Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer in Lake Geneva with honoring those who fought for our great country! It was a busy day in downtown Lake Geneva with the streets packed. A little windy and cold, but many warm days to follow.
An amazing American Flag being carried down the street by the Boy Scouts followed by the Woods School Marching Band:
For more information about upcoming events in Lake Geneva or What to do in Lake Geneva, call Diane Krause, 262-215-4893.
If you are like me, you are finding that things are happening very fast in the world of economic bail outs. If you are a homeowner and struggling to stay above water, there is a new program out there that you may benefit from: Home Affordable Modification. The name doesn’t just roll off the tongue; a condition reflected in the guidelines. It’s not easy to determine who – or who doesn’t – qualify for modification, but perhaps there might be a glimmer of hope for those staring down the slippery slope of default, bankruptcy and foreclosure.
Home Affordable Modification is specifically designed to help homeowner’s with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed mortgages, though other mortgages may qualify. See what I mean about clarity? In any case, this may be the answer for you if the following describes your situation:
I. You are spending more than 31% of your pre-tax income on housing
AND
II. A major change has occurred in your life which impacts your financial situation. The result of this change has put you in danger of default on your mortgage, or has already resulted in delinquent payments.
If this describes your situation, CALL YOUR LOAN SERVICER!
Even if you are already being foreclosed on, or have already declared bankruptcy, you may still qualify for modification. It’s certainly worth the phone call. Be ready to provide proof of your hardship, and documentation of income and housing expenses. Oh – and be prepared for a LONG wait on the phone. Loan servicers are being flooded with phone calls.
For more information and greater detail on the Home Affordable Modification plan, check out my source: http://www.Bankrate.com.
If you are looking to purchase a new home in Southeastern Wisconsin, I encourage you to contact Shorewest Realtors.
Shorewest Realtors is a family owned business and has been in operation since 1946. Our mission is to serve the families of Southeastern
Wisconsin. When the doors were first opened in 1946 we had a
one-person office and today, we currently have 27 offices, serving a twelve-county area. Shorewest encompasses 1,700 individuals, all here to serve you. These dedicated people make it happen. We are trained to be the best we can be, which will provide you a smooth move and in many cases, a friend for life.
Part of Shorewest Realtors power is our cutting edge technology. This year alone we launched GOSWR.COM, You Tube and iLocate, additions to the 24 hour hotline, Shorewest TV and Shorewest.com. GOSWR.com enables consumers to look at homes from their mobile phone. You Tube offers video tours of nearly 4,000 properties and iLocate is for those of you who have IPhones. It allows buyers to quickly find real estate listings by price or location.
Shorewest Realtors also provides its’ buyers and sellers one stop shopping.
Our services include Wisconsin Mortgage Corporation, Heritage Title Services, Shorewest Real Estate Institute, Shorewest Insurance Associates, Marketing Department, Information Technology, Home Services, Career Development, Closing Department and a fantastic Relocation Department.
Why wouldn’t you want to work with Wisconsin’s Largest Home Seller? If you are considering a move to Southeastern Wisconsin, our Real Estate Experts will guide you through the process. For more information, please give me a call, Sharon Tomlinson, at 262-470-2000 or e-mail sharon@shorewest.com.
All the above factors lead to one thing. Below is a graph showing that Shorewest Realtors outsells it’s competition 5 to 1. I don’t think you can wait another minute, pick up that phone and see why Shorewest Realtors is the Biggest and the BEST!
There is a healthy movement about! It’s called BUY LOCAL! The idea is to support the local agricultural community by purchasing our foodstuffs close to home. This way the farmer saves on transportation costs and the consumer gets food fresh from the farm. I like the logic of this idea, and I am always looking for new opportunities to buy local. This year I am trying a few new things that I am excited about. In February I ordered beef straight from a local farm. I had no idea what to expect: how much meat made up ¼ of the cow? What cuts would I get? How many steaks, roasts, soup bones, burgers and hamburger would I receive? How big are the various cuts of meat? Did I have ROOM in my freezer? Will it keep?
