Carter Barstad REALTOR®
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Hometown Realty Group Wisconsin outline with a star marking Eau Claire

Eau Claire & the Chippewa Valley

Local Roots.
Real Results.

Thoughtful real estate guidance for buyers, sellers, and investors — grounded in local knowledge, construction insight, and a personal approach.

Professional headshot of Carter Barstad
Carter Barstad Hometown Realty Group
Carter’s production Through September 22, 2026
55+ Homes sold
$15M+ Career volume
101.8% Average sale-to-list
Hometown Realty Group Eau Claire office · Since February 2024
379 Closed transactions
$114,769,066 Sold volume

The area, mapped

Moving to Eau Claire? Start with the map

New to the area, the names don’t mean much until you can place them. This is my main area — start wide, tap where you’re looking, and narrow in. Eau Claire zooms down into its neighborhoods; every lake and town taps straight to its guide in the one list below the map, where every guide downloads free.

Wisconsin

Tap the gold territory to explore the region · tap the star to drop into Eau Claire

WISCONSIN Gold outline = Carter's main area · star = Eau Claire
Real map of Carter Barstad’s territory — Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Rice Lake, Ladysmith, Hayward and the northwest Wisconsin lakes (OpenStreetMap) MenomonieElk MoundEAU CLAIREtap to zoom inAltoonaLake AltoonaFall CreekLake HallieLake WissotaChippewa FallsCadottMondoviOsseoBlack River FallsRice LakeSpoonerLong LakeUpper Long LakeChetek ChainLake HolcombeLadysmithHaywardChippewa FlowageAugustaLake Eau ClaireLake ArbutusTainter LakeShell LakeLac Courte OreillesBirchwood
Real street map of Eau Claire, WI — the Chippewa River and Eau Claire River, downtown and the Confluence, Third Ward, Eastside Hill, Randall Park and Carson Park (OpenStreetMap) North SideWest SideDowntownEastside HillThird WardEast SideSouth SideChippewa RiverEau Claire RiverDells PondHalf Moon LakeCarson ParkChippewa Valley Regional AirportUW–Eau ClaireOwen Park
Area guide — tap for the guide Past sale — tap for details Eau Claire Carter’s main area

The gold outline is a hand-drawn range line — approximate, not a legal boundary. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Expanded guide · Start here — the whole city

Eau Claire, as a whole

The one idea that orients everything: two rivers. Eau Claire sits where the Eau Claire River flows into the Chippewa River, and downtown stands at that confluence — Phoenix Park and the Pablo Center mark the spot. Almost every local direction starts with which side of which river you’re on. Cross a bridge and the neighborhood — and often the price range and school assignment — changes. Eau Claire counted 69,421 residents in the 2020 census (about 176,000 in the wider Chippewa Valley metro), and most in-town drives are 10–15 minutes.

Download the full Eau Claire guide (PDF)

Schools, citywide

Nearly all of Eau Claire is in one district — the Eau Claire Area School District, the eighth-largest in Wisconsin: about 200 square miles and about 10,687 students (2024–25), with 12 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools, plus charter options (Chippewa Valley Montessori, McKinley, Virtual).

  • High schools — the river rule: Memorial (south side) serves addresses south & east of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers; North (north side) serves addresses north & west of them.
  • Middle schools: DeLong (west/central), South (south side), Northstar (north side).
  • Elementary (K–5): Davey, Flynn, Lakeshore, Locust Lane, Longfellow, Manz, Meadowview, Northwoods, Putnam Heights, Robbins, Roosevelt, Sherman. Examples: most Eastside Hill addresses → Flynn, South Middle, Memorial; most Third Ward addresses → Lakeshore, DeLong, Memorial.
  • Private schools: the Regis Catholic Schools system (Immaculate Conception, St. James, and St. Mary's elementaries, Regis Middle, Regis High); Immanuel Lutheran High School; Crestview Academy (K–8), Messiah Lutheran (PK–8), and St. Mark Lutheran (PK–8); and Bethel Christian.

