We welcomed Wendy Broadhead from Benjamin Moore to a recent team meeting. Wendy is an expert color consultant who helps our clients find interior and exterior paint colors that make their home "sing" (as Wendy puts it). She updated us on 2024 trends and insights: creamier, 'boho' neutrals are in; nothing beats having wallpaper professionally hung; and green is nature's neutral. Thank you for your time, Wendy. We had fun learning from you! 

Do you have a color decision that Wendy may be able to help with? We'd love to connect you. 

(photo by Step Inside Media with staging by Debbie Lea and Alan Feder) 

Our clients are enjoying a tremendous amount of success this year, even in this low inventory market. Through the first six months of 2024 we've helped our clients through 76 closings and pending sales. 

Do you know someone who could use our help buying or selling in the coming year? We're always available for a helpful consultation, and never with any sales pressure or spin. Contact your Mad City Dream Homes realtor to make an introduction. 

We appreciate your continued trust in our team. 

Repairing, cleaning, and (when needed) replacing your carpet will improve your home's aesthetic appeal and maintain its market value. Here are a few carpet care contractors who have capably served our clients over the years. 

• Terry Buechner, for re-stretching rolled-up and "wavy" carpet. Call Terry at 608-212-8705. 
• Stephen Meyer at Phenomenal Carpet Care for all of your carpet cleaning needs. Call Stephen at 608-520-3085.   
• CTW Flooring (608-222-5071), Floors for Less (608-442-1200), and Coyle Flooring (608-509-9437) for new carpet selection and installation. 

As always, we are here to help you make the right connections for any type of project around your home. Call your Mad City Dream Homes realtor whenever you need a little help.  

We've been sharing how Dane County home and condo inventory is quietly rising and how buyers who stay the course will find more opportunities to purchase in the months ahead. However, in the big picture, inventory remains low. Here's a quick look at Dane County home and condo supply as of June 27th, 2024. 

Single family homes 

As of June 27th, a total of 580 Dane County homes (or 1.5 months of supply) are available for sale without an accepted offer. Months of supply are low in all price ranges, especially in the sub $400,000 price categories. 

Condos

As of June 27th, 181 condos (or 1.6 months of supply) are available for sale without an accepted offer. Some newer condo developments are improving options for buyers, but inventory remains

Be careful what you wish for. Your real estate dreams just might come true. Here are a few happy endings from the first half of 2024 that we'd like to share with you. 

Dreams coming true in 2024

Congratulations to Chris & Maddie, who are purchasing their first home as a newly married couple. Chris and Maddie are excited to be be building equity in their new home and to have plenty of space for their pup! 

To Harsh and Madison, who are elated to be starting their family in their new home, and to be living near loved ones. 

To Kasey and Matthew, who recently drove by a home in the country and fell in love with it from the road. Two days later this home hit the market! Kasey and Matthew will be moving into their dream home later this summer. 

The frenzy of the spring home-buying market has come and gone and now we've entered into a market that is a little more relaxed, with a little more inventory, and with a little less competition. Have a look at this chart, which shows the typical, seasonal pattern for competing offers in Dane County. 

The market is always in flux, and competing offers are moderating this summer, as they tend to moderate every summer. As a result we're seeing more buyer and seller negotiations that include the traditional appraisal and home inspection contingencies. 

What questions do you have about the summertime real estate market? We'd love to be a resource for you and answer all of your questions. You know how to reach us. 

Home and condo availability is quietly improving, and is better right now than it has been each of the last two summers. What's more, we expect selection to continue to improve throughout the summer and into the fall season, as it does every year.

Check out our latest inventory snapshots of the Madison area real estate market, and please reach out whenever you have questions. We're here to help. 

Dane County single family home inventory 

Dane County condo inventory 

If you've been thinking about modernizing your home's exterior, you've probably been thinking about replacing your siding, which can be a time-consuming and expensive project. We wanted to let you know that local business owner, Dale Tomalin, has a much more affordable and efficient solution than siding replacement. 

Dale is the franchise owner of Spray-Net of Southern Wisconsin, creators of a painting technology that is flexible enough to avoid cracking, hard enough to avoid chipping, and smooth enough for washing. Dale's product transforms brick, vinyl siding, aluminum siding, doors, windows, and kitchen cabinets -- and comes in a variety of colors. We continue to receive excellent feedback about Dale and his work, which is covered by a 15-year

There's still a fair amount of confusion about the new federal rules impacting buyers and sellers. What you need to know is that the new rules mandate two changes in practice, which are expected to take effect in August. 

#1) In most cases, buyers will need to sign a buyer agency agreement before viewing a property with an agent. Even if you're not sure that you want to work with the agent for the long-term, you will need to sign an agreement. 

At Mad City Dream Homes, we have always believed that you should be able to "test-drive" our services before you decide to work with us for the long-term. For this reason we will continue to emphasize short buyer agency agreements -- agreements that are as short as a single day or that apply to only a single

If you've been struggling during the first half of the year to find and buy the right home, we encourage you to stay positive and remain committed to your search. That's because now that we've made it through the frenzy of the spring home-buying season, the market is offering you a little more inventory, a little less competition, and a little more room to negotiate.  

Hang in there. While other buyers are getting ready for their summer vacations, your perfect opportunity could be waiting for you right around the corner...

(Photo by Step Inside Media with staging by Debbie Lea and Shelley Lazzareschi)