WOW! I am so pleased with this adventure! I paid the farmer a flat fee per pound for all the beef, whether steaks or burgers. The butcher charge was separate and dependent upon the cuts I selected from a chart. When I picked up the meat from the butcher it was packaged, labeled and frozen solid – ready to pop into my home freezer. The packaging allows me to see the cut of meat so that I know exactly what I am choosing, and I can estimate how many people it will feed. OH THE TASTE! I have never tasted beef so full of flavor.
This Spring I have purchased a partial share in a CSA organic farm. CSA stands for “community supported agriculture”. Paid in advance, the cash from the sale of shares provides the funds that the farmer needs to stay in business and make a profit. My share entitles me to a portion of his fresh crop each AND EVERY week for 20 weeks. My “share” also includes a share in the risk: if the season is a poor one, I will receive less for my money. However, if the season produces a banner crop, I will reap the benefits! I just like this idea! It seems right to me. I also like the idea of eating fresh vegetables right off the vine!
Support your local farmer! BUY LOCAL! Let’s keep our farmers producing a healthy crop right here in Southeastern Wisconsin!
Are you planning on visiting Southeastern Wisconsin for some summer fun? If you enjoy taking a dip in the water, canoeing, or tossing a frisbee, you will want to check out one, if not all six public beaches located in Waukesha County.
The beaches are as follows:
Fox Brook Park located at 2925 N. Barker Road, Brookfield
Fox Brook’s swimming beach boasts a large sand beach area along the 25-acre lake. Pedal boat rentals are available at a cost of $8.00 per hour.
Menomonee Park located at W220 N7884 Townline Road, Menomonee Falls
Menomonee Park features the 16-acre Menomonee Quarry Lake.
Minooka Park located at 1927 E. Sunset Drive, Waukesha
Minooka’s swimming area consists of a 4-acre pond.
Muskego Park located at S83 W20370 Janesville Road, Muskego
Muskego’s one-acre pond and swimming beach is a great place to get a good tan or swim.
Mukwonago Park located at Highway LO, Town of Mukwonago
A significant feature of Mukwonago Park is the 16-acre spring fed lake creating a delightful setting for picnickers and all park users. Adjacent to the lake is a swimming pond with a broad sand beach.
Naga-Waukee Park located at 651 Highway 83, Delafield
Naga-Waukee’s beach is on the waters of Lake Nagawicka. It has a beautiful picnic site, lots of room for summer games and a golf course.
Beach hours are 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Monday-Friday and 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Waukesha County does provide lifeguards at all area beaches daily. There is an entrance fee to the park and that cost is $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends and holidays. If you plan on visiting all six beaches while vacationing in Southeastern Wisconsin, then you might want to consider purchasing a annual park entrance sticker for $25 if you live in Waukesha County and $36 if you are a non-county resident. If you are a Senior Citizen, your annual park fee will be $12.50.
If you plan on visiting and need a map of the area, please call Sharon Tomlinson at 262-470-2000 and I will provide you with all the information you need to make your visit more entertaining.
I lived in Wales for eighteen years and I can honestly say, it is one of the best places to live. What I liked most about Wales were the people in the community. They all just seemed to care so much about each other. Whenever I would walk my two dogs, I was always greeted by everyone I met. In addition, I found neighbors taking care of neighbors. My wonderful neighbor plowed out my driveway all winter long, without ever being asked and if I needed my grass cut, he was the first one over to help me out. Now, that’s what I call a great place to live.
If you ever have the opportunity to drive through this community I would urge you to drive down Main Street. There you will find a Bread and Breakfast, a few specialty shops, post office, bike trail and two parks and if you looked up and around you will observe the Wales Flag. To learn about the national flag of Wales, click here.
In addition, Wales is known for a famous Ice Cream Shop called Le Duc’s. It is said to have some of the best ice cream in the United States.
Currently we have 23 properties for sale ranging from $207,000 to $2,650,000. Listed below is one of my listings located in Wales, Wisconsin.
