The houses for sale on the north side of Madison offer the most home for the money compared to the real estate in any other side of town. As you'll see from the graph below, the north side "price per square foot" for single family homes was only $93 in 2012. This represents a 27% decrease from the peak year of 2006, when the average was $128 per square foot.

Many of the homes on Madison's north side were built in the middle of the century, a time when many high-quality, moderately-sized houses were constructed. If you're a buyer seeking an old-fashioned bungalow or ranch-style house at a reasonable price, the northeast side of town offers a good selection of real estate for your review.

Today's lower prices, low interest rates, and rising rents are

Many Madison area home buyers gravitate toward bank owned properties and short sale listings. In the right situation, an REO or short sale property can offer the prospective buyer an incredible value. We've assisted many clients with their purchase of a foreclosed home or condo, and we've seen our buyers achieve some amazing deals. But there are some caveats related to buying foreclosures in Madison. If you've been thinking of buying a distressed property, here are five things for you to keep in mind.

Before you Buy, Keep these 5 Things in Mind:

1. Distressed properties represent only one piece of the market, and the supply of foreclosures is decreasing. If you limit your search to REOs and short sales, you're missing out on the possibilities that

Searching for a Madison home or condo? Our new polygon search tool allows you to customize your property search according to the boundaries that you define on our MLS map.

Our polygon search works in conjunction with all of the other search settings that we make available, so you can customize your search by property type, price range, and size - along with the map boundaries that you specify. Even better, you can save your polygon search settings and receive email updates new listings hit the MLS and when existing listings undergo a price change.

Try our property search now. Or sign up for our home finder, and we'll locate your properties and coordinate your showings for you. We're here to help!

Downtown Madison condos are on the rebound. Prices in Madison's Downtown dropped by 20% from 2006 to 2011. In 2012, Madison buyers responded to lower prices and returned to the downtown condo market in a big way. As you'll see from the graph at the bottom of this post, the price per square foot actually increased in 2012, as the market settled into a much better balance between supply and demand.

This is welcome news for buyers and sellers alike. Sellers have been waiting for a bottom to the condo market, while buyers have been seeking some reassurance that their investment will hold its value over time.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about condos in Downtown Madison, Wisconsin. We can help you better understand the

Buying a home in the Madison area and in need of a loan? We've worked with hundreds of buyers over the years, and we've collected their feedback about the lenders who assist them with their mortgages. Over time we've developed a network of service-oriented lenders who are universally loved by their clients for their exceptional service. Each of these lenders has different strengths and areas of expertise, so we're happy to refer you to a lender who is a good match for you and your specific situation. Just let us know how we can help!

One of our preferred lenders who consistently receives raving feedback is Great Midwest Bank, where John Schroder works out of the Odana Road office on Madison's west side. Below are a few reasons why our buying clients

Buying a home in Madison? With low rates and lower prices, many other buyers have decided to jump into the market, too. Home and condo sales are way up; and inventory is at its lowest level in several years.The good news for buyers is prices are beginning to rebound in many Madison area neighborhoods. The challenge for buyers is many homes are being snatched up very quickly, even within days of going on the market.

The real estate dynamic has changed in Dane County. Gone are the days of touring over 30 different homes over a three week stretch, and then returning to your favorite to submit your offer. In today's market, your favorite home likely won't last that long.

This year's home seekers are learning they need a solid plan in place in order to