A tried-and-true native of the Lake Geneva area, Rich Honquest knows everything there is to know about the southern Wisconsin mortgage industry. When you ask him where he lives, he gives you his lake association’s pier number, not his address. “Lake Geneva is in my blood; it is my happy place,” he says. “I will always and forever be a Lake Geneva guy.”

Honquest grew up on the shores of Lake Geneva, working summers on the gas pier. “I have a very acute knowledge of the area,” he says. “I make sure my vendors understand the value of lake access homes versus non-lake access homes. When you go to a local title company, the employees will know my name and have dealt with me before. Most lenders in this magazine just do business in this community from time to time, but I live in the community and am a part of it daily.”

Since the pandemic started, Honquest has made a conscious effort to make Walworth County one of his primary sources of business. Due to his established network in southern Wisconsin, he is uniquely positioned to ensure successful transactions. Currently, over 30% of his transactions are generated in this area.

Honquest has worked as a Realtor himself for over 10 years. “It allows for me to truly know both sides of the business in a way that 90% of mortgage lenders do not,” he says.

After working as a Realtor for some time, Honquest decided he wanted to spend more time on weekends with his family at the lake, so in 2019 he transitioned to lending. He found immediate success, with over $150 million in loan origination in his first three years as a lender. But his biggest accomplishment has been welcoming his son into the world in September 2022.