Our economic downturn has brought with it pain, to varying degrees, for most of us…along with some lifestyle changes for many of us. But, there is a silver lining, for real estate buyers. Prices have been reduced, and reduced again, and in many cases, yet again. Interest rates are low, and builders of new construction along with sellers of occupied homes are prepared to be as creative as necessary to facilitate a sale. If you haven’t inquired lately, you may be pleasantly surprised.

One example is LANCO’s  Villas at Eagleton Ponds. Both the ranch and two-story model  www.GenevaNationalVillas.com are available at new LOW, LOW prices. Call Bo 745-4088 or Deb 745-2661 for more info. Great buyers incentives too!

1st Place Award "Best Kitchen" 2008 Parade of Homes

Now THIS is a lake view!!

Bear Trap Ridge in Fontana, Wisconsin. Three home sites (ranging from 3 to over 4 acres) are now listed starting from $499,000. These homesites offer spectacular, unobstructed, year round  views the length of Geneva Lake! Did I mention spectacular views?? Visit www.BearTrapRidge.com and call.

Great news at GN…The swimming pools, tennis courts and Club 755 will be open this weekend, May 23 at 7:00am. The “Wooden Nickel” will be open at 7:00 am with coffe, pastries, newspapers and more! The lap pool will also be open at 7:00 am. The main pool, and kiddie pool will open at 11:00am. Closing time will be 7:00pm. Saturday’s forecast is for 71 degrees!! Beats last years rainout. Any questions, call Club 755 at 245-5880 and ask for Tina.

If you’re looking for a real estate deal, it’s time. Call.

While we’re young.

Pool open May 23!

Well although it seems like we just put away the Christmas decorations, here we are in March and Easter is just around the corner and believe it or not the market is “picking up”. Actually I had 3 offers in January but none of them went together because of pricing. February however has been more productive with 3 accepted offers in Geneva National and 2 more on the table right now. So although we keep hearing nothing but bad news each day, I believe that the real estate market here in the Geneva Lakes area is starting to see a change. All of our offices have seen more showings and, more importantly, more offers and accepted offers. There are obviously buyers out there that think that’s time to take advantage of the interest rates and seller’s negotiable pricing.

Another thing for you to think about is updating or remodeling your home. If you don’t think that buying is in “the cards” for you this year then make your home so desirable and give your home an edge over everybody else’s so that when it is time to sell you are ready. Buyers do NOT want to take either the time or money (which is usually out of pocket money) to do upgrades to a home that they are buying. They love to walk in and get that “wow factor”. Now your home has made an impression on them and stands out from the others. There are few items that make a statement more than others, kitchens and baths. It’s amazing what you can do just by updating the color on the walls and changing the counter tops and, always remember, less is more!! Don’t have too much “stuff” on counter tops in either kitchens or bathrooms. Doing these few items will attract a lot more attention to your home when it’s time for you to sell.

As a realtor for 30 years, I’d have to say that in most cases, women do buy homes. That’s not a slam to men, it’s just that the woman of the house usually is the one to decorate and organize the home and knows what floor plan will work best for her family overall. Having said that, men finally have found a place that they appreciate even more than before, and that is a garage that has been redone with everything from slat walls to cabinets and of course, the favorite, a resurfaced garage floor. These floors repel oil and gas spills and sand and salt. Wash them down and they look like new!! All of our preferred builders in Geneva National have put the garage floors into their new models.

I have to admit, I have a vested interest in the garage update. My husband started a business last year called AMAZING GARAGE SOLUTIONS and in a economy that’s not very good, things have really taken off. He has done garage floors for builders, Lanco Development, Scott Lowell, Greg Choyce ,Scott Stonebreaker and Hummel Builders and after doing the clients homes locally, some of those clients have asked him to do their primary home in Ilinois. Recently his commercial business has taken off also contracting with Cousins Restaurant, Aurora Health Care and now with McDonalds Restaurants. For more information just send me an email or call 262-745-2661.

