Rumor has it that the Oak trees that surround Geneva Lake kept Mayor Daley and his family from vacationing at Lake Geneva. I've rarely heard of someone being allergic to an Oak tree, but apparently the younger Daley's sister was allergic to the trees that surrounded a vacation home the family once owned in Country Club Estates. And so they sold that house and moved to the dunes where nary a tree could be found. If Daley and family didn't like the Oak trees in Fontana, then they certainly wouldn't like the exclusive association known as Oak Glen on the north shore of Geneva Lake. Their Oak tree intolerance is your gain, because although most people have never heard of this enclave, it's a real gem.


Geographically speaking, this association is quite ideal. The location off of prestigious North Shore Drive is both glamorous and yet rustic, positioned roughly half way between Cedar Point Park and Knollwood. Upon leaving Aspen Lane (the association's private drive), you could head East and within six minutes be downtown Lake Geneva, or you could head West and be in Williams Bay within three. The association is private, but the location is still convenient to restaurants, shopping, and general aimless wandering. At one point in my nomadic existence, I lived not more than a half mile from this house, and thoroughly enjoyed walking (driving) down North Shore Drive often. Watch this video I shot this winter where I drive through Williams Bay and Cedar Point and ultimately end up at the Knollwood lakefront. The stretch of windy road that looks quite private is North Shore Drive (starts at 2:50). The video is pretty lame, but just trust me, the road is really nice.

Oak Glen is made up of only five homes, and all homes share a 70' lakefront park and private, decidedly uncrowded, pier. The real bonus is that each home has a transferable boatslip. Since Aspen Lane is a private road, golf carts are permitted, even though all of the homes are within easy walking distance of the lake. Whereas most associations around the lake are quite old, Oak Glen is relatively new in comparison, with home construction taking place largely in the 1970's and 1980's. The lots are larger, and so are the residences. Homes in this association have typically sold between $600k and $900k.



A home in Oak Glen just came on the market yesterday, and it's a winner. The home is quite large, with an almost lodge like quality, and though it's a far cry from the cottage designs that are near and dear to my heart, I really do like this house. With four bedrooms, four baths, a three car garage, 80' long deck, and four fireplaces (great winter house), it has room for even the largest family and gobs and gobs of entertaining space. The house is positioned on North Shore Drive, so while it is further from the lake than the other homes, the location on North Shore gives it a bit of prestige, and the golf cart ride to the lake still only takes a couple of minutes. Priced at $795k, it's not only a good deal, it's a great deal. Normally I think most list prices are intolerable, but this price is right in line with the current market, and will help this house sell fairly quickly. Besides the fact that I never lie to my customers, this home isn't even my own listing, so you know I'm telling the truth.

So who's the prototypical Oak Glen buyer? It's probably someone who has been looking at cottages in the area and doesn't find the size constraints to their liking. Someone who wants to be by the water and have a boatslip, but who isn't willing to sacrifice square footage in order to do so. Since this house is of modern construction, renovations and alterations will more than likely be limited to cosmetic issues, including paint, flooring, and finishes. It's a great house in an even better location, and if you've been contemplating a vacation home at Lake Geneva in this price range, it's well worth your time.