It's pretty remarkable how much inventory levels have grown from rock-bottom lows in the span of 5 short months. Here's a quick look at the latest inventory trends in the Madison area. 

Home supply has more than doubled since February.

As of July 22nd, a total of 566 Dane County homes were available for sale, a new high for the year.

And condo supply is up by more than 80 percent.

A total of 156 Dane County condos were available for sale on July 22nd, also a new high.

As inventory is increasing, so is opportunity.

What real estate opportunities are you hoping to explore in the coming year? Please reach out to your Mad City Dream Homes realtor for a helpful conversation. We're always up for talking real estate, and never with any

Lately we've been noticing a lot of 12-month listing contracts in the Madison area, but we would generally advise you not to sign such a long listing agreement. If your listing agent is pushing you to sign a year-long contract, then that's a sign that they're not feeling confident in their ability to sell your home. And the last thing you want is to be locked into a long contract while your home sits on the market. 

A much more reasonable time period is 2 to 6 months. Assuming you and your agent have a solid plan and a good working relationship, a few weeks to a few months should give you all the time you need to experience a successful sale.

We're always available to meet with you and help you plan for your future. Just reach out to your favorite

Here's a recent case study that shows how two different philosophies (investing versus cost-cutting) can have a huge impact on your bottom line.

The scenario

Two homes, in the same location, with virtually the same assessed value, listed at the exact same time. The home on the left was listed by Mad City Dream Homes. The home on the right was listed by a limited service brokerage.

The process

Our clients chose to invest in their sale by focusing on the fundamentals of proper pricing, comprehensive marketing, and professional staging. We also helped our clients implement a few light cosmetic touches (fresh paint and new light fixtures) which offered a significant return on investment. 

The results

The sellers who hired the limited

We all have our own ideas about our ideal home, location, and setting. And for many of us, it has a lot to do with a new stage of life. Have you been dreaming about a home for your next season of life? How many of these features are on your dream home bucket list?

Your dream location and setting

• A home near your friends and loved ones

• A home in your preferred school district

• A community that reflects your personal values

• A home near parks, green space, trails, and nature

• A home that’s walkable to restaurants, cafes, entertainment

• A fenced in yard with plenty of space for your kids or dog to play

• A condo with inspiring, panoramic views

• A home with acreage and plenty of peace and

Dane County home prices were up significantly in the month of June. At the same time, we see clear signs of a market trending toward more balance, where there will be a lot more give and take between buyers and sellers in the months ahead. Here's our latest single family home update -- covering the month of June, 2022. 

June Dane County home prices

The price per square foot was up by 15% year-over-year and 15% year-to-date. Note the average price per square foot has increased by 34% from June of 2019 to June of 2022. To put this in perspective: if you purchased a home for $300,000 three years ago, your home is worth approximately $400,000 right now. 

Single family home inventory

One reason prices have continued to rise is perpetually

Our buyer traffic data from Showing Time paints a good picture of what's going on in the market right now. Here's a quick overview. 

Aggregate buyer traffic has been decreasing with the rise in mortgage rates. 

Buyer traffic started to decrease in the month of March, as interest rates began to rise. Most recently, showings in South Central Wisconsin decreased 17% in June compared to June of 2021.

As inventory has been rising, individual listings have been receiving less traffic.

Here's how listing traffic has been trending for three popular price points.

$300,000 - $399,999

$400,000 - $499,999

$500,000 - $599,999

Where does the Madison area real estate market go from here? 

As we enter a more balanced market this

Our circumstances in life are always changing. For example, the events of the world. The state of the economy. Changes in our family. And changes in our personal life, too. 

But regardless of what is happening in the world around us, we all need a place to call home. And more than that we all desire a place that truly feels like home. A home that enhances our sense of wellbeing and our feeling of belonging. That belonging could be the connection we feel with our neighbors, the connection we feel with our community, and the connection we feel with the natural world that surrounds us. 

Do you find yourself dreaming about your next home? A home that enhances your sense of wellbeing and belonging? We would love to explore the possibilities with you

As we return to a more balanced market, the art of negotiation is making its return, too. And it has been a long time coming. For the last three years, so many buyers have felt like they were at the mercy of sellers, where virtually every aspect of the offer to purchase was about buyers giving and sellers taking. But now, with the market mellowing, many buyers and sellers are realizing that they are on a much more level playing field when it comes time to negotiate. 

Now all of these terms are open for negotiation once again:

The price.

The inspection.

The appraisal. 

The home sale contingency.

And a host of other contingencies, too.  

Do you need help negotiating our changing market? 

Reach out to your preferred Mad City Dream

In a previous article we highlighted the incredible work of JustDane’s Healing House, which opened in 2019 to give people experiencing homelessness a place to heal after surgery. Soon, the Madison area will be able to house some of the most vulnerable people in our community during their final stage of life thanks to the efforts of another local nonprofit, Solace Friends, Inc.

The mission of Solace is to provide dying people with a “place of compassionate, safe, comfortable presence and caregiving,” particularly those who are “experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, extreme poverty, mental/emotional health issues, substance abuse disorders, and/or social isolation.” 

Realtor Ann Raschein first learned about this group through her

Do you need help with cosmetic updates and work around your yard and house? Here are 5 contractors who are serving our clients with excellence in 2022.

Luis Rios Yard Care (262-844-1768)

Luis does any type of yardwork you need in the spring, summer, and fall. This includes lawn mowing, gutter cleaning, leaf raking, mulch spreading, weeding, brush removal, and the removal of fallen tree limbs. Luis is also available for light home repair and painting projects. 

Hellenbrand Painting (608-220-8222)

We're receiving excellent feedback from our clients about Dennis and his crew. They've taken on some challenging projects this year and have completed all of them with skill and care. 

Wendy Broadhead, Color Consultant (608-235-8623)

We