Attendance areas change, and a few addresses near the Altoona line sit in the Altoona School District instead — always confirm the schools for a specific address with the district at ecasd.us before you buy. District facts: NCES data via the ECASD profile; river boundary as reported by Volume One. Private schools confirmed from school websites, Oct 2026.

What homes cost

Citywide, the median listing price was $332,400 in October 2026 ($188/sq ft, median 49 days on market, selling at about 100% of asking — a balanced market). Zillow’s typical home value was $317,833 (Sep 2026) and Redfin’s median sale price $314,850 (three months ending Sep 2026) — the same ballpark.

  • Third Ward$384,900
  • South Eau Claire$336,200
  • Putnam Heights$317,450
  • North Eau Claire$299,900
  • West Eau Claire$299,900
  • Eastside Hill$283,000
  • East Eau Claire$249,400
  • Randall Park$232,450
  • North Side Hill$219,900
  • West Riverside$189,250

Source: Realtor.com Eau Claire market data, October 2026 (checked Oct 26, 2026). Neighborhood medians rest on small listing counts — 12 homes for sale in the Third Ward, 6 in Putnam Heights that month — so treat them as orientation, not appraisal, and ask me for recent sold comps on any street you’re serious about. ZIP split, same source: 54701 (downtown & south) $413,000 vs. 54703 (north & west) $299,900.

Eau Claire neighborhoods

Eastside Hill 1880s–1920s cottages · Boyd Park Guide ↓
Randall Park West side · Carson Park Guide ↓
Third Ward Historic district by UW–Eau Claire Guide ↓

Communities

Altoona Newer subdivisions · River Prairie Guide ↓
Augusta Amish country · the 1864 Dells Mill Guide ↓
Black River Falls The south tip · Black River · Wazee Lake Guide ↓
Cadott Hwy 29 · Yellow River · 45th parallel Guide ↓
Chippewa Falls Irvine Park · Leinenkugel’s · Main Street Guide ↓
Chippewa Valley Now the wider-valley section of the Eau Claire citywide guide Guide ↓
Elk Mound I-94 village under the Mound Guide ↓
Fall Creek Village on Hwy 12, southeast of the city Guide ↓
Hayward & the Big Lakes Birkebeiner · Flowage · Round Lake · Lac Courte Oreilles, combined in one guide Guide ↓
Ladysmith & Flambeau River Rusk County seat · family cabin country Guide ↓
Menomonie & Its Lakes UW–Stout · Tainter Lake & Lake Menomin, combined in one guide Guide ↓
Mondovi Buffalo River town on US-10 Guide ↓
Osseo I-94 crossroads · Norske Nook pie Guide ↓
Rice Lake Barron County hub on US-53 Guide ↓

Lake & vacation country

Birchwood Lake Country Bluegill Capital · quiet headwater lakes Guide ↓
Chetek Chain of Lakes Six lakes · 3,800 acres · panfish Guide ↓
Lac Courte Oreilles Inside the combined Hayward & the Big Lakes guide Guide ↓
Lake Altoona 840-acre reservoir · panfish & walleye Guide ↓
Lake Arbutus 774 acres · sand beaches · musky Guide ↓
Lake Eau Claire 900 acres · close-in cabin water Guide ↓
Lake Hallie Lake living at the edge of town Guide ↓
Lake Holcombe 2,881-acre flowage · musky & walleye Guide ↓
Lake Wissota 6,148-acre flowage · state park shore Guide ↓
Long Lake (New Auburn) 1,089 acres · walleye & musky Guide ↓
Shell Lake 2,513 acres · largest landlocked lake Guide ↓
Tainter Lake & Lake Menomin Inside the combined Menomonie & Its Lakes guide Guide ↓
Upper Long Lake 3,478 acres · walleye water Guide ↓

Thinking about a move to any of these places?

