David Curry

Ladders can be used for lots of things. They can be used for work, to climb to the highest rung and dangle with a paint can and brush, leaning frightfully … Read more

To describe something as being “back in the day” is to assign that something to a very vague time in the past. If my grandmother were to say that something … Read more

I think Clark Howard is a little goofy. Maybe I think that because I feel deep condemnation and guilt when I hear him talk about all the things that financially … Read more

There is a nice lakefront trend presenting itself this summer, if only we’ll take notice. The lakefront market is moving fluidly, and there have been rational sales this year carried … Read more

The hottest town on the planet earth is Princeton, Illinois. This is a fact. I have spent days there in heat that rivals any heat I have felt elsewhere, and … Read more

View Larger Map Earlier this summer, I spent a few days calling and emailing, telling customers and clients about a lake access cottage that I wanted at least one of … Read more

I’ve priced many, many homes in my life. These homes have been big and they have been small, and the prices have been both mine and they have been set … Read more

Dear City of Lake Geneva, I write this letter with a heavy heart. Hopefully the heaviness I feel is emotional, not a result of a deeper, undiagnosed valve problem, but … Read more

There’s a little known real estate secret that I’m about to share with you, so huddle up. July and August usually aren’t great months for the Lake Geneva real estate … Read more

Most of my life, it seems, I have spent waiting. A real estate based life can be like that: always waiting for closings, waiting for offers, waiting for faxes, waiting … Read more

Today, if I were to be involved in an unanticipated car accident (which sounds dreadful), and I was rushed to the hospital with a compound fracture in my left arm, … Read more

If you’re up at the lake today, I really don’t need to tell you to have a “great” fourth of July. The combination of you in Lake Geneva would leave … Read more

It dawned on me today, just now, that I haven’t yet pushed the new issue of my real estate magazine on you. The new magazine is pretty nice, or at … Read more

I spent $31 on ice cream yesterday. Before you accuse me of excess, consider that there is little else to do here in New Buffalo if ice cream eating is … Read more

It wasn’t raining when I drove to Ravinia two years ago to see Jackson Browne. It wasn’t raining as I walked the mile or more from where I parked to … Read more

Abbey Springs is starting to bore me. It’s not that I don’t like the development, with all those fancy amenities and finely curried lawns. I do. I like those things … Read more

View Larger Map I have lived in many different houses. I’ve lived in new houses, old houses, small houses, big houses, nice houses, even ugly houses. I have lived in … Read more

My morning actually started last night. It started with the weatherman. He didn’t tell me that it would be warm this morning. He didn’t tell me that it would be … Read more

Buyers and sellers are typically treated as two different entities. Two separate forces, destined to be enemies and forever embracing a polarizing view of markets, and real estate. Buyers and … Read more

As I follow the never-ending yard sale that is the national foreclosure scene, I’m slowly finding that waiting for a change in this market is as great of a test … Read more

A farmer’s market, measured solely against its definition, is a market where farmer’s sell their crops. That would be the literal interpretation of what a farmer’s market should be. Marco … Read more

If you’re reading this now, which you must be, and if you read my post yesterday, which you should have, then you may be confused by today’s post in light … Read more

Over the past decade, being a buyer has been hard work. It’s been fun, sure, but the buying of the peak was nowhere near as fun as the selling of … Read more

I have driven great distances for food. I fish in the dirty rivers of Kenosha in the fall to catch salmon, sure, but mostly to stop by Oliver’s Bakery. Should … Read more

The first house I ever bought was an old house with questionable framing and a double lot on the East side of Clover Street in Williams Bay. The next home … Read more

At times I feel as though the Lake Geneva real estate market is little more than a puzzle. Not a puzzle like a riddle, or a puzzle in the way … Read more

During the summer of 1990, a buyer would have been of sound mind had they embraced the then reasonable expectation of purchasing a lakefront home on Geneva for $400,000. Perhaps … Read more

My office is, by my crude estimation, no more than 750 feet from the lake. A lake that is, at this very moment, barely registering a shimmer as the surface … Read more

I have many impressions of Door County. I’ve visited there several times. Some of those times have been on purpose. In fact, I plan on taking my new-ish fishing boat … Read more

I admit to taking at least some delight in watching the folly of the foreclosure market. Once, a commenter on the blog accused me of being an ambulance chaser. This … Read more

Over the past several months, there have been several new lakefront listings in the $1.6MM to $2.1MM price range. This, on the surface, is a positive for our inventory starved … Read more

In the uncertain world of mushrooming, there is a very certain, easily spotted, unforgivable crime. If one is out looking for mushrooms, one is not foraging for mushrooms. If you … Read more

The supposedly unique nature of the snowflake bores me. My whole life I’ve been told that each snowflake is different. Each one unique. Each one somehow a variation of the … Read more

