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00:00Over the years, I've helped hundreds of families find homes, but it's not always under the
00:06best circumstances.
00:07Over a year ago, my mom passed away.
00:10But Lexi and her husband, Ken, have decided to celebrate her.
00:14We're like up in the treetops.
00:16It's like a bougie treehouse.
00:18By buying a lake home near Chicago, Illinois, where she and her mom would have loved to
00:23vacation together.
00:24Look at this.
00:25This is such a cute little pier.
00:27Oh, we have to check the flood maps.
00:30You have to check the flood maps here.
00:31Mom won't forgive me.
00:41Even though I'm a country boy who lives in the suburbs, it feels good to be near the hustle
00:46and bustle sometimes.
00:48So I just landed in the Chicago area, like I'm here for, a little city vibe.
00:57I'm on my way to meet my newest clients, Lexi and Ken.
01:02I'm really excited to get to know them, and we're going to be going to their condo, which
01:05I haven't done in a long time, and I'm kind of excited.
01:08I'd like to see how people live.
01:10This is so cute.
01:11Horrible.
01:12Question is, like, do they want me to sell this condo to, along with finding them something,
01:17or are they keeping it?
01:18Like, I love all these questions.
01:19It's super fun.
01:20I don't know.
01:21Knock, knock.
01:22Oh, my God, we're here.
01:23Hi.
01:24Oh, my God.
01:25Yay.
01:26Sorry, I followed someone in.
01:27That's okay.
01:28Is it weird having me in your space?
01:29A little bit.
01:30Yeah, you're taller than I expected.
01:31I'm a tall lad.
01:32This is great, great space.
01:33This looks huge.
01:34Yeah.
01:35So we're downtown, right?
01:36Or Chicago proper?
01:37Yeah, we're near.
01:38Yeah, we have a view of the skyline.
01:39How long have you been here?
01:40You've been there longer, 12 or 13 years.
01:41Nice.
01:42Married?
01:43Yes.
01:44How long?
01:45Um, eight years?
01:46Yes.
01:47Oh, did you forget?
01:48I'm gonna do the math every time.
01:49So I'm here for a reason.
01:50You came into some money somehow.
01:51Yeah.
01:52Over a year ago, my mom passed away.
01:54Oh.
01:55And she loved the show.
01:58Like, when we would travel together,
02:00like, I would have been here for a reason.
02:02You came into some money somehow.
02:04Yeah.
02:05Over a year ago, my mom passed away.
02:08Oh.
02:09And she loved the show.
02:12Like, when we would travel together,
02:14like, I would go meet her.
02:16We would go meet in different places,
02:17like New York, Grand Canyon, Florida.
02:20At night, we would sit around watching HGTV,
02:23and your show was her favorite.
02:25Oh, my God.
02:26Um, I said, let's take a picture,
02:28like, you're on Lottery Dream Home, Mom.
02:30Hey, Andy.
02:31Oh, my God.
02:32She looks amazing.
02:35Make your dreams happen.
02:38I told her she should apply,
02:39because technically she had an inheritance with my dad,
02:42and she was like, they don't want some widow on the show,
02:44and now I know you've had them.
02:45Yeah, we have so many.
02:47Like, because it's, the legacy is so much bigger.
02:50Yeah.
02:51You know?
02:52Yeah.
02:53I love this.
02:54Are you okay?
02:55Yeah, I miss her.
02:56Like, we would definitely talk on the phone a lot,
02:57and it was maybe two weeks from when she was diagnosed
03:00to when she passed.
03:01Like, she was ready to go.
03:03Okay.
03:04She was like, I know where I'm going.
03:06I'm gonna be with your dad and your brother.
03:08Like...
03:09Your brother, too, and your dad?
03:11Yes.
03:13I've actually been thinking, like, in context of this show,
03:16like, you know, a lot of times it's about luck,
03:18because it's a lot of lottery winners,
03:20but, like, there's a mixed type of luck that's brought me here.