Prefer it in your inbox — or want to talk?

Every guide in the list above downloads free with one tap — no form needed. If you’d rather have one emailed to you, or you’re thinking about a move in one of these areas, leave your info here. Totally optional — the downloads are yours either way.

Goes straight to my inbox.

Moving here? Quick answers

What does a home cost in Eau Claire, WI?

The median listing price citywide was $332,400 in October 2026 (Realtor.com) — from about $189,250 in West Riverside to $384,900 in the Third Ward. The whole-city guide breaks prices down by neighborhood, and every figure on this page is dated and sourced.

Which schools serve Eau Claire?

The Eau Claire Area School District — 12 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools (Memorial and North). Plenty of valley homes feed the neighboring districts instead — Altoona, Chippewa Falls, and Fall Creek each run their own schools — and there are private options in town too, including Regis Catholic Schools and Immanuel Lutheran. Which school a home feeds is decided by address, so the guides name the typical schools per area and tell you to verify the exact address with the district.

Can you live on the lakes year-round?

Yes — most lakes in my territory (Lake Wissota, Lake Hallie, Shell Lake, Tainter and Menomin, and many more) have year-round homes alongside seasonal cabins. Each lake guide covers the difference, plus the showing checks that matter up here: septic, shoreline, dock depth, and winter access.

What area does Carter cover?

Roughly the footprint I work in northwest Wisconsin: Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley at the center, Menomonie and Dunn County west, Rice Lake and Barron County north, Black River Falls at the south tip, Ladysmith and Hayward up top — the gold outline on the state map above. Every town and lake inside it has a guide or a description on this page.

How do I get a guide?

Tap “Guide ↓” next to any place in the list under the map — the PDF opens right away in your browser, free, no form and no gate. Save it if you want it. There’s a guide for every neighborhood in Eau Claire and every lake and town area in the territory. Want to talk first? The optional form under the list sends me a note.

I’m a dedicated real estate professional with a strong foundation in both traditional home sales and real estate investment. Born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I have deep roots in this community and a genuine passion for helping clients find their place here. Though I’ve lived in beautiful places like Avon, Colorado; Prescott, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, Eau Claire has always been home — thanks in large part to my close-knit family.

I began my real estate journey in Austin, TX, where I held my license and specialized in working with cash buyers and distressed properties. That role sparked my interest in real estate investing and taught me to navigate complex transactions with speed and creativity. Since moving back to Eau Claire and earning my Wisconsin real estate license in 2022, I’ve enjoyed early success by blending my investment knowledge with a more traditional, client-focused approach.

Before real estate, I worked for Builders FirstSource in Eau Claire, where I gained valuable insight into the construction process and even helped build a home during my training. That hands-on experience helps me guide clients who are interested in new construction or fixer-uppers.

Real estate runs in the family, and that tradition shaped how I work: with experience, energy, and personal service.

Carter, Eliza, and the kids posed together on a grassy lawn
Eliza and the kids — the best part of coming home.
Louis, the family beagle, sitting on an ottoman and looking up at the camera
Louis — the family beagle, and the real greeter at our place.

Outside of work, you can find me golfing or spending time with family. These days, I share life with my fiancée. I’m proud to be part of this community and grateful for the opportunity to help others put down roots here too.

And like any good Wisconsin kid, I live and die with our teams — Packers on Sundays, Brewers all summer, Badgers and Bucks in between. In the fall, half my client calls start with the game before we ever get to houses.

And if you ever want a real story over coffee: Eliza and I were actually engaged twice. We didn’t speak for nine years — she married, had two kids, that fell apart — and somehow found our way back to each other. Three years later, we’re expecting our daughter. Ask me about it sometime.

01

Buying a home

Guidance from someone raised in Eau Claire who knows these neighborhoods street by street.

02

Selling with clarity

Priced and presented with a builder’s eye, with real local comps behind it.