During a tenure that spanned the worst April that I can remember, and a third of May that as been better, but not ideal, I have poured $480 dollars worth … Read more

There have been sales over the past several months that I contend would have never happened if the entry level lakefront market were not so utterly devoid of inventory. I … Read more

The week nearly gone was, to me, a good week. I only fell in the lake once. I successfully helped a seller find a buyer and a buyer find a … Read more

If the darkest days for our Lake Geneva real estate market were found during the latter half of 2008 and nearly all of 2009, it must have been on one … Read more

When I was in high school, I vaguely remember a particular Memorial Day weekend at my parents house. There was a party. I’m not sure who or what it was … Read more

There is no secret about my mission. I aim to sell you a Lake Geneva vacation home. It’s simple really, this goal of mine, but it is a benevolent goal. … Read more

I’m a touch tardy in delivering this morning’s post. I was digging through lis pendens filings and sheriff’s sale notices. I was doing all of this for you. You’re welcome. … Read more

I like to talk about, write about, think about, and generally meditate on, Geneva Lake. I like to do the same for the single family associations that ring the lake, … Read more

Dear Algore, It is raining again in Lake Geneva. It’s cold too. In fact, our weather men are sheepishly telling us that it might only make it up to 43 … Read more

I began my life of crime at age seven. I may have been older, but judging from my son’s new found mischievousness, the criminal behavior probably surfaced when I was … Read more

I went out on my new (very used) fishing boat a week ago Sunday. It was 80 and sunny. I was sweating. I went out on my new (used) fishing … Read more

For some, April showers bring May flowers. For others, April showers bring May Morels (more to follow). For me, April showers are an unfortunate, but necessary, obstacle that I must … Read more

I know, if the trees outside the east window of my bedroom are leaning or swaying away from that casement window, that the waters on the east side of Conference … Read more

View Larger Map Bonnie Brae is a pleasant little lane that runs south, towards the lake, off of Snake Road. If there are pockets of lakefront that are more desirable … Read more

With a mere $9.5MM, Lake Lawn Lodge has averted total, unmitigated catastrophe. When this massive resort was taken over by Anchor Bank last fall (Anchor was the primary lender, but … Read more

The other day I drove past the narrow line of white and green garages, past the header supports that dip and twist down the line, an unfortunate meandering owed to … Read more

In what appears tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment, the entire lake is yet to be devoid of ice. The video I posted last week declaring the lake ice free … Read more

James Altucher. I have placed his name on my very special, relatively short list. Right under Daniel Gross. Just above Josh Altman (jealousy dictates that he be at the bottom … Read more

Last night, a car commercial told me that I have 3000 thoughts each day. That baritone voiced man obviously doesn’t know me, for I’d gladly argue that I have more … Read more

My father worked hard for his entire life. He still works hard, too hard in fact, as he tries to squeeze more and more hours out of each day. In … Read more

If today were 1989 instead of 2011, and we were swimming together on the Loch Vista Club pier, I would have been able to put on the most anemic display … Read more

Before I was prolific in writing about selling lakefront condominiums, I was indeed prolific in actually selling them. At the volume height of our broader Lake Geneva vacation home market, … Read more

Yesterday was a strange day. It was enjoyable, sure, but it was strange. Yesterday it wanted to rain, but it didn’t. I don’t know if it didn’t because it couldn’t, … Read more

Why must I always be Gary? I haven’t known very many Garys in my life. Except for the Gary that started a small pharmaceutical company years ago. That was before … Read more

I’m writing this morning with a troubled mind. I was fine yesterday. Really. Thoroughly and contentedly fine. My car broke down on the side of Main Street and left me … Read more

Today, right now, I am sitting at my desk in Williams Bay. I bought my desk in Canada back when their dollar traded for 65% of ours, and I drove … Read more

Your cat may have taught you all you need to know about life, but one sentence in one description of one condominium can teach you all you need to know … Read more

View Larger Map For more than one hundred years, there has been a marina anchoring the western shore of Williams Bay. The marina has had name changes, facade changes, building … Read more

Generally speaking, I do not enjoy watching the foreclosure markets. The foreclosure scene in Walworth County today resembles a large stack of hay. As a devoted follower of any real … Read more

I went to bed last night with a headache. The headache began sometime around 2 pm yesterday, and by 9 pm it was in full swing. I took two Tylenol … Read more

Scanning the cavernous recesses of my mind to as far back as I can remember, I have only had one truly great dream. I’ve had plenty of nice dreams. I’ve … Read more

I’m writing this deep into a Sunday night. I can’t sleep, and every time I start to nod off I see visions of a sulking Jay Cutler on the sidelines … Read more

There aren’t many subjects that leave me with conflicted opinions. When Old Yellar has to be shot, I’m not sort of happy because that means he’s no longer suffering from … Read more

