Last spring, I took a visiting niece to a ballgame at Miller Park. It was one of those typically cold spring days here in Milwaukee and she commented on how lucky we were to have a stadium that could close its roof. I agreed, thinking back to the old days at Milwaukee County Stadium—when the Brewers were in the AL, and we were shivering at the beginning of yet another lost season. 

Of course, there’s a lot about Milwaukee she doesn’t remember. She doesn’t remember when the area around the stadium was industrial and run-down. Or, when the lakefront was lined with businesses and barely accessible to the public, much less filled with open spaces and art. 

In short, she only knows the new Milwaukee. And that’s great—she knows that this city is a vibrant and booming one. And, a lot of other people know that as well, which is what makes this such an exciting city for real estate investors like me. 

There are a lot of up-and-coming neighborhoods in Milwaukee for flipping houses ripe with investment opportunities. The roof at Miller might be closed, but for the smart real estate fix-and-flipper, Brewtown is wide open. 

The 5 Up and Coming Milwaukee Neighborhoods for Flipping Houses

The rapid changes in Milwaukee have had a huge impact on the housing market—and an impact on people’s perception of our city. New industries are moving in and people are looking for cool areas with good schools and houses that fit their lifestyles. There’s more income these days, too, and that means more growth. 

That’s changed neighborhoods in the city and is continuing to change them. Here are a few that I have my eye on for buying distressed houses to rehab and sell. They can be your chance to invest in our community, too.

Lindsay Heights

It’s impossible to talk about this neighborhood without mentioning the one directly to its south, Brewer’s Hill. Everyone knows the Hill. It was really the first neighborhood that epitomized the “new Milwaukee”—a former industrial area turned cool urban enclave. But, that’s expensive. And, as you know, up-and-coming neighborhoods tend to radiate out from neighborhoods that already made it. 

The neighborhood has reinvented itself as a kind of a “green space.” It bustles with healthy grocery collectives and thriving farmer’s markets, all with live local music. A community group has helped hundreds of homeowners plant gardens in their backyards. Housing prices are going up here, but slowly. There is time to find one of the many single-family homes, fix it up, and sell it to newcomers who want something a little greener and communal than Brewer’s Hill. 

Silver City

Silver City has long been overlooked. Even though it abuts a large riverfront park, it’s always been seen as extremely urban and not very pretty. But, that’s beginning to change. People are recognizing the dynamic diversity of the neighborhood—the dining scene is a microcosm of the world and you can get some of the best pho in the city around here. 

The housing stock is still pretty inexpensive—the median is at $93,000 but you can expect this to rise. Right now, you might choose to be a landlord and invest in single-family homes as rentals. But, as housing becomes tighter in the city, you can put these rentals on the market for potentially great ROI.

I think that this is going to be one of the essential neighborhoods in Milwaukee. It’s accessible to every neighborhood, has a diverse population, and has a lot of great biking trails, including the Hank Aaron Trail, one of the area’s hidden gems. My bet is it isn’t going to be hidden much longer. 

Washington Heights

To be honest, this one is kind of controversial. This isn’t a neighborhood with great schools and some people think it still kind of feels like “Old Milwaukee.” But, I think that means it has a lot of potential. 

For one thing, Washington Heights has an incredible blend of nightlife and nature. Some of Milwaukee’s best bars and restaurants are around here, whether you are looking for a fancy night out or a local dive. And, Washington Park itself is huge, with a beautiful lagoon for rowing, fishing, or just contemplating nature. The bandshell is one of those classic urban concrete ones, evoking nostalgia while still being a living center of the neighborhood. 

Right now, houses here are still pretty cheap—under $80,000 on average. That might not last. With a location near the ballpark, and walkable to a lot of other areas, Washington Heights should be on your radar. 

Cudahy

OK, this is technically a suburb. So what does it have going for it? Let’s see: Charming old homes ready to be fixed up, easy access to Lake Michigan, lower taxes than Milwaukee, easy access to downtown, affordable housing prices, diversity—and young professionals.

Indeed, Cudahy has a lot of young professionals and those numbers are growing. As Milwaukee gets somewhat more expensive, you’ll see suburbs like Cudahy being on the cutting edge of expansion. And, its homes are lovely, with good bones. Fixing them up could make them extremely appealing for the young pros ready to move into this up-and-coming Milwaukee neighborhood.  

Havenwoods

Former prison. Former dump. Former military missile site. To say that Havenwoods has had a strange past would be an understatement. But, so would saying that it has an ok future. Indeed, it has a potentially extremely bright future, all in the color green. 

See, Havenwoods is named after the state forest that is contained in the Northeast side of the neighborhood. It’s a 237-acre park, with wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, and more. There’s hiking. There’s fishing. And there’s hunting. 

Don’t underestimate the last part—this is Wisconsin, and hunting is part of our culture. As more people move to Milwaukee from other parts of the state, they’ll be looking for a place to get some outdoor time. And Havenwoods doesn’t feel like anything else in the city. It doesn’t feel like a city at all. 

With housing averages only in the mid-$60s, you can get in on this neighborhood as it starts to grow. There aren’t a ton of houses available right now, so you have to be smart. But, it can be done. 

I’m excited to be a part of the new Milwaukee. But even in a new city, you need the same thing to start a fix-and-flip business: good leads. I’ll tell you where to look for those as well. 

The Best Way to Find Good Leads in Milwaukee

I’m not wasting any time chasing down bad leads. I already have distressed homeowners across Milwaukee who are ready to sell lining up. And, here’s why: I am an independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchisee. 

I’m sure you already know us as the “We Buy Ugly Houses®” people. That’s because you’ve seen our ads on billboards and other ads across the nation since 1996. And, if you’ve seen them, so have distressed homeowners looking for solutions for ugly situations®. They know who to trust—HomeVestors® franchisees like me. That makes business of flipping houses very good, indeed. 

I can’t predict that the Brewers are going to have a good year, but I can tell you this nationally-recognized marketing campaign is one of the best ways to get qualified leads to find houses in up-and-coming Milwaukee neighborhoods. If you’re ready to make your professional real estate investing business more up-and-coming, too, request information today. 

Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.