03

Investing & possibilities

From an agent who owns and house-hacks a duplex himself — and has done the renovation work with his own hands.

Why I hang my license here

Why Hometown.

Hometown Realty Group is a small, locally owned brokerage right here in Eau Claire — no franchise, no call center, just a tight-knit group of people who live here and show up for this town. Here’s why I hang my license here, and why I think it matters for you, too.

The Hometown Realty Group crew standing together outside the office, all wearing sunglasses
Hometown Realty Group
The Hometown Realty Group office at 602 Water Street in downtown Eau Claire — a dark two-story building with gold cornice trim, the number 602 over the door, and listings in the windows

The building’s historic — it was Ottawa House Books in a past life. When it got fixed up, part of the agreement was reusing the original material for the ceiling. Even the ceiling here has a history.

01

Small and local

Hometown is led by three brokers — Jane Kunick, Jerry Annis, and Rod Elkin — and it stays small on purpose. You know the people handling your move, and they know this town.

02

Tight-knit, no unhealthy competition

We have a tight-knit group, and everyone helps out when needed. We love our office — it has good vibes, and we think it’s an example of how we all run our businesses collectively. No unhealthy competition: everyone roots for everyone.

03

Family, literally

One of those brokers is my mom, Jane Kunick. I moved back to Eau Claire to learn this business from her — and that’s still how it works here: experience handed down, not handed off.

A deep bench, under one roof.

I’m going on five years in this business — first licensed in November 2021 — and I’ve gotten exposure to plenty of different kinds of transactions. But the real advantage is this room: anything I haven’t seen yet, someone here almost surely has — my mom, Jane Kunick, has been doing this for over 25 years, and the office around her is a veteran group of six long-tenured agents. Because we’re tight-knit, we bounce things off each other and work out the solution together. Simple or complex, there’s a lot of seen-it-before under one roof.

Out around town.

This office doesn’t just work here — it hangs out here, feeds people here, and raises a hand when the town needs one.

01

Summer cookouts

Three times each summer — once a month, tied to Tuesday Night Blues downtown — we give away free brats and hot dogs, just for fun and exposure. Any leftover food gets brought to the food pantry.

The Hometown Realty Group crew standing together under the white Hometown tent at a summer cookout in the park, Carter holding grilling tongs
02

Homecoming parade party

Our office is at 602 Water St, and the homecoming parade goes right past it — so we throw a party there every year.

Carter, Eliza, and the kids in front of the Hometown Realty Group office on Water Street during the homecoming parade, the kids holding balloon animals
03

Eau Claire Marathon

When marathon weekend rolls around, you’ll find our crew volunteering at the beer tent.

Hometown Realty Group crew volunteering under a tent at the Eau Claire Marathon, with marathon signage behind them and a polka-dot table in front
04

Christmas party

Every year, the whole office gets together for a Christmas party.

Hometown Realty Group crew dressed up together indoors at the Christmas party, standing on wood floors
05

Christmas parade

We also do the Christmas parade — part of how the office’s year goes around here.

The Hometown Realty Group crew in matching Hometown T-shirts holding their illuminated jellyfish banner at the Christmas parade, jellyfish umbrellas lit up behind them in the snow
379 Closed transactions Hometown Realty Group · Eau Claire office, since February 2024
$114,769,066 Sold volume Hometown Realty Group · Eau Claire office, since February 2024
55+ Homes I’ve sold Through September 22, 2026
101.8% My average sale-to-list Through September 22, 2026
The same treatment we’d give our friends and family.

That’s the goal, plain and simple: give our clients the same treatment we would give our friends and family. It’s how this office runs — small, local, and rooting for each other — and it’s how I run my business, too.

For buyers

Buyer resources.

A few useful starting points for running the numbers, learning the area, and figuring out what to ask next. These tools are educational — when you’re ready for property-specific answers, Morgan Franks and I can help you tighten them up.