03:24You know, that my family was very lucky
03:26that they were able to save up a nest egg.
03:28We were already comfortable and happy here,
03:31so I couldn't think of a better way
03:33to use some of my inheritance from her
03:35to buy a lake house nearby,
03:38the kind of place we would have rented together.
03:40Oh.
03:41So we're looking for a second home.
03:42Yeah.
03:43This is such an honor to be a part of this moment.
03:45Tell me about this house.
03:47Ideally, something within two hours,
03:49somewhere we can actually bring the cats with.
03:51Are we on the lake?
03:52Yeah, the view is really important.
03:54The vacation vibes.
03:55Okay.
03:56So at least two bedrooms.
03:57Yeah, I'd have friends over,
03:59and so it would be nice to have at least one room
04:01where they can stay.
04:02Two bathrooms or at least two toilets.
04:04We like, you know, things to look clean and new,
04:08and we're not super rustic.
04:10Okay.
04:11Price.
04:12Um, something around $400 would be good,
04:14but we definitely have some wiggle room
04:16where we could go up to five or so.
04:18You know what the or so means, right, for me?
04:21Oh.
04:22And I just, I don't want to have to carry this
04:24around the whole time.
04:25So this, this was my mom's, and it's for you.
04:28Stop.
04:29Really?
04:30Yes.
04:31Mm-hmm.
04:32It's too blingy for me.
04:34It's Mickey.
04:38Do you see it's Mickey?
04:39This is really cool.
04:42Thank you so much.
04:44That's, that's a lot.
04:47She really did enjoy your show.
04:49Mm-hmm.
04:50She had great taste.
04:51Yeah.
04:52And I, I think.
04:53Should we get this party started?
04:55Okay.
04:56Is this a celebration?
04:57Yes.
04:58Great.
04:59I love that.
05:00Then we're going to celebrate.
05:01Give it.
05:02Come here, my darling.
05:03The whole point of looking for a vacation lake house
05:06is to celebrate Lexi's mom, Andy.
05:09So I'm picking up a package my real estate agent, Tracy,
05:13made for me.
05:14Boop.
05:15She really understood the assignment.
05:16Hello.
05:17Hey, David.
05:18Welcome.
05:19Hey, how are you?
05:20Stop it.
05:21Hi, David.
05:22I've been waiting for you.
05:23She's hit the whole wish list.
05:25Yes.
05:26On the lake.
05:28Yes.
05:29Two bedrooms.
05:30Yes.
05:31Two toilets.
05:32Yes.
05:33Renovated and new.
05:34Yes.
05:35Yes.
05:36Oh my God, that felt as good as it looked.
05:37You're fabulous.
05:39Thank you for the fanfare.
05:40That was a first.
05:42That's so cute.
05:43Really?
05:44Yeah.
05:45Okay.
05:46Just for you, David.
05:47This is a great area.
05:49Like, I vibe with it.
05:50Like, where are we right now?
05:51We're in...
05:52Right now, we're in Fox Lake.
05:54Okay.
05:55Where the chain of lakes connects.
05:57Is this expensive?
05:58Not necessarily.
05:59I mean, you can get a home on a channel for, you know,
06:02like mid twos, maybe, you know, low threes.
06:06On a channel.
06:07Okay.
06:08How much on a lake?
06:09A decent house, 700.
06:10Okay.
06:11They gave me about $400,000 to $500,000-ish.
06:14Can we get on the chain of lakes with that?
06:16You could.
06:17Okay.
06:18Are all these views?
06:19Yes.
06:20Let's see.
06:21Let's see.
06:22Ooh, this one looks nice.
06:23That's big.
06:24These are really great.
06:25I love this.
06:26Thank you so much.
06:27Give me some love, my darling.
06:28I appreciate you.
06:30Bye.
06:31The chain of lakes area is super popular with lake lovers
06:36because it's only 90 minutes northwest of Chicago.
06:40And I'm starting our search on Wonder Lake.
06:44This is the house.
06:45Is it big?
06:46I do see a little lake over there.
