One way we can help you ease into the home selling process is to "stage your home in stages", or one room at a time. This photo serves as an excellent example.

Rather than stage the entire home all at once, we helped our clients by completing the living room, dining room, and kitchen staging first. Staging these 3 rooms gave us plenty of beautiful photos to work with. 

Soon, we'll be marketing this property as a "coming soon listing" as we complete the rest of our staging -- ensuring we'll have plenty of buyers lined up to tour the home when showings begin. 

(photo by Step Inside Media with staging by Shelley Lazzareschi and Dan Miller)

A good plumber can be hard to find, especially on short notice. Here are a few of our favorite, tried and true companies: 

• RHD Plumbing: Shelley's go to. 608-292-3318
• Chris Elke Plumbing: Always great feedback. 608-225-0275
• Pertzborn Plumbing: Usually available for emergent situations. 608-256-3900
• Stoppleworth Plumbing: Consistently reliable over the years. 608-831-6342 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to your Mad City Dream Homes realtor whenever you need a referral to a reputable, local business. We'd love to help you. 

Home and condo supply continues to improve for Madison area buyers, as shown by the charts below. 

Single family home supply is up 42% from the same time last year. 

While condo supply is up 92%. 

If you're in the market for a Dane County home or condo, we encourage you to stay positive and committed to your search. These next few months are a window of opportunity. Supply will continue to improve into the fall, as it typically does each year. We'll see more sellers become a little more flexible with their pricing, and more sellers become a little more willing to negotiate. 

Food insecurity in Dane County is real. Nearly 13% of kids in Dane County were food insecure in 2022, up from 7.5% in 2021. Those most affected are children, seniors, the disabled, and people of color. In over 70% of food insecure households, at least one adult is working. Many have two jobs.

Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) in Verona – one of the area’s largest food pantries -- is working hard to address this meal gap. The pantry expects to serve 90,000 individuals this year, six times more than pre-pandemic. The increase in visits can be attributed to rising housing costs, food inflation and population growth. On a busy Thursday, BPNN will serve 200 families. 

In operation since 1986, BPNN is 100% volunteer led and operated, meaning

Condo inventory has been gradually improving in the Madison area, with several newer developments popping up across Dane County. Newer condominium developments include: 

• Arboretum Village in Waunakee
• Bellflower Pointe in Deforest 
• Besa Monona in Monona
• Calliope Cottages in Middleton
• Happy Place Condominiums on Madison's East Side
• Lacy Ridge Condominiums in Fitchburg
• Lacy Woods in Fitchburg 
• One Tree Condominiums in Edgerton 
• The Ridge at Fox Hill in Deforest 
• Riverstone Townhomes in Deforest 
• Sienna Hills Condominiums in Mount Horeb 
• Simply Homes Condominiums in Mazomanie 
• West Village Condos in Belleville 
• Wild Oak Condominiums in Stoughton 
• Windflower Village in Mount Horeb 

Contact us for a helpful

Last month we donated $500 to Rooted, a local nonprofit that is helping to create healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods. This year we've also made contributions of $500 or more to Defending Black Girlhood, Own It, SAIL, the Foundation for Dane County Parks, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Red Sneakers for Oakley. 

This month, we're excited to be sharing the good work of the Badger Prairie Needs Network. Stay tuned for more information about this Verona-based nonprofit, coming real soon. 

We're grateful for all of you who continue to support our business. Because of you, we’re able to shine a light on and support local nonprofits. Thank you. 

Why do auto dealers detail a pre-owned car before putting it up for sale? 

The dealers know we love stepping into a car that's sparkling clean and free of blemishes. A detailed car gives us the feeling that it's been well-maintained and cared for, which translates into a higher price. 

These are the exact same reasons why we invest so much into the preparation of your home before it hits the market. Investing in staging, cleaning, repairs and simple cosmetic updates attracts more buyers to your sale. Buyers who write cleaner offers, and for prices that deliver a remarkable return on your investment. 

(Staging by Debbie Lea and Shelley Lazzareschi, photography by Step Inside Media.) 

Dane County condo prices rose again in June, spurred by low supply and strong demand. Here's our latest update on the Madison area condominium market. 

June condo prices

• The price per square foot rose from $218 in June of 2023 to $235 in June of 2024, an increase of 8 percent. 
• The average price rose from $342,102 to $361,592, an increase of 6 percent. 
• The median price jumped from $314,760 to $325,000, an increase of 3 percent. 

Year-to-date prices

• The price per square foot grew from $211 during the first 6 months of 2023 to $227 during the first 6 months of 2024, an increase of 8 percent. 
• The average price grew from $327,847 to $336,777, an increase of 3 percent. 
• The median price grew from $295,000 to

We're excited to share that we're receiving excellent feedback from our sellers about Ann Bolden and her professional cleaning service. Ann is punctual, thorough, and an excellent communicator, too. 

To schedule your own visit with Ann's Cleaning, you can call Ann directly at 608-445-3645. 

Do you need help thinking through all of the steps leading up to your future home or condo sale? Reach out to your Mad City Dream Homes realtor for a helpful conversation. We're here to help. 

(photo by Step Inside Media, staging by Debbie Lea and Shelley Lazzareschi, cleaning by Ann's Cleaning Service)

Dane County home prices continued to rise in the month of June, fueled by low inventory and strong buyer competition. Here's our latest update on the Madison area single family home market. 

June home prices

• The price per square foot rose from $231 in June of 2023 to $239 in June of 2024, an increase of 4 percent. 
• The average price rose from $519,271 to $543,943, an increase of 5 percent. 
• The median price jumped from $445,000 to $490,000, an increase of 10 percent. 

Year-to-date prices

• The price per square foot rose from $224 during the first 6 months of 2023 to $238 during the first 6 months of 2024, an increase of 6 percent. 
• The average price rose from $499,744 to $528,949, an increase of 6 percent. 
• The median