All in all, people are still spending money but they’re being more selective about what they’re spending it on. We have all learned a big lesson. It’s about needs and wants, right???

PEACE!! Deb

I’d like to take a few minutes to to remind sellers, why not pricing your home correctly is a lose-lose proposition.

Your best opportunity to secure a buyer for your home usually comes in the first week or two. When your listing first appears in the MLS, it gets extra attention by appearing on the MLS “Hot Sheet”.  Agents check the Hot Sheet routinely, looking for new properties that meet the criteria of buyers they’re working with. This is the time to make a favorable impression. A well priced listing will lead to phone calls and e-mails to prospective buyers, and generates the excitement you want from the buyers agent and buyers.  This is a tremendous advantage in the marketplace. Unless your property has subjective (a great view, for example)  or other distinctive, unique advantages, you’re better off pricing aggressively, right from the start.  

Just putting it out there to “see what happens”, most often leads to disappointment. Inevitably, the price will be lowered, maybe several times in subsequent months. The excitement of a new listing is gone, and you’ve lost the edge. After an extended period of time, buyers may be left wondering, “why hasn’t this home sold yet, what’s wrong with it?”

Overpriced listings lead to disappointment,  a loss of confidence in your agent, and can be expensive. Your carrying costs  (mortgage payments, taxes, assessments, etc.), continue to add up, as your property remains on the market.  And, especially in this market, the property must appraise to ensure that your buyer will be able to get the necessary financing to purchase your home. An overpriced listing may not appraise at the agreed upon sales price.

Your agent wants nothing more than to find a buyer for your home. This means an investment of time, money (advertising), and effort. Your agent should be able to provide you with comparable sales in the neighborhood, current listings, and based on these factors and current market conditions, will recommend a listing price for you. Agents can will look at your property objectively, and may recommend a price which is lower than what you were hoping for. If you have confidence in your real estate agent, consider their recommendation carefully.

For Geneva National properties, the “BoKnowsGenevaNational.com” website can be of great assistance to you. Use the SEARCH function on the left side of the homepage to select a neighborhood (Woodlands, for example) and click on SEARCH. This will display all the current Woodland listings. Click on the listing for detailed information on the unit (# of bedrooms, baths, location, on or off the golf course, etc). Then click on SELLING, located on the bar near the top of the homepage, and click on “Solds at GN” for updated information on recently sold properties at Geneva National. This information will help you in determining the right price at which to list your home.

Need more info? Call me at 262-745-4088 or Deb Schroeder at 262-745-2661. We’ll be happy to help you. As a licensed broker in the state of Wisconsin and 15+ years of experience as a resident of Geneva National, and Debs 30+ years of experience in real estate in Lake Geneva and Geneva National, you can count on us to provide you with sound advice.

FYI….Since the completion of the widening of Hwy 50 in front of Geneva National, this stretch of road has become a new “Speed Trap” for local authorities. Save yourself some money and grief. It’s 45 mph, not 55 mph. 

See you at Geneva National,

Bo

What is that?  That was my first comment to Bo when he approached me about including a “blog” on our website.  Since many of you use our site for the lastest info and we have average 1100+ unique visitors  a month, he thought we should include something new.  He tells me what we need to do to keep up with the times and take our website and business to the next level.   He told me that it is an informal account of “anything”.  Ok, I can do that so here I go.  

My objective for this blog is to keep you informed primarily of the social aspects, events and entertainment of Geneva National and the Lake Geneva area.    Shortly after first moving here over 30 years ago I heard residents refer to this area as “Little Chicago”.  At the time I didn’t know what they were referring to and I was quickly told that they meant  Lake Geneva.  As many  Illinois (flatlanders, and I mean that respectfully) moved here, either as a primary or second home  they wanted and expected more in the way of educational and cultural things to do.  This has made more and more of an impact on making the lake area more desirable.   My mother always told me “being bored is a choice”, and I have to agree!  So here’s some upcoming events to keep you focused and give you something to talk to your friends about  instead of “how cold it is outside”.   Don’t be afraid to try something new to do with old friends or someone new and step “outside the box”.  You never know, you might find a new escape, a new friend or a new attitude!!! 