06:48Yes.
06:49Yeah.
06:50Dryden Waters has three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms,
06:53just over 2,000 square feet.
06:55And the price is $515,000, just shy of.
07:00Let's go take a look at the house.
07:02Come on in, my cutie pies.
07:04Oh, wow.
07:05It's, like, right there.
07:06Right there.
07:07Yeah, we're definitely sitting above it,
07:09which I love that vantage point because it's like, yes.
07:12Yeah.
07:13Yeah, my mom would always check the, like, flood maps,
07:16so she would approve.
07:17Oh, my God.
07:18That's so cute.
07:19I'm wearing her today.
07:20Yep.
07:21Oh.
07:22Yay.
07:23Yeah, the house is new.
07:24Yeah, I like the floors.
07:26Floors are great.
07:27Yeah, definitely lighter than what we have in the condo,
07:30but I like it.
07:32Now, we haven't talked about if anyone cooks or bakes here.
07:36Not very often.
07:38Like, the last time I tried to, I, like, had to get stitches.
07:41She tried getting the pit out of an avocado.
07:45So you'll kind of use the kitchen.
07:47Yeah.
07:48And that's okay.
07:49So they do have a small dining set here,
07:51which I think is nice and is fine.
07:54Yeah.
07:55It would be a great place to have Christmas.
07:56Okay.
07:57Let's go upstairs.
07:58Okay.
08:00Check out the upstairs bathroom for your guests.
08:02Completely renovated.
08:03Okay.
08:04Nice, right?
08:05Yeah, it's a good size for a guest bathroom for sure.
08:06Yeah.
08:07There are two guest bedrooms up here.
08:09One for the cats.
08:10Yeah?
08:11Yeah.
08:12Like a cat tree could fit in that nook really well.
08:14Absolutely.
08:15And another for their humans.
08:16All right.
08:17Oh, that's a nice view.
08:19The view is really good.
08:20Yes.
08:21Let's go look and see where the magic's gonna happen.
08:24Okay.
08:25Another great view.
08:27Actually, I like there's two bedrooms with a view,
08:29because sometimes with my mom that would be an issue,
08:31because sometimes it would depend on who was paying.
08:34Right.
08:35I mean, that would be a huge factor.
08:37Right.
08:38Which that's fair.
08:39Right.
08:40Down the hallway is a second floor living room
08:42that takes full advantage of the view.
08:45Look at this.
08:46Oh, wow.
08:47Yeah, we're like up in the treetops.
08:49It's like a bougie tree house.
08:52Yes.
08:53Do you know what this is missing?
08:55Tons of Christmas trees.
08:57Tons.
08:59Look at this view.
09:00Wow.
09:01Yeah.
09:02I want to take you down there.
09:03Are you ready for the hike?
09:04Okay.
09:05You good with it?
09:06Yep.
09:07I feel a little like Dorothy.
09:09Or are you Dorothy?
09:10We can both be Dorothy.
09:15Yeah.
09:16Look at this cute little park.
09:18Okay.
09:19So great when we're entertaining our friends that have kids.
09:22Your dog will be one of these.
09:25Great for kayak launching.
09:26Yeah.
09:27Right?
09:28Yeah.
09:29Do you guys like the property?
09:30Yes.
09:31It is a little big.
09:32And especially since we won't be here full time.
09:34Right.
09:35Maintaining that.
09:36Right.
09:37This will be the most expensive house we see.
09:38It won't get any more crazy.
09:40It's very hard for me to say that.
09:42All right.
09:43Let's get out of here.
09:44Let's go swing.
09:45Oh my gosh.
09:46Yeah.
09:47Who's pushing who?
09:48This is fun.
09:49This is fun.
09:50Lexi and Ken are honoring Lexi's late mom Andy by buying a vacation home within two hours of their Chicago condo.
10:11And I think I found one in the most convenient location.
10:16And it's literally with this property five minutes away is the train.
10:20Don't even have to get in your car if you don't want to.
