This morning, I switched to iced coffee. Up until now, with the exception of a very small handful of sweltering days, I’ve been sticking to hot coffee. It should be noted that this is the latest into summer I have ever continually and religiously ordered my morning coffee hot. This morning, with the promise of 97 sticky and scrumptious degrees, I opted for iced. It was strange, this iced coffee. I didn’t get the sweetness right, but it was better that what would have happened if I had tried to order a Starbucks coffee in New Buffalo this morning, seeing as how there isn’t a Starbucks in New Buffalo. Iced coffee in hand, I drove through air made thick by humidity, but mostly by giddy anticipation.
This is not a weekend, it is the weekend. This difference is similar to the way that Geneva is not a lake, it is the lake. If you don’t agree, please divert your eyes and return to your TPS reports. Friday might be the last day in any given work week, but this Friday is the start of a lake based weekend of epic proportions, and if you don’t believe me, please take a look at this hypnotic forecast (ignore the chance for storms, that’s just the weather widget maker hedging their bets). Hot days are rough if you work outdoors. They’re worse if you work indoors with no air conditioning. But as I reminded a friend yesterday, there is no day too hot that a boat ride can’t temper it. Melting heat is rendered obsolete when treated with a continual rotation of swimming, boat riding, pier lounging, followed by more swimming. And sipping. And napping. But now I’m getting carried away.
Lake Geneva, WI (53147) Weather Forecast
This past week at Lake Geneva was another good one. Another lakefront property went under contract, making for a total of three consummated contracts over the past two weeks. Two of those new contracts are off Circle Parkway in Cedar Point, and the lone lakefront closing last week was also on Circle, a cycle of events that might make you think Circle held something special in this market. The truth is it’s nothing particularly special about Circle Parkway, though the views from that bluff are among the very best on the entire lake, the sales are mere functions of the price range that thrives there. We’ll see if the most recent pending sale (list $1.99MM) closes at a price that proves my theory that the vast majority of these lakefront listings currently and tentatively residing in the $1.8MM to $2.1MM range ultimately sell for around $1.5MM. The way I see it, sub $1.5MM on these is a buyer’s win, over $1.5MM is a seller’s. That said, I’m sure many sellers would debate me on whether or not a 25% reduction in list price is a win of any sort.
There are other new deals being written as well, including one this week in Sunset Hills. I think I have to come clean about this in the event that you missed a previous post where I said something similar. I dislike Sunset Hills. I do. I don’t exactly know why, but something about it makes me well up with annoyance. The deal in the Congress Club remains intact, as does my deal in the Harvard Club. There is a market for another offering in the Congress Club right now, just in case you know of anyone who might be in the mood to sell in that venerable lakefront co-op.
This weekend I’m going to be hosting what I hope will be a large open house at N1554 Oak Shores Lane on the South side of Geneva. This estate, pictured above, will be open from 12-3 pm tomorrow (Saturday), and I’d be thrilled if you’d stop by. Even if the $4.295MM property is a whisper, or a shout, out of your ideal price range, it’d be nice if you’d stop over and say hello. I should have some refreshments of some sort, though I must admit that a mere 29 hours before the event I have not given the preparations much thought. This 10 bedroom mansion on 180′ of level frontage is a gem on the Geneva lakefront, and I think a tour of this property would compliment anyone’s vacation at the lake.
If you’re up this weekend, be sure to grab a copy of Summer Homes For City People. If whatever business you visit, be it a retail shop or restaurant or hotel doesn’t have a neatly arranged stack of this magazine, please pound your fists on their desk/table and demand that they bring you one. Post haste. Whatever you do this weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself and stay safe. The lake will be crowded, so if you’re towing a skier please abide by my own strict rules and avoid towing that person in the typical boat lanes. Move out to the middle of the lake where you can operate in relative peace. Have a wonderful weekend and hopefully I’ll see you at Oak Shores on Saturday.
So for you other blog followers, I did have the pleasure of meeting David for the first time in the house shown above. It was nice to finally meet him and the funny thing is that he talks or sounds a bit like his blog – which I didn’t really expect, but it was cool. This particular listing is very interesting and I will let him comment on it in a bloggy sort of way, but one of the things that struck me was how big this dock was. See in the picture? You could put seven boats in there and have room to swim.