Technology makes it so easy to connect with friends and family. But there’s something really special about receiving a handwritten note. When we receive a personal note, we feel supported, appreciated, and cared for. The words mean more to us when someone takes time to put pen to paper and share their good wishes with us.  

Try a 30-day personal note challenge.

If receiving a handwritten note is something you really appreciate, then why not get in the habit of sending personal notes yourself? For the next month, try this daily challenge: Send one personal note each day to a friend or a loved one. Be genuine and generous with your words. Then take time to notice how this habit impacts you and your relationships. If you immerse yourself in this

Dane County condo sellers continue to enjoy a very favorable fall market as we approach the holiday season. Here's our latest condo market update covering prices, sales, inventory, days on market, and more. 

Dane County condo prices

The average price per square foot increased by 9% in October and by 12% through the first ten months of the year. The median price was up 7% for the month, and the average was up by 4%. 

Dane County condo sales

Although condo sales decreased from last October's unusually strong market, sales were still very strong -- registering the 3rd highest total on record for the month. 

Accepted offers

Contract signings decreased by 19% from last October, but still came in at the second highest total on record

October was yet another record-setting month for the Dane County single family home market. Here's our latest update covering all of the most important trends. 

Dane County home prices

Madison area home sellers continue to lock in record-high prices this fall. The average price per square foot rose by 14% from last October and by 12% over the first 10 months of the year. The median price was up by 6% in October, and the average price up by 4%.  

Dane County home sales

Madison area home sales decreased 13% from last October's record-setting pace. Even so, sales were very strong from an historical perspective, registering the second highest total on record for the month. 

Accepted offers

Contract signings were also very strong in

It's been another very rewarding year for the agents on our team, all of whom will earn well over six figures in profit in 2021. Five of the 6 realtors who have been with us all year will make well over $150,000, while 3 of 6 will make well over $200,000. The question is, how do they do it?

How to earn $150,000+ on our team

Earning a great living in real estate really boils down to 3 simple steps which have stood the test of time for every agent on our team:

• Serve your clients, community and team members generously. 
• Work hard. 
• And be a professional. 

When you focus on serving, putting in the work, and being a professional, your income will grow predictably over time. Just like it has for every agent on our team. Here's a

The city of Madison has been receiving a lot of national attention lately after being named the #1 place to live in America by Livability.com. According to Livability, Madison ranks highly in the areas of health, economic health, housing, and civics. Madison also scores highly for its variety of local amenities and for its ability to support a remote workforce. 

Do home buyers pay attention to rankings like this? 

They sure do.  

In the last few days alone we've received calls from buyers who are thinking of relocating from Illinois, Southern California, South Carolina, and Idaho. None of them really know much about Madison, other than they've heard it's a great place to live. We've received dozens of calls like these over the last two years,

How might your life be different if you were offered a fresh start when you were younger? For 50 years, Operation Fresh Start (OFS) has been building the futures and transforming the lives of more than 8,000 young people with that question in mind. The mission of the nonprofit is to empower emerging adults on a path to self-sufficiency through education, mentoring, and employment training. 

“I think how this organization started is just amazing,” said OFS Development Director Jody Weyers. “Jack Osteraas was a former police officer and saw the same young people on the street all the time. So he talked to some different funding partners and got enough money to buy a dilapidated house, and he got a crew of 8 young men together to rehab the house with him

September was another very active month in the Madison area condominium market. Here's our latest condo snapshot covering all of the most important trends. 

Dane County condo accepted offers

Accepted offers decreased by 7% year-over-year, but were still very strong from an historical perspective. The 139 accepted offers last month were the 5th highest on record for the month of September. Remember, year-over-year comparisons are tricky right now because last year's peak market was pushed to the summer and the fall after the pandemic arrived in the spring. Also, don't forget that historically low inventory is limiting the number of offers that are being written in this year's market.  

Dane County condo sales

Madison area condo sales

Congrats to our clients at 6713 Colony Drive who recently received a very quick, strong and clean offer for their home! Their success was due in large part to their commitment to the staging process, under the guidance of our stager, Debbie Lea, and listing agent Alan Feder. Working together as a team, our clients, Debbie and Alan set the stage for some amazing listing photos that were the key to this successful listing.

Killer kitchen photos

These shots show off the character and quality of this thoughtfully designed kitchen. 

Gorgeous family room photos

These pics display all of the natural elements in this unique and beautiful family room. 

Alan's plan included beautiful exterior shots, too.

These photos

Accepted offers and home sales were lower compared to last year, but September was still a very active month for the Madison area real estate market. Remember, the normal seasonality of our market was disrupted by the pandemic in 2020, which makes year-over-year comparisons tricky. With this update we'll help you make sense of our fall market while giving you plenty of historical perspective.

Dane County single family home accepted offers

Accepted offers decreased by 12 percent from a year ago, but don't let that fool you. Buyers have been very busy this fall. A total of 521 homes went under contract in September. Excluding September of 2020, last month was the most active September on record. The next highest September on record was September of

Do you have a favorite realtor that you'd love to tell the world about? Now we have a simple video testimonial tool that helps you share a quick story about your Mad City Dream Homes agent and how they went above and beyond to serve you. If you'd like to create a short testimonial, just reach out to your preferred agent to get started.

Your referrals and reviews mean the world to us

Of course, they help us connect with people who are in need of a trusted agent. In the bigger picture your referrals and reviews are a validation of our contribution mindset. They're proof that we don't need to default to traditional marketing tactics in order to grow our business. Instead, we can choose to grow more intentionally by focusing on community and