10:25Milkweed Marsh is directly on McCollum Lake.
10:29Oh, and I see it.
10:30There it is.
10:31And this is the house.
10:32It's got three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
10:34It's a little over 1,400 square feet.
10:36And the price is delicious at $440,000.
10:40All right.
10:41Come on in cuties.
10:42All right.
10:43Yeah.
10:44Oh, the ceiling is very high.
10:46It really is.
10:47It's good, right?
10:48Yeah.
10:49Yeah.
10:50Oh, man.
10:51Yeah.
10:52Yeah.
10:53I want to sit here and just.
10:54Sit.
10:55Enjoy it.
10:56Oh, yeah.
10:57We can sit and enjoy it.
10:58Absolutely.
10:59All right.
11:00Is this emulating a place that you and your mom would have rented?
11:02Definitely.
11:03It works for me.
11:05Yeah.
11:06What's going on over there?
11:10Um, I had mentioned, you know, about my mom and my dad and briefly about my brother.
11:17And I should have been splitting this inheritance with him.
11:22Um, my Star Wars tattoo is actually for him.
11:30There's a semicolon that's missing because he did die by suicide.
11:37And yeah, the semicolon is about suicide awareness and mental health.
11:43I didn't want to bring the sadness into such a happy show, but it's my.
11:48It's no.
11:49My journey with my grief with him like has taught me the importance of those like micro
11:55joys and seeking joy and making joy.
11:58Yeah.
11:59I would gladly not be looking for a second house or be looking for a tiny little cabin.
12:04Right.
12:05If I could have him back and healthy.
12:07Of course.
12:08I'm so sorry.
12:09Super brave trying to honor all three of the, your, your family members.
12:17You're important.
12:18The story is important.
12:20So thank you for that.
12:22We can get back to the houses.
12:24Are you ready?
12:25Let's go back to the bedroom in the front.
12:27Okay.
12:28Should we start there?
12:29Okay.
12:30We'll make our way through.
12:31A sitting down conversation.
12:32Come here.
12:33Absolutely.
12:34It's like a little therapy moment, right?
12:36Yeah.
12:37Or actually a big.
12:38Yeah.
12:39You find therapy all over the place.
12:40All over the place.
12:41I'm so glad you're taking care of yourself.
12:42You did hold his hand too.
12:44Do you want me to hold your hand?
12:46It's.
12:47I've never done this before.
12:50No.
12:51So is this the main bedroom?
12:53So this is not the main bedroom.
12:54This is a guest bedroom.
12:55Okay.
12:56Do you have a king size bed in here?
12:57Yeah.
12:58And it fits really nicely.
12:59It's kind of perfect.
13:00Yeah.
13:01Yeah.
13:02There's a guest bathroom as well.
13:03With a bathtub for those long, hot therapeutic soaks.
13:06All right.
13:07So here is the main bedroom.
13:09Oh, wow.
13:10Okay.
13:11Yeah.
13:12Yeah.
13:13Yeah.
13:14And yeah, it opens up onto the deck there too.
13:17The bathroom is right here.
13:18Want to check it out?
13:19Okay.
13:20Yeah.
13:21It's a little smaller than yesterday.
13:22It is.
13:23You don't have the double sink, but it's still, it looks new.
13:25All right.
13:26Kitchen, super open, super yummy.
13:28What do you think?
13:29Yeah.
13:30You like it?
13:31Yeah.
13:32I like it.
13:33Though yeah, it is not a lot of dining space.
13:34Kind of has a cabin feel.
13:35Yeah.
13:36Because everywhere you look, you see the lake.
13:37Want to go out there?
13:38Yes.
13:39Yeah.
13:40Should we check it out?
13:41Yes.
13:42Yeah.
13:43Delicious.
13:44Love getting to it.
13:45Wow.
13:46Right.
13:47There's definite camping vibes out here.
13:48But look at this.
13:49And this is such a cute little pier.
13:51Oh, we have to check the flood maps.
13:53You have to check the flood maps.