Mortgage payment calculator

Adjust the example below for an estimated monthly principal-and-interest payment.

Pre-filled with the Freddie Mac survey average dated October 22, 2026, shown below — edit it to try your own.
Estimated monthly principal + interest $1,649
Estimated loan: $240,000

Estimate only. This does not include property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, association dues, closing costs, or lender fees.

Morgan Franks, Loan Officer at Union Home Mortgage

MY GO-TO LENDER

Morgan Franks

Loan Officer · Union Home Mortgage · Eau Claire

First-time buyer questions, financing options, and a real look at what your payment could be — Morgan is who I send my buyers to.

  • FIRST-TIME BUYERS
  • PRE-APPROVALS
  • 2-1 BUYDOWNS
  • REFINANCES

Morgan Franks, NMLS# 2495373 · Union Home Mortgage Corp., NMLS 2229 · 2125 Brackett Ave, Eau Claire

Mortgage rates

Week of October 22, 2026 · Freddie Mac survey

LoanNational average
30-Year Fixed7.32%Down from 7.40% last week
15-Year Fixed6.68%Down from 6.71% last week

National averages, not a quote. Morgan Franks can give you a real number.

Handy Gary. Small jobs, big relief. Carter's go-to handyman for home repairs. Pre-listing prep, inspection repairs, home maintenance, and fast scheduling. When timing matters, Gary works hard to get you on the schedule fast.
Legends Title Services, LLC logo

MY GO-TO TITLE TEAM

Legends Title Services

Title & Closing · Eau Claire

Every closing needs somebody who sweats the paperwork so you don’t have to. Legends is the local title team I trust to get it right — and get the keys handed over on time.

  • TITLE SERVICES
  • CLOSINGS
  • EAU CLAIRE

Legends Title Services, LLC · 2225 Brackett Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701 · (715) 514-5748

Questions? Call or email me directly — no scheduler, no runaround. Call Carter(715) 828-0039Email CarterCarter@echtrg.com

Pricing

What is a CMA?

Cover of a sample Comparative Market Analysis prepared by Carter Barstad, Hometown Realty Group, for a home on Mitscher Avenue

A CMA — comparative market analysis — is how I price a home before it lists. I pull the homes most similar to yours that actually sold nearby, then adjust for the differences: beds, baths, finished space, condition, lot. What’s left is a price range the market will actually back up.

It’s not an appraisal, and it’s not a big website’s algorithm taking a guess at your address. It’s a local agent doing the math on your specific house.

The online estimate is the quick ballpark; a CMA is the real number.

Don’t take my word for it — these are real reports I built for local sellers, with the personal details removed, so you can see exactly what goes into one:

What’s my home worth?

One short form: send me the basics and I’ll follow up with a real, property-specific opinion — not an instant automated guess.

Services

More than a sign in the yard.

Hands-on listing prep from someone who'll actually pick up the washer or the brush himself — plus yardwork, mowing, snow, cleaning and clear-outs when a place needs them.

01

Pressure washing — a light exterior rinse

Just a buddy with a pressure washer, not a pro contractor: a basic rinse for unpainted concrete, decks and similar rough surfaces to get a place photo-ready. Painted or peeling surfaces need proper prep, not a rinse.

02

Paint touch-ups only

Scuffs, nail holes and the small fixes that jump out in listing photos — touch-ups as part of listing prep, case by case, not full repaints.

03

Light landscaping

Beds cleaned out, bushes trimmed back, edges tidied — the light yard work that makes a place look cared for in photos and from the curb. Case by case, as part of listing prep.

04

Junk removal — filling up a dumpster

Old furniture, garage clutter, the stuff that piles up over the years — I’ll help load it into a dumpster so the house shows clean and cleared out. Case by case, as part of listing prep.

Listing video

Your home, on video.

