donates $18K to Medical College of Wisconsin Reader's Digest Association said it will vacate its longtime headquarters in Greendale and intends to locate to offices within the Milwaukee area. Reader's Digest said it wants 65,000 to 75,000 square feet of office space for approximately 200 employees at its current location at 5400 S. 60th St. The company, based in Pleasantville, N.Y., is considering several locations in the metro area and hopes to move into its new space in early 2014. Meanwhile, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin Inc. is the apparent buyer of the 165,000-square-foot building. Pat Boelter, chief marketing officer, said they are looking to move the Goodwill Center for Work and Training, 200 Vogel Ave., and the Mission Support Center, 5300 N. 118th Court, into the Greendale building. The Greendale Planning Commission discussed a special use application to allow the move during its meeting Wednesday. Boelter said the organization has been looking for a new location for a couple of years. Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin has started negotiations with Reader's Digest for the building, she said. The plan is to hopefully remodel the building in 2014 and occupy it by early 2015, Boelter said. Reiman Publications was the home base of the building until 2002 when Reader's Digest Association Inc. acquired the company. RDA Holding Co. owns Reader's Digest and the Greendale building. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in February and emerged from it in July. Kalmbach Publishing Co. will present a check for about $18,000 for breast cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin on Aug. 22. Donations were raised at the annual Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee, which is the world's largest consumer bead show and is produced by Kalmbach Publishing Company of the Town of Brookfield and Bead&Button magazine. The show featured the Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer silent and live auctions of beads, jewelry, books, and supplies, with 100 percent of the funds raised donated to breast cancer research at MCW. "Researchers at MCW are making great strides in the fight against breast cancer, and our company is proud to support their efforts. We are fortunate to have this resource in our hometown," said Charles Croft, president of Kalmbach Publishing. Since 2006, Kalmbach has donated nearly $130,000 to MCW for breast cancer research. four-county market, which it says would place this year about even with 2003's total sales of 18,117, and more than 8 percent ahead of the 16,579 home sales set in 2012. "The level of listing inventory has been a major issue throughout 2013. It took a few months before sellers felt comfortable, and trusted their value would not deteriorate further, to jump into the market, a GMAR release said. Inventory rose almost 16 percent in July when compared with the same month in 2012. Milwaukee County led the way with 187 additional listings and was followed by Waukesha County with 109, Washington County with 61 and Ozaukee County with five. However, the 8.02 level in July was down slightly from June's 8.19 mark. A year ago, the inventory level was at 13.79 months. "Based on past years, listings appear to be within a healthy range. However, when accounting for the fact that the early 2000s was more of a 'seller's' market than today is, and the growth in population since that time, a strong argument could be made that the market should have a few more homes for sale," a GMAR release said. 4 Report:Attendance up at state historic sites 5 AT&T invests $140M in state wireless and wireline networks Paid attendance across the Wisconsin Historical Society's 12 historic sites and museums has increased 15.7 percent, according to news release. Through the end of July, paid attendance was up 29.9 percent at Old World Wisconsin, 38.7 percent at Wade House in Greenbush and 13.5 percent at Circus World Museum in Baraboo. Systemwide, attendance revenue also was up by almost 22 percent compared with the same time last year. Paid attendance is down at three historic sites – Madeline Island Museum in La Point (13.6 percent), Pendarvis in Mineral Point (5.2 percent) and Stonefield in Cassville (11 percent). The historical society said attendance was boosted by enhanced programs at Old World Wisconsin, the debut of a new state-of-the-art visitor center and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum at the Wade House in Greenbush, the addition of the Black Point Estate historic house and gardens tour in Lake Geneva, a group of exhibits at the Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison and strong attendance during the spring school tours at the museum. Additionally, the historical society said attendance was up because of cooler weather versus the summer of 2012, when attendance dipped because of scorching temperatures, especially in July . "We're thrilled with the way our visitors have responded to the changes we've made in programming and are looking forward to the second half of the season," said Cheryl Sullivan, administrator of the historical society's Division of Museums and Historic Sites. For more information on the Wisconsin Historical Society's historic sites and museums, visit www.wisconsinhistory .org/sites. AT&T said last week it has invested nearly $140 million in its wireless and wireline networks in Wisconsin in the first half of 2013. The investments include deployment of new macro cell sites, small cells and distributed antenna systems across the state as part of AT&T's Project Velocity IP, which is a three-year investment plan to expand and enhance its IP broadband networks. Project Velocity has also added 525 additional business customer locations throughout the state due to advanced fiber-optic connections. "Fast, reliable connectivity is essential to both quality of life and competitiveness at work," said Scott VanderSanden, AT&T Wisconsin president. "No one understands that better than we do, and no one is doing more than AT&T to mobilize a world that works for people in Wisconsin. With initiatives like Project Velocity IP, we're working to ensure that Wisconsin consumers and businesses remain at the leading edge of broadband services."

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