13:54You have to check the flood maps here.
13:55For mom.
13:56Mom won't forgive me.
13:57Absolutely.
13:58But give me a vibe for tomorrow.
13:59I definitely like this a lot.
14:01So if there's something similar, I like the outdoor space.
14:05There's still nature, but it's not overpowering.
14:08No.
14:09The ears look.
14:10Not overpowering.
14:11We will not overpowering you.
14:12We will not overpower you with nature.
14:14I promise.
14:17Let's get out of here.
14:18You guys are so cute.
14:19I can't take it.
14:27I can't think of a better way for Lexi and Ken to honor her mom than buying a lake house
14:33two hours north of Chicago.
14:37Do you know where we're at?
14:38What lake we're on?
14:39Fox.
14:40We are on the Fox Chain of Lakes, yeah.
14:42Okay.
14:43So very different vibe, right?
14:44Yeah.
14:45It's a really quirky house, but I'm excited to show it to you because it reminds me of something
14:49that I would have stayed with with my family in Minnesota.
14:55Prairie Docks has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, just shy of 1,200 square feet.
15:00And the price is still fabulous at $455,000.
15:04Okay.
15:05Right in our price range.
15:06Okay.
15:07Yeah, really close to yesterday.
15:08And with this lake, you can swim in it right off the dock.
15:10Oh, that's nice.
15:11Yeah.
15:12Okay.
15:13Super nice.
15:14Come on in, my cutie pies.
15:17Oh, yeah.
15:18Okay.
15:19Yeah.
15:20Yeah, it's very cozy and just...
15:21Yeah.
15:22It's a little dark in here, but it's cozy.
15:24It is.
15:25Yeah.
15:26Yeah.
15:27Yeah.
15:28Well, it looks like just the kitchen is here, but we have the oven, more storage.
15:30The cats would love that bench, that window bench.
15:33Oh, my God.
15:34They could just hang.
15:35The cats would love that.
15:36Yeah.
15:37Full-size bathroom downstairs.
15:38Okay.
15:39Okay.
15:40Yeah.
15:41It reminds me of the cruise ship, but like a little bit bigger.
15:43Yeah.
15:44The layout.
15:45Yeah.
15:46No, like the bathroom.
15:47It's not big, but it's there.
15:48Yeah.
15:49I love it.
15:50I love it so much.
15:51Does that bring you good memories?
15:52Yeah.
15:53We're gonna go with that.
15:54Yeah, we've taken a few cruises.
15:55Okay.
15:56We enjoy cruising.
15:57Some oddly shaped bedrooms up in the attic.
16:00Perfect for summer vacations with family.
16:03My favorite room in the house is this living room.
16:07It's got great views.
16:08Nice size room.
16:09Yeah.
16:10Yeah.
16:11It's definitely a good size that I feel like the last couple of living rooms were a little
16:14bit smaller.
16:15Yeah.
16:16Let's go to one of the bedrooms.
16:17I think it's super cute.
16:18Yeah.
16:19It's really bright.
16:20I like the, they got the sun coming in.
16:21It's very cheery.
16:22Yeah.
16:23Definitely cozier, but we don't mind cuddling.
16:25So here's another great room.
16:30You could turn this into whatever you want.
16:32Yeah.
16:33And yeah, it's got the view there.
16:34Yeah.
16:35So up as an office that works.
16:36Yeah.
16:37It just gets cuter as we go outside.
16:38I know.
16:39The trees.
16:40This is nice.
16:41Yeah.
16:42This is great.
16:43Can you imagine this like in the fall?
16:44Yeah.
16:45Like how much color will be around?
16:47Yeah.
16:48I really like this bar area.
16:49Definitely good for outdoor entertaining.
16:51Yeah.
16:52Do you guys want to walk on the dock before we leave?
16:54Sure.
16:55Give it to it.
16:56I know some people that like actually come vacation here, so.
16:59You can tell that people really want to be on the lake and it's like it's very coveted.