Photos get a click — video gets a showing. When you list with me, your home gets a walk-through reel shot for the phone, where buyers actually look. This one's 622 Stelter Lane, right here in Eau Claire.

Handy Gary. Small jobs, big relief. Carter's go-to handyman for home repairs. Pre-listing prep, inspection repairs, home maintenance, and fast scheduling. When timing matters, Gary works hard to get you on the schedule fast.

Exterior siding — before & after

Light-colored siding with dark buildup before Carter cleaned itBefore
Light-colored siding after Carter cleaned away the buildupAfter
My own pressure-washing work at my duplex.

Front walkway

Eliza’s front walkway before pressure washing — dirty concrete with footprints and stains below the red front door Before
Eliza’s front walkway after pressure washing — clean concrete with pumpkins and mums by the red front door After
Eliza’s front-door walkway — the concrete got a rinse before the fall decorations went out.
See more before & afters — deck, and the garage repaint

Deck & porch

Deck and white railing before Carter pressure washed them Before
Deck and white railing after Carter pressure washed them After
Deck and porch at Eliza and her sister’s rental property.

Painting — garage at Eliza’s

A full exterior repaint of the garage at Eliza’s. Here’s where it started — weathered red siding, peeling doors, the works — and where it landed: fresh dark siding matched to the house, clean white doors and trim. The finished work shows the prep, coverage, and clean lines behind it. It’s past work, shown as proof of care — for clients, the paint help on offer is touch-ups and small listing-prep fixes, taken case by case at a fair price.

The garage at Eliza’s before painting — front view with two weathered white doors and faded red siding Before · Front
The garage at Eliza’s after painting — front view with two fresh white doors and dark siding After · Front
The garage at Eliza’s before painting — side wall with peeling red paint, two small windows, and a white entry door Before · Side
The garage at Eliza’s after painting — the same angle, now dark siding with white-trimmed windows and a white entry door After · Side
The garage at Eliza’s before painting — rear three-quarter view showing the side wall and both doors Before · Rear
The garage at Eliza’s after painting — front three-quarter view from the yard, dark siding and white doors where the weathered red used to be After · Rear
The finished garage beside Eliza’s house — the new dark siding was matched to the house so the two buildings read as one place After · Beside the House
“We took siding in and had it matched to the house. Turned an eyesore into a cool feature.”

Current listings.

Explore the home I’m currently representing, then browse more properties available through my profile and Hometown Realty Group.

Front exterior of the home for sale at 622 Stelter Lane in Chippewa Falls
Active listing · as of October 26, 2026

622 Stelter Lane

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin 54729

$849,900

4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms 3,041 sq. ft. Built in 2022

A newer Chippewa Falls home with generous living space and room to settle in. Contact me for current details or to arrange a private tour.

More places to search

Past sales.

A complete look at my closed transactions across Eau Claire and the surrounding communities — from first homes and investment properties to land and lake homes.

Sales history from my MLS Agent Production & Inventory Report, January 1, 2021–September 22, 2026. Prices shown are final sold prices.

Showing 12 of 55
Listing represented

Thornapple

Ladysmith, Wisconsin

$320,000
Listing represented

Damon

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$265,000
Listing represented

Manor

Altoona, Wisconsin

$365,000
Buyer represented

Drier Road

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$339,900
Listing represented

State

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$315,000
Listing represented

South Shore

Altoona, Wisconsin

$630,000
Buyer represented

7th Street

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$172,000
Listing represented

Mitchell

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$310,000
Co-listing represented

South

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$314,900
Listing represented

Menomonie

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$475,000
Listing represented

Highland

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$270,000
Buyer represented

Lafayette

Augusta, Wisconsin

$160,000
Listing represented

10th Street

Menomonie, Wisconsin

$180,000
Buyer represented

Ellis

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$299,900
Listing represented

Skeels

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$374,900
Listing represented

