Having weathered a year of the COVID pandemic, it's not hard to see the many ways our lives have been affected. For some homebuyers, job changes or furloughs may have decreased the amount of home they can afford. Other potential buyers have shifted to more self-employment work and aren't sure how that affects their financing. Patrick Averill of Thompson Kane has been helping many of our clients secure financing during this unique time. He recently shared a few insights with us about the current lending climate.

Q: How has the lending market changed with COVID? Is it more difficult to secure a loan?

Patrick: Due to COVID, underwriting guidelines have become more strict than they used to be. More up-to-the minute income information is required

At some price points, cash offers and escalating prices have made it more difficult for financed buyers to be competitive - especially if they’re only able to put 3-5% down. But, there are ways buyers can stand out in this situation. One way to appear more competitive in a tight market is through your lender. Dave Grauwels of Guild Mortgage helps many of our clients. He recently chatted with us to share how he and his team help his customers go through the offer process with a competitive edge. Read his top three strategies below.

Dave's Tips for Being Competitive as a Financed Buyer

1. Get your pre-approval underwritten so your offer is nearly as appealing as cash. If a buyer starts the pre approval process early in their search, we can

Are you looking for a home in an established neighborhood, but can’t seem to find any options? We rounded up a selection of established neighborhoods that consistently have a good amount of inventory available. From communities with historic bungalows to houses in growing neighborhoods with a wide variety of inventory, these neighborhoods have options for many types of buyers. Check out the neighborhood profiles for each community to see all the latest listings.

Are you searching for your perfect home? Contact one of our experienced agents for a consultation. We would love to help guide you through the process of buying your dream home!

Birchwood Point - Located on the far west side of Madison, Birchwood Point is near shops and dining in Madison

A great perk of living the condo lifestyle is that you can swap outdoor chores like snow removal and yard work for getting outside for fun. There are many great conservancies and parks with endless opportunities to hike in the Madison area, and some condo communities are lucky enough to have them right outside their door. For some buyers, having easy access to beautiful outdoor spaces is a must-have item on their wish list. Below is a roundup of some of our favorite condo communities that happen to be a short walk to a conservancy or hiking spot.

Do you need help finding a condo that best suits your lifestyle? Contact one of our experienced agents.

Harbor Village - Explore the oak savanna and wetland prairies at Pheasant Branch Conservancy,

Now that we're on the other side of the holidays, we're seeing new listings enter the market at a much faster pace. And the pace will accelerate as we get closer and closer to Spring. As more and more new properties hit the market, we'll see more and more new buyers competing for these properties, too. 

Buying your dream home in 2021

This year's real estate market will be very competitive. So, if you're serious about buying your dream home this year, please reach out to your favorite Mad City Dream Homes realtor for a short consultation. We'll discuss your goals for buying your dream home, your financing plans, and how we can work together to make your dream home happen in 2021. 

Last year we helped more people achieve their home ownership

Many buyers have a preferred neighborhood or condo community in mind when they start searching for a home. However, there are not always homes for sale on the market that match their criteria. How do you find an unlisted home in that oh-so-perfect neighborhood or condo community? Our agents have been successful in helping our clients discover these properties with letter writing campaigns. A letter writing campaign is a targeted marketing strategy that can connect buyers with their ideal home - before it comes on the market. Read on for tips from Maureen Moran and Dan Miller on how to leverage this strategy.

Why do letter campaigns work? They often provide a benefit to both the buyer and seller, and lead to an easier sale.

Maureen: Receiving

The home inspection is an important milestone in the home buying and selling process, and sometimes it can be a big sticking point. It’s not uncommon for a home inspection to reveal a few issues that buyers feel need to be addressed and the sellers say, “no way.” How can buyers and sellers work through this apparent impasse? A few of our realtors share some of the strategies they have used to help buyers navigate their inspection contingency - without jeopardizing the sale.

Five ways we help buyers navigate tricky inspections

1. Be professional

Sometimes inspections bring forth issues that sellers weren’t aware of, or disagree with. Sellers can even be offended by the results. We help by focusing the conversation on issues that negatively

Falling in love is part of the home buying process for many. You walk into a home and you just know it’s the one. Interestingly enough, a “love letter” can sometimes seal the deal for prospective buyers. In the context of real estate, a love letter is a letter penned from the buyer to the current owner of their dream home. Not all sellers are swayed by these letters, but in some situations a love letter can tip the scales in the favor of that buyer. Even when there are multiple offers. In this article, our team of Realtors share their insights about love letters, and how they can help you buy your dream home.

Chris Venden has had several buyers write love letters to sellers since she got into real estate 15 years ago. “I think it helps pave the

Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest decisions in your life. With so much on the line, you owe it to yourself to hire a REALTOR who is personally invested in you and your aspirations. How can you tell if you're working with an agent who is highly committed to you? It’s really about the way in which your agent shows up each day, attending to all of the details of your purchase or your sale, that has a huge impact on whether or not you achieve your goals.  

Here are 8 signs you're working with an agent who is personally invested in you.

• When you’re pricing your home, your agent does their homework and clearly articulates their reasons for their recommended list price. Your agent also recommends simple cosmetic updates that will

If you take some time to browse a few local realtor websites you might come away with the impression that buying a home in this market is easy. For example, one local real estate website says they make buying "easy and comfortable". And another says "we make real estate easy". 

While every good realtor should work to simplify and streamline the real estate experience, we believe you should know that buying a home in this market can be a lot like embarking on a journey, too. And sometimes the journey is filled with a few twists and turns, obstacles, and challenges. 

Common buyer challenges in 2020

Many buyers this year are facing a hyper-competitive real estate market, inspection surprises, and logistical and safety concerns created by the