Sellers have priced this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom Colonial to sell. Plenty of room to roam! Living room is perfect for entertaining, large eat-in kitchen overlooks backyard & has a wood-burning stove. Office/den completes the main level. Upstairs you will find 4 generous sized bedrooms & 2 full bathrooms. Lower level completes this home with 2 more additional rooms. All of this, plus 1 acre lot, fenced in yard & award winning Kettle Moraine schools! For more information on this home or any others in Wales, please call Sharon at 262-470-2000 or e-mail sharon@shorewest.com. Wales is one of the best places to live in Southeastern Wisconsin.
As a Realtor®, for Shorewest in the Lake Country area, transferees often ask me about the “Lake Country Lifestyle”. “What are the schools like? How is the shopping? Where can we find interesting and unique things to do relative to the arts and entertainment?” Of course, all of Southeastern Wisconsin enjoys the beautiful attributes of Greater Milwaukee. In addition to the shops and restaurants in Milwaukee County, Waukesha County offers many wonderful and diverse places to eat, recreate, and shop.
One of my newfound favorites is a fair trade shop, called “Trails to Bridges”, in Hartland. Starting as a home-based business, the owner eventually went to a small retail space, and ultimately, the storefront shop she just opened. She, and her husband, personally visit and become familiar with the people behind the items she sells. I was first introduced to their unique items via a visit the owner made to my local church, in Oconomowoc. She effectively turned our fellowship area into a “smorgasbord” of wonderful and exotic hand-made articles from around the world.
A member of the Fair Trade Federation, “Trails to Bridges” assists in lifting families from some of the world’s poorest locations, out of a lifestyle of poverty, by supplying a fair and equitable business system in which to market their wares. The Realtor® in me finds this especially honorable. In spite of challenging economic times, Wisconsin residents enjoy a very high standard of living, as compared to the world at large. I have the unique pleasure of sharing this wonderful and prosperous lifestyle of Lake Country with my clients and customers. It’s nice to know that by patronizing a local merchant, we can all do a small part in passing along some economic success to those whose challenges far outweigh our own.
So, next time you may be out looking for something unique and special, check out “Trails to Bridges” on E Capitol, in downtown Hartland.
It is 80 degrees. Puffy white clouds are floating in the endless blue sky. A constant, gentle breeze is folding the corners of your “beach towel”, though you are not at the beach - there is no sand in your face, on your feet, or in your mouth. Feel the warmth of the sun on your back, the firm surface beneath you. The lake is lapping rhythmically under the pier. In the distance, you hear the gentle purr of engines on the water, boaters out enjoying the day. You are a peace.
Summer is coming! We can’t wait to escape the indoors, drawn by all kinds of fun on the lake. Appreciation and the enjoyment of the water nurture all of us here, through childhood, our teen years, and into adulthood. How blessed we are to be here in the summer, in this beautiful part of Wisconsin called Lake Country! Oh “happy days!” as my mother likes to say.
This is probably one of my favorite lakes and it is because I grew up on this lake. It is where I learned all of my water sports. When I was little, I remember being thrown in the water and told to swim to the pier, and when I wanted to ski, I sat at the end of the pier with my skis on, yelled to the driver to begin, and the boat would take off. It was so easy to learn how to ski. It also helped having a cement pier.
When the weather was hot, I would hop on my raft and float around the lake. When most people would use the roads to travel to their friends' homes, I would hop on my raft and float over. It was a great way to get a good tan.
One of my favorite memories was with my sister, Maria. It was winter and when we would get a smooth sheet of ice we would put on our ice skates and grab a garbage bag. We would open the garbage bag and used it like a sail. We would travel all over the ice on our skates. The only problem we had is when the wind would shift and we needed to get home. There were many times we had to skate a long way to get home.
Now, a little more about Pewaukee Lake. Pewaukee Lake is located in north central Waukesha County. It is approximately 2,493 acres in size and averages about 10 feet deep and its maximum depth is 45 feet. If you are looking for a good fishing lake, Pewaukee Lake is where you will find bass, stocked muskie, northern, bluegill, crappie, perch and walleye. In addition to fishing, Pewaukee Lake is a great place to ski and sail.
Once on the lake, you will find a few restaurants where you will be able to dock your boat and get a bite to eat.
