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Lauderdale Lakes BREEZE SUMMER 2020 • Second Edition
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In flight Lauderdale Lakes residents have been observing eagles nesting near the north shore of Green Lake in recent weeks. This majestic bird, which was captured in flight after catching a meal, nests near the East Troy area.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Lauderdale Lakes Breeze
Lake area real estate market remains robust BY Sandra Landen CORRESPONDENT
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Or are you ready to purchase the perfect waterfront vacation home? hinking about replacing Whatever the reason for a new your home? Are you home, there are a variety of home considering something styles and locations in the southeast larger, fancier, or perhaps Wisconsin area that will meet your a better location? Are new housing needs. you in need of additional In addition to looking for a space, or considering relocating due new permanent home, searching to a change of employment or is it for a vacation home brings buyers the opposite, a need to downsize into the southeast Wisconsin area because of retirement? because of its many lakes. Those
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who have not searched for a home in many years – whether it is a fulltime home or that vacation getaway – will find that the process has changed. Before the internet, the search for the perfect home began with a call or visit to your favorite realtor, according to Jerry Kroupa, who has been a realtor for Keefe Realty in the Lauderdale Lakes area, for over 30 years.
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The pandemic has changed how buyers shop. They definitely use more virtual tours but the live tours have not been completely eliminated. When they are serious about a home, they do want to make a live visit.” – Jerry Kroupa, Keefe Real Estate
“In the days before Internet was found in almost every home, we would begin the search for the perfect home by checking the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) book that provided information on homes currently up for sale and listed with realtors,” Kroupa said. “This heavy book was published every two weeks to keep the realtors up to date with the homes that were on the market. “When I would find homes that I thought the customer would be interested in visiting, I would carry the large book over to the copier and make copies of the listings that seemed relevant for that customer. Then I would enlarge them so they were easier to see and share them with the prospective buyer,” said Kroupa. “We would make appointments to go and walk through the houses that interested them after they had time to peruse the listings.”
It’s all online now
Today when customers call their realtor they have already viewed many homes on the internet that have included individual photos of COURTESY OF JERRY KROUPA Lauderdale Lakes Breeze Houses large and small of various styles can be found in Lauderdale Lakes. Large windows facing the rooms giving the prospective buyer looks at the inside of the the waterfront make the view enjoyable even when the inclement weather keeps the family inside.
homes. When they finally contact the realtor after weeks of looking online, many of the homes they were considering may have been sold so they may need to begin their search again. “The pandemic has changed how See REAL ESTATE MARKET • Page 4
Lauderdale Lakes
BREEZE A publication of Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC
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