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

It was a mere 20 months ago when Newsweek writer Daniel Gross declared the vacation home dead. He wrote a whimpering piece, titled “Good Riddance To The Vacation Home”, that … Read more

With one superficial glance, the entry level Geneva lake access market appears to have had a troubled year. At least that would be the flippant verdict if you were me, … Read more

My grandmother, on my mother’s side, died at the ripe age of 93. At least I think she was 93. I was in Marco Island when she died, and as … Read more

If the foreclosure scene in Las Vegas is as crowded as a New Year’s Eve party at The Wynn, then the Lake Geneva foreclosure scene is roughly as crowded as … Read more

During the dark days of 2009, when sulfur hung like stale sheets in the air and the incessant gnashing of teeth left my ears longing for the pain of finger … Read more

David Blitzer is probably an angry man. I say that in the assumptive, not the pejorative, based on some of his comments this week. His venomous attitude towards the housing … Read more

There’s a slim chance that, if you read this blog dutifully throughout 2010, you may be under the impression that 2010 was all sunshine and roses and heart emoticons and … Read more

What can I say? I’ve been blessed this year beyond anything that I deserve, and I know I’ll always look back on 2010 with the fondest of memories. I was … Read more

If I was a shy sort of guy, I probably wouldn’t be selling real estate. Even if I was shy, and I sold real estate, I probably wouldn’t blab about … Read more

There are times that real estate doesn’t make sense to me. Times like this morning. Thankfully, I only feel at odds with Lake Geneva real estate when a buyer or … Read more

I trust everyone had a spectacular Christmas weekend. If not, I’m sorry for bringing it up. If you had a rough holiday, rest assured the lakefront condo market knows your … Read more

Normally I’d wait until January to start looking back at the comings and goings of the previous year. However, since my market reviews are extremely focused, I can get a … Read more

As 2010 rapidly pushes us into 2011, the lakefront market on Geneva Lake isn’t quite finished yet. Earlier this week, a stellar offering on Basswood Drive closed for $3,112,500, and … Read more

The other day, after a wintry mix of snow and ice befelled Walworth County, a lone driver who made the mistake of turning into the Lake Lawn Lodge entrance was … Read more

As a basic function of human opinion, it should be understandable that Realtors usually favor certain locations. Even on a lake that is surrounded by golden real estate, there are … 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

The title inspiration for my magazine from last summer… I like to search the term “Lake Geneva”. I search it on Twitter so I know what the masses are saying … Read more

In honor of my brief excursion south of the border (not Illinois), I offer a couple days of greatest hits. Then again, it’s more like a “tolerable hits” selection, since … Read more

During a process that, at times, appeared to progress as slowly as my own personal maturation process, the good folks at Boatyard Bagels in Lake Geneva have finally opened. I … Read more

I have lived in Wisconsin since 1978. Coincidentally enough, that was also the year of my birth. I have driven cars since 1994, and have willingly driven rear wheel drive … Read more

So this is what the nexus of the universe looks like. We’re caught in between at the moment, having long since exhausted the blazing colors and tweedy deliciousness of fall, … Read more

I read something the other day that, at the time, I found a bit amusing. It was something about the high end market at Lake Geneva having a terrific year. … Read more

Normally, lakefront sales only bother me when some buyer who decided not to work with me pays too much. This has been the case a few times this year, but … Read more

I had a call last weekend from a new client who pointed out that I’ve been ignoring the middle price segment of our lake access market. My immediate explanation was … Read more

I played what I assume was my last partial round of golf at Geneva National last week. I supposed I should be pleased that my last golfing opportunity of 2010 … Read more

Price reductions and real estate have always gone hand in hand. Their relationship has grown over the past couple years, and it stands to reason that if they had previously … Read more

I pretty much knew this was going to happen. The entry level lakefront market on Geneva has yielded another sale, and it’s another sale that further proves the point that … Read more

Foreclosures bore me. Perhaps the only thing that bores me more than foreclosures is hearing Realtors talk about foreclosures. If your target market is one that is rife with foreclosures … Read more

When my Hunt Club Lane property was toiling on the market over the summer, the rest of the upper tier lake access market was toiling right along with it. The … Read more