Every once in a while, I think about a life without Lake Geneva. If I didn’t live here, and i didn’t know where here was, what would fill my time? … Read more

I make mention of Mr. Gross from time to time, and several readers have emailed to ask just who this Gross fella is. Well, here’s who he is. Back live … Read more

(A re-run aimed at keeping you keenly aware of the pitfalls that await should you make a mistake and decide to vacation in the north woods, rather than the Lake … Read more

For most sun loving, snow eschewing vacationers, Marco Island is a quiet, tropical refuge. It’s a place where sandal loving tourists with blinding legs and pink shoulders walk in harmony … Read more

Real estate markets are decidedly unfair. If you’re the sort that understands real estate markets, then you know that it’s the buyers who might act unfair, seeing as how the … Read more

It’s obvious that the purchase of any Lake Geneva vacation home installs the buyer as a member of a very exclusive club. Whether the purchase is a $200k condo in … Read more

I suppose I could blame all of this on Hollywood. Owen Wilson, if I wanted to get specific. With his drawn out drawl and hot wife he made it look … Read more

As we near the end of year three of our nationwide real estate meltdown, I believe I’ve finally figured out where the market bottom is. I couldn’t tell you on … Read more

In real estate, as in life, there are hero’s and villains. Sometimes, the villain is an outright miserable human being, dripping with horrible intentions and even worse behavior , and … Read more

The unsuppressed nature of my own common sense tells me that in the worst of real estate markets, the best approach to buying real estate is to look for value. … Read more

The latest tale of real estate brilliance, vacation home style, comes courtesy the Wall Street Journal. The good intentioned Wall Street Journal published an article called 10 Summer Home Mistakes, … Read more

A Sunday rerun about boathouses. You’ve seen them. Perhaps in person, probably in pictures, and certainly at other lakes around the country. Ranging from primitive lakeside storage sheds to utilitarian … Read more

There are times, like this week, where I fear my upbeat posts will lead to some market confusion. That’s not to say that I think I can sway the market … Read more

There’s an emotion present in real estate that is very difficult to describe. It’s a feeling that I’d like to think is unique to being a Realtor, but I know … Read more

With another Lake Geneva summer already underway, I thought a nice refresher on piers would be nice. Enjoy your Sunday, which is an impossibility if you’re not at Lake Geneva … Read more

I subscribe to the real estate belief that maintains that smaller associations are, at least generally, better associations. If I was given the choice between owning a vacation home in … Read more

The DNC propaganda machine known as Yahoo! News has provided me with a bit of a lift this morning. An article titled “From Hamptons to Tahoe, Summer Home Sales Edge … Read more

There are moments that occur on an alarming number of days where I feel like I’ve run out of things to write. I was going to write “say”, but I … Read more

For all their idyllic bobbing, buoys get a bad rap. A harbor filled with moored sailboats has captivated many a photographer and more than a few artists, but the little … Read more

As a function of my job, I talk to lots and lots of Realtors. Some of the talk is business related, and much of that talk is focused on what … Read more

The Sunday rerun this week is a post I wrote last year about what I see as the death of the real estate business. The article appeared here first and … Read more

I don’t know Neil Ulman. My first introduction to him wasn’t an introduction at all, as I just read an article he wrote in the Wall Street Journal. My first … Read more

To the most seasoned lake lover, the municipal boundaries that surround Geneva Lake are of little consequence. To others, the skinny lines that divide Fontana from Linn Township mean much … Read more

A few completely unrelated items prior to the post today… First off, remember when I said I was going on a diet like a month ago? I lied. I meant … Read more

If HGTV’s goal is to destroy the real estate profession, they’re hosting yet another show that will help them easily reach that goal. Selling New York is the newest incarnation … Read more

Horse racing is pompously called the “sport of kings”. Bunk. The Masters claims to be a “tradition unlike any other”. Hogwash. I grew up playing a sport that is truly … Read more

A couple weeks ago, a new lake access listing in Oakwood Estates hit the market. I had a couple of buyers who I thought might be interested in it, and … Read more

For all of the analysis that modern day buyers put into their vacation home search here, you’d think most buyers boast a double major in mathematics and real estate. Most … Read more

I bought my first car when I was 15. It was a truck actually, and I was still 6 months shy of my 16th birthday when I became the proud … Read more

I reviewed the past 30 days of lis pendens for Walworth County, and while there are some new possible foreclosures in the works, the scene looks very much like it … Read more

When George Costanza famously disrobed to pose in his boxers for Kramer’s camera, the image was coined by Jerry as “the timeless art of seduction”. The scene is nothing short … Read more

An Early weekend re-post about a beautiful hammock that I rescued from a hammock shelter last summer. I like hammocks. If you really think about it, it’s probably a near … Read more

The Olympics have been pretty tough on me. Well, not so much on me, but they’ve been tough on members of my family. You see, my in-laws reside in Canada. … Read more