17:03Pretty good, right?
17:04Yeah.
17:05Yeah.
17:06Take all the time you guys need.
17:07Honestly, it's such a delicious blessing to be here with you guys and looking for this
17:10very unique and beautiful home.
17:12Thanks for being part of it.
17:14Oh, are you kidding me?
17:15I feel like I know your mom.
17:16She's super cool.
17:17You know why?
17:18Because she loved me.
17:19Let's go.
17:20She did love me.
17:21You guys both look really cute.
17:34Oh, thank you.
17:35Really good.
17:36This dress is amazing.
17:39I love your list.
17:42Yeah, I brought notes.
17:43Adorable.
17:44What do you think Andy would think of all of this?
17:49I think, yeah, overall she'd definitely be excited and I think she'll enjoy watching it in heaven.
17:55Totally.
17:56Oh, she's been here the entire time.
17:57Yes.
17:58All right, let me hear your notes.
17:59Okay.
18:00So yeah, with Dryden Waters, their first house, I really love how it had an immediate view.
18:04Everything was new.
18:06That treetop feel that was like the bougie tree house.
18:09Yeah.
18:10The second one, Milkweed Marsh.
18:11Yeah, again, the great views, those high ceilings.
18:14Yeah.
18:15And just how the open floor plan, and yeah, how quiet and peaceful the lake was.
18:20And then prairie docks.
18:22I felt on the three, that one really was so quirky and had great outdoor entertaining.
18:27And I liked the whole beach dock, that it was swimmable.
18:30Yeah.
18:31I'm sure you guys had lovely conversations about where you want to go.
18:33Yes.
18:34Of course.
18:35Have we decided?
18:37Where are we going?
18:39We decided to go with Milkweed Marsh.
19:04Tell me why.
19:08We really just liked how open it was.
19:10The vibe actually reminded me a lot of my mom's house that I sold, so I know she would like it.
19:15Yeah, it felt like the right amount of house for us as well.
19:19Mm-hmm.
19:20I love this house for you.
19:21Yeah.
19:22Like, it's really special to see how you emotionally reacted to that house.
19:26No, it felt right.
19:27Good.
19:28Yeah.
19:29I see you guys, and you guys are really cute.
19:32Cheers.
19:33Cheers to your cuteness.
19:35I can't even take it.
19:36We really loved all of the houses that David showed us, but really for us, the best fit
19:51was Milkweed Marsh.
19:53Beautiful.
19:54Hello, hello.
19:55Oh.
19:56Hi.
19:57Hi, Mom.
19:58Come on in.
19:59Hi.
20:00Hi.
20:01How are you?
20:02Good to see you, my dear.
20:03We really liked how open it was inside with the high ceilings.
20:05Yeah, this is the kitchen living room.
20:07Oh, wow.
20:08It's very open.
20:09Very nice.
20:10Yeah.
20:11You've got a beautiful view of the lake.
20:12Yeah.
20:13Very nice.
20:14And yeah, the vibe really did remind me a lot of my mom.
20:15It's very nice.
20:16I like it.
20:17Yeah.
20:18And you've got privacy with a fence over here?
20:19Yeah.
20:20Good.
20:21You could come out here in your nightgown and it's all good.
20:24Not you, Ken.
20:25Yeah.
20:27Some of my favorite things about being out here are, yeah, relaxing, enjoying the view,
20:33taking it in, being able to come out and sit on the deck.
20:37I've been able to kayak with some friends.
20:39I look forward to having more friends over, being able to entertain outside a little bit.
20:45It reminds me of Monet's gardens with the water lilies.
20:48Yeah.
20:49I want to kind of use some Monet colors in the house.
20:52Yeah.
20:53David, thank you so much for helping us through this process, for being real with us, letting
21:00us be real with you.
21:02And it really has been a wonderful experience.
21:04We had a great time and that's because of you.
21:08So thank you.
21:09Cheers!
21:10Congratulations.
21:11Congratulations.
21:12Thanks, Mom and Dad.
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