In spite of my embarrassingly good year, I can’t help but shake my big fat head every time I see a lakefront property on Geneva go under contract. I wonder … 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

If I’m really going to start taking requests, I should probably figure out how to set up a web-based tip jar. A reader suggested that I provide an update on … Read more

I’m having a hard time typing this morning, given the red glare coming from my previously bluish state. As a side note- I am looking for a part time office … Read more

The clouds of steam rising from Geneva this morning might be pretty, but the buying season that those frosty clouds signal is far more important to me than the momentary … Read more

Earlier this year, I spent a very sweaty fourth of July weekend parading buyers through what promised to be the most exciting opportunity in the young life of the South … Read more

After the sale of 556 Sauk Trail earlier this month, I tried my best to tell several buyers that the next property to sell would likely be my listing at … Read more

I have another confession to make. First I confessed that I bought a dog, even though I don’t like dogs. Then I confessed to not having the power to make … Read more

I had a comment from a reader of the blog the other day that has stuck with me. I wouldn’t say I’ve been uncoupled by it, but the comment has … 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

Political talk by a Realtor is almost always taboo. Fortunately, among the protected groups that I’m not allowed to discuss, liberals and conservatives aren’t as of yet on the list. … Read more

The Village of Williams Bay is the town that I grew up in. It’s the town that I learned to walk in. The town I learned to drive in. The … Read more

A lakefront condo sale on Geneva Lake is cause for celebration. I don’t mean a celebration with a few balloons and a cake, I mean a dancing in the streets, … 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

I very well may end up being right in my identification of a developing trend involving some of the most basic market conditions at Lake Geneva. This much should not … Read more

I have conflicted feelings about Lake Geneva vacation homes that are listed this time of year. Part of me thinks that listings in October are good for the market, as … Read more

(10/12/10 Update: The Lake Lawn property is being marketed now by a commercial hotel broker. If you’re interested in buying this place, it appears as though the asking price is … Read more

What takes Germans in Munich sixteen sudsy days, Lake Geneva can pull off in just two. It’s October in Lake Geneva, and yesterday while walking the lake path during a … Read more

Further proof of the uncanny ability of our market to be both hot and cold at the same time is provided courtesy of the rather slow September at Abbey Springs. … Read more

Between January 1, 2005 and October 4, 2005, eighty-two homes and condominiums changed hands at Geneva National. 2005 was more than likely the market peak as it relates specifically to … Read more

One of the finest pleasures in my real estate life is working with buyers who have a deep connection to Geneva Lake. I enjoy introducing the lake to new buyers … Read more

This fall has been a struggle for me. I feel like I enjoyed this summer to its fullest, but I haven’t been willing to let it go, as those of … Read more

Earlier this year, the entry level lake access market was roughly as awake as I was last Thursday morning after spending a rare late night in Chicago listening to the … Read more

It’s doubtful that you know my father. If you do know him, you probably know him as most do: as a good and decent man. This much is true, and … Read more

September may be working overtime to prove me wrong when it comes to the weather, but it’s preforming beautifully as it relates to the Lake Geneva real estate market. This … Read more

I stared at that maple tree for a half hour, and it wouldn’t even look me in the eye. It couldn’t bear to. There’s something foolish about maple trees, something … Read more

As a matter of sheer principle, I shouldn’t like the Overton Window. The political theory was “discovered” by the late Joseph Overton, former vice president of the Mackinac Center for … Read more

(note- this property has gone under contract as of 9/19/10) My excitement this morning can hardly be contained. I’m probably going to type this post out with errant key strokes, … Read more

I doubt it would be possible to find someone to openly admit that there are “bad” areas on Geneva Lake. There is no such thing in my mind, as any … Read more

The fall market activity that I knew would be measurable is looking more significant every day. While I contend that the best buying decisions are made later in the fall … Read more

With a fall market fully underway, the Lake Geneva vacation home market is already bearing some fruit that might allow someone to reasonably expect a decent fall sales season. Typically … Read more

If I didn’t know better, I would aggressively call the lakefront condo market on Geneva dead. This individual vacation home market at Lake Geneva hasn’t had a pulse for nearly … Read more

Some of my worst childhood memories directly involve wine. That might be true for many people, but for me, the bad memories have nothing to do with the possible affects … Read more

