I don't know where we came up with the idea.  We owned a waterfront log cabin vacation home near the Wisconsin Dells.  We loved it, but sold it many years ago to start buying local investment properties as part of our retirement financial plan strategy.  Well, somehow the idea came up to replace that far away log cabin with a nearby waterfront property.  Because you know, my husband was sure he only had limited time left to live and needed something to make him feel special.  I was conned.  (He has been saying for years that he would die young and leave a good-looking corpse.  Well, its too late for that, now.) sarcasm

So we jumped in the car and went out looking.  REALTOR'S HOLIDAY. My day off and I am showing homes.  Modest needs.  Water (channel) front to the chain of lakes.  Small, small, was OK because in the summer, we'll be outside.  North of the locks for easy navigation to restaurants and night spots.  #1 need, for my husband, to have a small boat to fish from and a pier to tie up at night.  So he could fish, fish, fish from dawn to dark.

So we looked at those little homes and found one cute one at a bargain price.  When we walked in the door.  I said "I think our search can stop here".  It had all our minimum expectations. But no, then I dragged hubby to the next home that he had eliminated as too pricey (What was I thinking?) and unfortunately, there was an open view of miles of waterfront.  My husband's eyes bugged out. I don't think he ever imagined living an exciting, noisy, lifestyle on "the big" water.

He wandered, muttering, and shaking his head.  He didn't care the house was in a floodplain and occasionally flooded---a "fer sure" deal killer for Mom.  In Wisconsin, he never wanted to hear the noise of the motor boats and skiers, etc....He wanted peace back then and now he seems excited by all this hoopla.  Who is this man and what has he done with my husband? My husband always relished privacy--hated parties. Never wanted neighbors around or people in his line of sight.  Is this a case of alien abduction?

Now the fantasies moved from a rowboat with a trolling motor to a pontoon boat that seats 8 and a waverunner and maybe some snomobiles for winter. Oh, so now we need a garage for all the toys Daddy and Daughter are fantasizing about...a big one.  The views from 360 degrees of big water are exciting and suddenly that is the new priority.  Of course, channel front is the price I was prepared to pay.  By the time I called that agent in the morning, that house that had been on the market a year, had received two offers the day before.  It figures.

It sold for full price.  I could write an offer, needed to be strong.  I wanted more of a bargain than that.  So...back at the drawing board, moving up in price, especially as my daughter has decided that she wants a year round home so she can move in, pay us a modest rent, and take a train to work. OH AND SHE DOESN'T WANT HER BEDROOM IN THE LOWER LEVEL. Cha-ching!  (I keep looking at Dad and Daughter's sad faces that I didn't buy that house.)

View from house. View of house from the water.  A hot tub on a deck.  What can you walk to?  Size of home. Everyone wants their own private bedroom.  Hey, what about those days of slumber parties, sleeping on the floor?  Wasn't that fun?  NOT IN A FLOOD PLAIN.  Walk to train...how hard is this going to be to find?  Oh and how many cars can we park there when their friends come out?  Meanwhile it is getting warmer out...the snow is melting.  Buyers will be out looking at waterfront.  Can I just block off the streets I like and keep potential buyers from pulling in? This part about being a buyer is hard...I have a new empathy for all of my clients now. Mary Zentz

 p.s.  My only consolation is that I am spending my children's inheritance and the amount keeps going up.  Snick. Snick. sarcasm again.