Wheaton

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

$325,000
Buyer represented

Brown

Augusta, Wisconsin

$192,000
Co-listing represented

Bellevue

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$210,000
Buyer represented

3rd Street

Bruce, Wisconsin

$89,000
Buyer represented

Lever

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$252,000
Listing represented

Truman

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$245,000
Buyer represented

Vine

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

$260,000
Buyer represented

County Highway D

New Auburn, Wisconsin

$90,000
Listing represented

Glenhaven

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$285,350
Listing represented

Vine

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$280,000
Co-listing represented

MacArthur

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$355,000
Listing represented

Chippewa

New Auburn, Wisconsin

$72,000
Listing represented

State

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$260,000
Listing represented

Thornapple

Ladysmith, Wisconsin

$335,000
Listing represented

Menasha

Ladysmith, Wisconsin

$214,000
Buyer represented

Rambil

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$330,000
Co-listing represented

Birch Hills

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$525,000
Buyer represented

7th Street

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$247,000
Listing represented

Ellis

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$280,000
Buyer represented

194th Street

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

$235,000
Listing represented

45th Street

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

$305,000
Buyer represented

113th Street

Lake Hallie, Wisconsin

$464,900
Buyer represented

Emery

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$255,000
Buyer represented

12th Street

Barronett, Wisconsin

$115,000
Listing represented

Boardwalk

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$160,000
Listing represented

McKinley

Fall Creek, Wisconsin

$200,000
Buyer represented

State

Fall Creek, Wisconsin

$244,900
Buyer represented

Hallie

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$148,900
Listing represented

Markgraff

Fall Creek, Wisconsin

$354,900
Listing represented

County Highway W

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$730,000
Listing represented

Folsom

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$238,900
Listing represented

Lincoln

Fall Creek, Wisconsin

$183,000
Buyer represented

Ogden

Radisson, Wisconsin

$164,900
Listing represented

Coolidge

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$184,900
Listing represented

Rudolph

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$155,000
Listing represented

South Shore

Altoona, Wisconsin

$510,000
Buyer represented

Chippewa

New Auburn, Wisconsin

$30,000
Buyer represented

276th Street

Holcombe, Wisconsin

$579,800
Buyer represented

4th Street

Ladysmith, Wisconsin

$94,500
Buyer represented

10th Street

Menomonie, Wisconsin

$153,100

A first-home strategy I lived

Buy the duplex before the dream house.

House hacking gave me a practical way into ownership. I bought a duplex, lived in one unit, and improved it room by room while rent from the other unit helped cover the mortgage. The goal wasn’t an overnight transformation. It was to build equity, learn useful skills, and create income while I lived there.

01

Start with a duplex

Live in one side and rent the other, turning part of the property into help with the monthly payment.

02

Improve it as you go

I painted, replaced the bathroom and kitchen flooring, added a new kitchen sink, countertop, and bar, and sanded and painted the cabinets — steady work that made the home better and taught me what ownership really takes.

03

Let time build equity

As you pay down the loan and improve the property, you’re building toward more options instead of waiting on the sidelines.

04

Upgrade on your timeline

The usual next step is to use that foundation to move into the home you really want while keeping a rental asset working for you.

Upper unit — before & after

The unit I lived in while I learned the ropes. Every room below is the same room, photographed before the work and after — paint, new kitchen and bath flooring, a new sink, countertop and bar, and cabinets sanded and painted.

Lower unit — before & after

The rental side, renovated with the same recipe — sanded and painted cabinets, new flooring, fresh paint throughout. This is the side that helped carry the mortgage while I lived upstairs.

My own timeline took a happy shortcut.

I moved on sooner than the classic house-hacking timeline, but the strategy still stands: for a first-time buyer or renter trying to find a realistic path into real estate, a duplex can be a smart place to begin. Ask me what the numbers could look like.