If you are looking for a beach then you will want to visit the Pewaukee Beach. There you will find a docking pier and a very sandy beach for the children to swim.
Lastly, if you enjoy shopping, you will want to check out the many tiny shops located in the Village of Pewaukee.
This lake has a variety of entertainment for your pleasure. Please be sure to check out this lake the next time you visit Southeastern Wisconsin.
Contrary to the belief of some home sellers, NOW is a good time to sell! Mortgage rates are still at historic lows. Pair the rates with the $8000 first time homebuyer credit, and the climate is very favorable for buyers and sellers.
A tool for home sellers is the "Rate Relief Program", offered by Wisconsin Mortgage, and marketed by Shorewest Realtors. This program is an incentive by the seller, to buy down the interest rate for a prospective buyer. It also can cover some of the buyer’s prepaid and closing costs.
Here is an example of how it works:
The seller commits to pay 3% of the purchase price towards a financing package from Wisconsin Mortgage Corporation.
This provides a savings of over $200 per month, and approximately $77,000 over 30 years.
Obviously, this is a winning scenario for a buyer, but it also benefits a seller. Sellers offering this can receive special marketing, an increased buying pool and less negotiation on sales price…a win/win for everyone.
There has been a market reset! All pricing has come down. Whether you are selling or buying, in every price range. Think of it as, am I going to get less for my house if I sell at this time? Yes, because the selling prices have retreated from the high of the market. This is also true when you go to buy. There is a price differential that is similar to when the market was at its high, so you indeed may get less now when you sell, but you are also going to pay less for what you want to buy. Whether you’re in a great market or a declining market, the price differential between buying / selling will maintain a similar relationship. I have laid out an example below for a purchase with a jumbo mortgage.
The advantage you have now is the interest rates are at a 30 to 40 year low. The assumption is, this is a mortgage only, added taxes or insurance are not included. If you are able to decrease the mortgage amount to less than $417,000, which is the limit for a conventional mortgage, you can get an even better rate! Would you like an even lower rate? Stay tuned to my next article on our new Rate Relief program for buyers and sellers!
May 05, 2009 at 07:56 PM · Posted under Glenn Hanon
Home construction entered a new phase several years ago when the home spaces became artistic impressions vs. practical living spaces. We have seen the emergence of custom sinks in bathrooms for example. This example shows how a designer can use the actual physical sink to make a statement in a room such as a powder room. Most often public half baths were the areas where this emphasis was displayed, but often times the owner of the home wants a little flair in their personal baths as well which can be seen in this photo. Why do so many homeowners offer such lavish extras in their homes? One reason has to do with mobility. Today, more than ever we are seeing an influence in design from relocating buyers. A buyer from California, South Carolina or Florida has certain expectations when moving to the Midwest. Our area enjoys the peace of stability, but when it comes to buyers wanting the latest, sometimes that stability in design needs to be shaken up a bit, especially if a home-seller is looking to attract the relocation buyer. These artful exhibits are on display at a custom built home in the Pabst Farms subdivision, Eastlake Village in Oconomowoc, WI. These two rooms begin to give a buyer a flair for what is in store for them. The full profile can be viewed by clicking here. This handsome home is just minutes from I-94, Aurora Hospital, Pro-Health, and a host of shopping options such as; Pick N Save, the new Brennan’s market (that is under construction) and a bunch of local eateries. Across the street from Eastlake Village is the new YMCA at Pabst Farms which offers an indoor climbing wall and a state of the art facility. For more information about this fine home or the other Pabst Farms homes that I am offering, please call me at the office, 1-888-HEY GLEN.
Minnesota may be the “Land of Lakes”, but in Wisconsin, we like to claim that we are the heart of the Midwest’s Lake Country. From the stunning cityscape along the Milwaukee Lakefront, to the beautiful spring fed lakes, and chain of lakes throughout Southeastern and Northern Wisconsin, Wisconsin boasts some of the best water frontage in the country!
Water recreation comes in many forms, but a passion near and dear to Southeast Wisconsin, is SAILING! The Inland Lakes Yachting Association dates back over 150 years. Big boat sailing has an equal and passionate following on Lake Michigan.
