Every summer, our family makes the pilgrimage to Clear Lake, Iowa.
For my wife, it's home.
Not just home in the geographical sense, but home in the deepest sense of the word. She grew up spending summers on this lake. Her parents did the same before her. Generations of memories have been made here, and now we're fortunate enough to continue the tradition.
And let me tell you, there is something magical about lake life.
The smell of pine-covered cabin walls that have absorbed decades of stories. The long, slightly crooked wooden docks that somehow seem exactly as they should be. Kids flying across the water on tubes, hanging on for dear life behind speeding boats while everyone else watches from shore waiting for the inevitable wipeout. The belly laughs that follow when someone finally gets tossed into the water—or the cheers when they somehow manage to hang on far longer than anyone expected.
Time moves differently here.
A morning walk turns into an hour. An afternoon on the water turns into an entire day. Before you know it, someone glances at their watch and realizes it's after 7:00 PM and nobody has even thought about dinner.
Every year, we take the same pontoon rides around the lake. Every year, we admire the same views. Every year, we point out the same houses.
And every year, the conversations begin.
"Remember when that one sold?"
"They completely remodeled that place."
"That house wasn't there last summer."
"What do you think that would cost today?"
It's become a tradition all its own.
Some homes have been beautifully refreshed. Others have been torn down and replaced with stunning lakefront estates. And almost every conversation eventually lands in the same place:
"We should have bought that one five years ago."
The house that sold for $400,000 is now worth $2 million.
The one that seemed expensive back then feels like a bargain today.
Sound familiar?
As much as I try to unplug, I simply can't help myself. I'll grab family members or friends and head off to open houses with local agents just to get a peek inside these lakefront treasures. I love seeing how people live, how homes evolve, and how communities change over time.
Apparently, Realtor isn't just a profession. It's a condition.
The funny thing is that these conversations always remind me of something important.
Real estate is one of the few things in life where people consistently wish they had acted sooner.
Very rarely do I hear someone say, "I wish I had waited longer."
Instead, I hear:
"I should have bought then."
"I should have kept that property."
"I should have taken the leap."
Of course, none of us have a crystal ball. We don't know exactly what markets will do. But we do know that over time, desirable places tend to become even more desirable.
Whether it's a lake house in Iowa, a home in San Diego, a condo in Del Mar, or an investment property somewhere in between, time is usually an asset, not an enemy.
So as I sit on a dock watching another Iowa sunset, surrounded by family, friends, and a whole lot of nostalgia, I'm reminded of a simple truth:
The best time to create memories is now.
The best time to enjoy life is now.
And when it comes to real estate, the best opportunities often belong to the people willing to act when everyone else is still thinking about it.
Now if you'll excuse me, there's a lakefront property around the corner having an open house this afternoon... and apparently I still can't turn it off.
— Keri
