No matter the neighborhood, real estate prices are climbing and for many first-time buyers, the market can feel out of reach.Sean Topacio and Mackenzie Ciske, both St. Norbert College graduates, decided to take the leap after s aving for a down payment. What started with a friends recommendation quickly turned into an eye-opening search.We have two friends who bought houses, and it just kick-started our search, Sean said.Mackenzie added, You dont want to be housebroke. Being house-broke is something to avoid.The couple turned to Keller Williams Bow Tie Group realtor Alex Young, who says the local market has been catching up with national trends. For many newcomers, the first shock is the price.The prices have almost doubled in a five-year timespan, Young explained. Our average listing price throughout the area is about $336,000. Homes in the sub-$250,000 range often attract multiple buyers and it becomes more of a feeding frenzy.Sean and Mackenzies budget topped at $250,000, but they quickly realized listings in their range were scarce.Houses were flying off the market, Mackenzie said. Within 24 hours, if you didnt see it, it was already gone. Anything with two bathrooms was at least $300,000, if not more, she added.The couple began reassessing what they truly needed in a home and on New Years Day, they got a lucky break. With fewer buyers out that holiday, their $250,000 offer on an Appleton home was accepted. They compromised on one bathroom and their neighborhood, but they gained their first property.Its hard when you think you know what you want, and you think its realistic, and youre just kind of hit with this realization that its not, Mackenzie said.Sean noted, You have to re-evaluate your lifestyle, especially in the Green Bay area.Young says first-time buyers are beginning to see their purchase as a stepping stone rather than a lifetime commitment. Sean and Mackenzie recommend two key steps: Get pre-approved before you start looking. Find an aggressive realtor who is willing to work around your schedule.We were fortunate to find something we were able to afford with the saving that we did, Sean said.Through a first-time buyer program, the couple put down 3 percent. Their move from paying nearly $1,400 a month in rent to a roughly $2,000 mortgage will be an adjustment but they have no regrets.Want to learn more about the real estate market in your neighborhood? ...read more read less