A recent addition to the club, is the newly formed, Milwaukee Youth Sailing Team, a group of high school teens, committed to competitive sailing. Milwaukee Yacht Club is host to the group, consisting of several area high schools. MYST, as the team is referred to, trains as a collective, and then competes in smaller groups by high school. They sail 420’s and Lasers.Oconomowoc High School, Marquette High School and Trinity Academy all have official high school teams. Other students compete as mixed teams, from various high schools in the area.
MISSA, the Midwestern Interscholastic Sailing Association, is our region’s governing body of ISSA, the national group. Our Midwest kids are some of the best sailors in the country, and are competitive on a regional, as well as national basis. Many have sailed nationally and internationally since they were young kids, in the opti.
On May 9th and 10th, MYC will play host to the region’s area schools. Kids will be here from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. Follow the action on Sailgroove, or on any of the websites linked to these organizations.
Diane Krause
Cathy Butschke
Sharon Tomlinson
If you ever have the opportunity to drive through this community I would urge you to drive down Main Street. There you will find a Bread and Breakfast, a few specialty shops, post office, bike trail and two parks and if you looked up and around you will observe the Wales Flag. To learn about the national flag of Wales, 
Sellers have priced this 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom Colonial to sell. Plenty of room to roam! Living room is perfect for entertaining, large eat-in kitchen overlooks backyard & has a wood-burning stove. Office/den completes the main level. Upstairs you will find 4 generous sized bedrooms & 2 full bathrooms. Lower level completes this home with 2 more additional rooms. All of this, plus 1 acre lot, fenced in yard & award winning Kettle Moraine schools! For more information on this home or any others in Wales, please call Sharon at 262-470-2000 or e-mail 
As a Realtor®, for Shorewest in the Lake Country area, transferees often ask me about the “Lake Country Lifestyle”. “What are the schools like? How is the shopping? Where can we find interesting and unique things to do relative to the arts and entertainment?” Of course, all of Southeastern Wisconsin enjoys the beautiful attributes of Greater Milwaukee. In addition to the shops and restaurants in Milwaukee County, Waukesha County offers many wonderful and diverse places to eat, recreate, and shop.
Karen Trepton
This is probably one of my favorite lakes and it is because I grew up on this lake. It is where I learned all of my water sports. When I was little, I remember being thrown in the water and told to swim to the pier, and when I wanted to ski, I sat at the end of the pier with my skis on, yelled to the driver to begin, and the boat would take off. It was so easy to learn how to ski. It also helped having a cement pier.
One of my favorite memories was with my sister, Maria. It was winter and when we would get a smooth sheet of ice we would put on our ice skates and grab a garbage bag. We would open the garbage bag and used it like a sail. We would travel all over the ice on our skates. The only problem we had is when the wind would shift and we needed to get home. There were many times we had to skate a long way to get home.
If you are looking for a beach then you will want to visit the Pewaukee Beach. There you will find a docking pier and a very sandy beach for the children to swim.
Contrary to the belief of some home sellers, NOW is a good time to sell! Mortgage rates are still at historic lows. Pair the rates with the $8000 first time homebuyer credit, and the climate is very favorable for buyers and sellers.
This provides a savings of over $200 per month, and approximately $77,000 over 30 years.
Doug Armstrong
Most often public half baths were the areas where this emphasis was displayed, but often times the owner of the home wants a little flair in their personal baths as well which can be seen in this photo. Why do so many homeowners offer such lavish extras in their homes? One reason has to do with mobility. Today, more than ever we are seeing an influence in design from relocating buyers. A buyer from California, South Carolina or Florida has certain expectations when moving to the Midwest. Our area enjoys the peace of stability, but when it comes to buyers wanting the latest, sometimes that stability in design needs to be shaken up a bit, especially if a home-seller is looking to attract the relocation buyer. 
These artful exhibits are on display at a custom built home in the Pabst Farms subdivision, Eastlake Village in Oconomowoc, WI. These two rooms begin to give a buyer a flair for what is in store for them. The full profile can be viewed by 
Glenn Hanon
has an equal and passionate following on Lake Michigan.