I routinely take pictures of my feet. What’s worse, I then send those pictures to people. Regular people. People who just want to get through their day without having to … Read more

The lakefront market on Geneva has been one of starts and stops this year. There have been eleven year to date sales, with sales occurring in what can’t really be … Read more

I’ve been known to rave about the lakefront park and pier system at the Harvard Club. I believe this association lakefront to be the most idyllic such park on the … Read more

If it weren’t for a head cold that has me feeling momentarily dour and ornery, I’d be in a pretty fine mood. You see, September rolled in yesterday, and there’s … Read more

Michigan, Michigan, Michigan… Oh how I’ve tried to stay away from needling you and your easily hurt feelings this summer. Our relationship got off to a tumultuous start last year, … Read more

Earlier this year, my older brother landed a job working in a tall building in Chicago. And as with his previous job in the same city, I asked that he … Read more

My father, a school teacher by profession, opened Geneva Lakefront Realty in the summer of 1977. At the time, he operated by renting a desk inside of the Hotton and … Read more

Sometime during the winter of 1996, I decided that at the tender age of 18 I should be a Trustee in the village of Williams Bay. Why I decided this … Read more

And so it goes, the easy rhythm of a Lake Geneva summer, and the seemingly easier rhythm of sales at Abbey Springs. As another yawn inducing August real estate market … 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

I think there’s plenty of reason to believe that the elevated foreclosures (putting it mildly) on a national level are no longer representing some form of short lived, but severe, … Read more

Normally, I prefer to write market updates on individual pockets of the Lake Geneva vacation home market. I think the market here is easily broken down into segments that when … Read more

Summer sounds like a lot of things to me, that much is not even the least bit profound. No matter where you live, summer most obviously sounds like something. It … Read more

I’m not a fan of Delavan Lake. In fact, if you took me out on a boat on that lake, the only way you’d get me to swim in it … Read more

An article from my Wednesday Wall Street Journal caught my eye, and for obvious reasons. “The Shrinking Second Home”, written by Juliet Chung, possessed a title that looked promising to … Read more

As if you really need a reason to come to Lake Geneva this weekend. You can see the primary reason out of your office window or living room french door, … Read more

As of this morning, there are 40 true lakefront homes available for sale on Geneva Lake. This number is up from my last market update, though the two or three … Read more

Not including the pending sale at 1014 South Lakeshore Drive in Fontana, the clear and obvious trend for those seeking large lakefront estates on Geneva has been to build them … Read more

The Bella Vista Suites in Lake Geneva didn’t begin life with that name. In 1999 the building was built under the auspices of “The Meridien”, and the property operated under … Read more

Within most lake access associations, there are desirable areas, and areas that probably should be avoided if you’re looking to make a wise purchase. This much is not profound. Many … Read more

I’ve lived most of my life in the shadow of the Congress Club. Not a figurative shadow mind you, rather a literal one. The lakefront home where I enjoyed my … Read more

I was showing houses in Fontana’s Country Club Estates yesterday, and thought it fitting to comment on the state of the market there. The association has long been a stalwart … Read more

The pier looked lonely to me. Prematurely lonely. I pulled up, the old Evinrude choking on fumes, squinting to make out the sign that hung over the end of the … Read more

I am an unabashed lover of the cottage. I selectively try to steer my clients towards them, and I love nothing more than watching an old neglected Lake Geneva cottage … Read more

It would be without merit to make the argument that Lake Geneva is anything but an idyllic locale. Blue water and white sails tend to make any setting look pastoral, … Read more

There was a time when I was everything to the Bay Shore Condominiums in Williams Bay. Bay Shore needed me. While everyone else thought Bay Shore wasn’t worthy, I helped … Read more

In keeping with Williams Bay’s efforts to confuse and misdirect, in hopes of remaining the most anonymous of the three famed lakeside towns, this weekend Art in the Bay comes … Read more

When I first started selling real estate, I drove a black 1992 Cadillac STS. It was a car more befitting a 58 year old Realtor rather than an 18 year … Read more

I’ve been pleasantly surprised this year by the strength of the lakefront condo market on Geneva. Condominiums are, in my opinion and in the opinion of banks and appraisers everywhere, … Read more