Is to make you proud of how your property is presented to the general public. If we can make you proud of your listing, then we know our marketing plan is on the right track. Here are 3 basic ways we work to make you proud of your MLS listing: 

1) Capture beautiful listing photos. 

Capturing beautiful photos begins with the home staging process. Remember, we provide your staging services free of charge by connecting you with the best stager in the business, Debbie Lea. Once your staging is completed, we partner with the best real estate photographers in Madison to create the photos for your listing. We don't have a set budget for our photos, and we'll do whatever it takes to capture the very best pictures of your home. If needed, we'll schedule

In our competitive real estate market some buyers accomplish all of their real estate goals, while others seem to continually miss out. Why is it that some buyers succeed and others do not? Below we share a few thoughts and observations on this topic. 

Why some buyers succeed in Madison's tight real estate market

1) They have a clear picture. Some buyers have a very clear picture of what type of property they want to buy, when they want to buy, where they want to buy, and for what price. When it comes to features,  they know their list of "must haves" and "nice to haves". They've done their homework, and they have a good understanding of the inventory in their preferred location and price range. Buyers with a clear picture have a great chance of

Have you ever looked around your home and wondered who else has enjoyed the beautiful view from that kitchen window or warmed up to that cozy fireplace? Unless you have lived there since the house was built, you might only know the names of the people who sold it to you or your family.  

There are several resources that can help you uncover the history of your home, and not just about who previously owned or occupied the house. You may also be able to research who owned the land before it was developed, when and for what price your house was built, the architect and specific house style, if it’s part of a historic district, and when major additions or renovations were completed, among many other fascinating tidbits.

Perhaps you want to find out

The Mad City Dream Homes team works in a unique way. While many Realtors work independently, our team works together, combining our unique skills and abilities to best serve clients’ needs.

Our buying and selling team

Tammy Steiner serves as a showing agent. She makes her schedule available, days, nights and weekends, to make sure buyers can attend showings as soon as properties are listed. “In this market, getting in the door quickly can be the key to actually finding, and getting an accepted offer on your property of choice,” she said.

Shelley Lazzareschi, Dan Miller, Maureen Moran and Chris Venden fill the roles of all-around agents.  Any member of the team is available to bring clients to showings, coordinate contracts, and provide

Late last year we released our predictions for the 2019 Madison real estate market. Here's our short review of how well those predictions have held up through the first half of the year. 

#1: Mortgage rates will rise above 5%

We, and just about everyone else, whiffed on this one. Rates for 30-year fixed rate loans have dropped to well below 4 percent. This graph from Freddie Mac shows how mortgage rates have trended over the last year. 

#2: Home and condo prices will rise 2 to 3 percent

Madison home prices have increased by 4% through the first 6 months of the year. 

Madison condo prices have increased by 2 percent. 

#3: Foreclosures will rise

Madison area foreclosures have actually decreased through the month of

Few neighborhoods in the Madison area offer the variety of homes that appear in the Nakoma Historic District, where one of our newest listings is located.

Among the hilly, curvilinear streets just west of the UW-Arboretum you’ll find numerous Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival styles as well as a smattering of Mediterranean Revival, Norman Revival, Dutch Colonial, French Provincial, Arts and Crafts, Prairie School, Craftsman Bungalow, Modern, and International styles.

Some of the best local architectural firms of the 20th century, including Henry Dysland and Law, Law, and Potter, designed these homes, which were built between 1915-1946. This time period was one of immense growth and greater mobility in Madison from streetcars to automobiles,

When deals need to be made, it all comes down to trusted relationships. You can buy and sell homes in Madison, but to do it well, you will need a Realtor who values relationships and brings solid negotiating skills to the table. This adds some strength to your real estate plan, and it helps remove some of the emotion that could otherwise cloud the negotiations. The Mad City Dream Homes Team can help you look at the big picture, and they have enough history in the business to creatively problem-solve, and get you the best deal.

"Our team places a high-value on quality communication, " says Maureen Moran. "We can gather so much more information about the sale for our clients, simply by picking up the phone and talking with the other agent." 

Mortgage rates were projected to rise in 2019, but they continue to defy all of the projections put forward by industry experts at the end of last year. In fact, as of this writing, rates are at their lowest levels in a long time. Thirty-year fixed rate loans are currently running around 3.75%, and 15-year fixed rate loans are trending around 3.25%. 

This chart from Freddie Mac shows how mortgage rates have fluctuated over the last year. As the graph shows, rates have improved by more than a full percentage point since last November. 

How do lower mortgage rates impact you? 

For starters, if you've purchased a home or condo in the last couple of years, now is a good time to check with your lender and see if it makes sense to refinance. Ask

We've learned over the years that some folks can get a little confused about assessments, inspections, and appraisals - and the role each plays as part of the buying and selling process. If you're a little unclear yourself, this short overview will answer a lot of your questions.  

Assessments

An assessment refers to the "value" that the local taxing authority assigns to your property. Your local assessor assigns an assessed value to your property each year, that along with the mill rate, determines the amount of property tax you owe.

As a general rule of thumb you shouldn't use your property's assessed value to approximate how much it can sell for on the open market. That's because in most cases your local assessor has never been to your

Wondering what's going on with the Madison area real estate market? Check out our brief snapshot below, which shows the latest trends for both homes and condos. 

Accepted offers

Buyer activity was below expectations during the first quarter of the year, but picked up significantly in April and May. Dane County single family home accepted offers increased by 1% in May, and were lower by 8% year-to-date. 

Condo accepted offers were lower by 5% in the month of May and by 10% year-to-date. 

Closings

Single family home sales (closings) increased by 8% in May and were lower by 3% year-to-date. 

Condo sales were up 4% for the month and down 5% year-to-date. 

Expired listings

Expired listings are increasing in 2019, as we