 For instance, on February 8th the LYRIC OPERA’S LAKE GENEVA CHAPTER is presenting a program entitled “Winter Wonderland” at Noon at the Geneva National Golf Club.  Brunch will be served. For more info contact Joan Ecklund at 262-275-3518. 

 Also this weekend  Februay 4-8 ,is our infamous WINTERFEST AND NATIONAL SNOW SCUPTING CHAMPIONSHIPS in downtown Lake Geneva.  Grand Geneva celebrates WINTER CARNIVAL with ski and snowboard exhibiitons, games and fireworks. 

At Geneva National enjoy the VALENTINE DINNER AT THE HUNT CLUB on February 12th.  Stick around and attend the casual MEMBER RECEPTION at the Clubhouse on February 13th.  Geneva National also offers small groups that play cards and games, to being active in fitness groups, book clubs,  garden clubs.  Enjoy NEIGHBORHOOD COFFEE on the third Thursday of the month and WALK,TALK, AND GAWK IS ON TUESDAY MORNINGS. Any questions about these events at Geneva National feel free to call Katie Alder, our membership director, at 262-245-7000. ext. 549. 

Feel free to contact Bo or me  with any comments or questions, whether about our blog or  real estate.  We want to be YOUR realtors. 

Make every day count!!!                                      PEACE, DEB

FIRST BLOG…of many

OK, I’ll have to admit, it took a while to warm up to idea of blogging.  A blog?  About what? Who is going to read it, and why?  Don’t people have better things to do? ……………..Ditto for Deb.

So, it occurs to me that I read a blog or two a day myself, mostly financial and investment related. I realize that I read them loyally because they are interesting, educational, and often insightful. In short, they are worth my time. 

So, in keeping with the criteria above, Deb & I have decided to add a blog feature to our website. Our topics will focus on Geneva National real estate related issues, but we’ll cover all things Geneva National. Our intent is to make reading our blogs worth your time. 

Whether you are a current Geneva National resident, or considering purchasing property at Geneva National (primary or seasonal), we’ll provide you with useful, insightful information.  We’ve got some exciting topics we are looking forward to writing about in the coming weeks and months. We’ll cover  the new neighborhoods at Geneva National in depth, such as the the award winning “Villas at Eagleton Ponds” by Lanco Development. We’ll introduce you to people you should know, inform you of exciting changes and improvements coming at GN …. and much, more. 

On a more sobering note, most of us are feeling the effects of this economic slowdown. As we adjust to a challenging economy, keep in mind that it’s precisely in times like these, that buying opportunities present themselves. Those opportunities are here now! Builders and sellers are motivated to accommodate buyers and meet their needs. If you are considering purchasing real estate at Geneva National, call us. In this environment, deals that weren’t possible a year ago, now are. You could be pleasantly surprised. Why not ride out these tough times relaxing at the pools or tennis courts, both included in your monthly dues? 

I’d like to encourage you to bookmark our website. The BoKnowsGenevaNational.com and DebbieSellsGenevaNational.com websites (same website) are designed to make searching for Geneva National real estate easy for you. It’s easy for you because we do the work. You’ll find neighborhood descriptions, information about Club 755, the golf courses, aerial tours, and much more. We continually update the site to give you choices in how you search for property at GN. Search by neighborhood, by price, or by property type…you won’t find a more convenient way to find what you are looking for. Guaranteed. When you do find what you’re looking for, call or e-mail us to schedule a showing.

We always welcome your questions, comments and ideas for future blogs, or the website. E-mail us at bmarciniw@keeferealestate.com  or dschroeder@keeferealestate.com

We are committed to keep our website your best source of information about Geneva National real estate.

 We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Welcome to the Bo Knows Geneva National Blog. Check back often for updated information for all things Geneva National.