Testimonials

Five-star review excerpts from my clients — read the full originals on Zillow and Google

“We had a great experience shopping for a home with Carter. He was attentive to our unique needs and was very responsive. He helped us find a home that we love and we are grateful.”
Ryan McIntire Zillow · Sep 21, 2026 ★★★★★
“Wonderful experience working with Carter as my realtor. He was patient, kind, honest, and always responsive. As a first-time homebuyer, I appreciated how accessible and supportive he was throughout the entire process. I imagined this process would be overwhelming and that there was too much I did not know to ever be able to make a decision. Carter's calm demeanor and candor kept me engaged and confident throughout the process. Highly recommend!”
Shane Renner Zillow & Google · Sep 19, 2026 ★★★★★
“Carter did an exceptional job selling our home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We were very satisfied from start to finish. He set up a convenient time to visit our home and gave us suggestions to make it appealing to first-time potential buyers. Carter scheduled a time for the photographer to come out and take pictures of our home's layout, both inside and outside. He helped us with all the necessary paperwork. He is very detail-oriented and was always willing to go the extra mile. All in all, I would highly recommend Carter for your real estate needs.”
Tony Mielnik Zillow · Sep 14, 2026 ★★★★★

Let’s talk about your next move.

Whether you’re buying, selling, investing, or just weighing your options — reach out. You’ll hear back from me personally, with a straight answer.

Carter Barstad · Hometown Realty Group

What’s my home worth?

Here’s how this works — and it’s simple. You fill out the basics on this form. I take a first look at the house. Then I build you a full written report — a real CMA, done by me, on your specific house and the homes like it that actually sold nearby.

Not an instant automated guess. Not a big website’s algorithm taking a swing at your address. A local agent doing the math, then walking you through it.

1

Fill out the basics

Two minutes, tops. Just what I need before I head over — no deep homework.

2

I take a first look

I’ll reach out and we’ll set up a quick visit so I can see the place in person.

3

You get the full report

My written home value report — the real number, and how I got there.

Front exterior of the home at 622 Stelter Lane in Chippewa Falls
Serving Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley

Rather just talk it through?

Call or text me direct — plenty of folks do that first, and that’s just fine.

Request a home value

Only the top part is required. Everything else — fill in what you know and skip the rest.

Your info
The basics
Don’t know an answer? Skip it — really. A half-filled form in my inbox beats a perfect one you never sent. — Carter
A little more (all optional)
When you’re thinking of selling, and anything driving it. No timeline yet is a fine answer too.

Goes straight to Carter’s inbox at Carter@echtrg.com. He reads every one himself.

No spam, no obligation, and no automated estimate pretending to be an answer.

Embroidered, never printed · Made to order · One outline, nothing else
Wisconsin outline

My side shop

Just Wisco

One outline. Nothing else.

Embroidered Wisconsin apparel

Embroidered Wisconsin apparel — hoodies, crewnecks, and tees with the state outline stitched small over the heart. No slogans, no clutter. Made to order and shipped to your door.

Sizing note: these run a tad small. I wear a Large and it fits me snug, how I like it — if you like a looser fit, size up.

Stitched, not printedOver the heartOne system, every garmentAdult + youth
Shop the lineup on Etsy →

The lineup

Shop Just Wisco on Etsy →
Stitched, not printed

Real embroidery thread, sewn into the fabric. No ink to crack, peel, or fade — the outline outlasts the sweatshirt.

Small over the heart

No billboard logos, no slogans. One gold outline where it belongs — it says Wisconsin so you don't have to.

Made to order

Yours gets stitched when you order it, in the colorway you picked. The samples at my house? The real thing matches them.

Carter wearing the Cream hoodie with the green Wisconsin outline

Worn by the maker

That's me in the Cream hoodie sample — the same stitching, the same 2-inch outline. If it wasn't good enough to wear myself, it wouldn't be in the shop.

The samples just landed at my place — the stitching is the real deal.

Wisconsin outline

Wear the whole state.

One outline. Nothing else. On Etsy now, in time for gift season.

Get yours →