The Dane County real estate market isn't completely predictable, but there is one thing we can predict: the rise and fall of inventory (the number of homes for sale) throughout the year. 

As the graph below shows, inventory gradually rises as we enter the colder months and bottoms out in spring. This happens every year, and this general trend is predictable.

High inventory means buyers have more choices, and offers may face less competition. To stand out, sellers need to price correctly and choose an agent with honed marketing efforts. Low inventory means buyers have fewer choices and may have to make more concessions to obtain the house they like, leading to an easier and more lucrative sale for the seller.

Inventory is rising; what does this mean for your

When browsing homes online, you may find that some listing photos strike you more than others. But sometimes it’s hard to put into words exactly what that magic is. There is more to creating a stunning photo that captures buyer attention than meets the eye. Here are a few tricks you may never have thought of:

• Avoid tall plants, decorations, or lamps that block the view of the rest of the room

• Update light bulbs to all the same type of warm or cool light

• Hide all cords, even if that means unplugging TVs and appliances

• Remove all nods to cleaning, like garbage cans, paper towel, and laundry supplies

• Take down window treatments — let that natural light flow in!

When it comes to selling your location, how can you effectively highlight your neighborhood amenities in only a few words? One excellent method is to produce aerial photos with pin drops, like the photo below. With this approach, buyers can view at a glance your home's proximity to local schools, parks and neighborhood attractions. 

Aerial maps are one of the many tools we use to customize our marketing for our Madison area sellers. If you'd like to see a customized marketing plan for your own home, condo or investment property — just reach out. We'd be happy to show you what that looks like for your own property. 

(aerial photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)

There are thousands of realtors in South Central Wisconsin, which means when it's time to hire someone to represent you in the home-buying process, you've got no shortage of candidates. That's a good problem to have — but it also raises an important question: how do you tell a good fit from just another name on a list?

Here are three traits worth looking for as you narrow your search for the right buyer agent. 

(Listing photo courtesy of Step Inside Media.) 

Is the buyer agent GENEROUS with their time? 

A good buyer agent treats your questions as worth answering fully, not just quickly. When you're trying to understand the buying process or make sense of the current market, do they anticipate what you're likely to ask and walk you through

Condo lending rules are changing. We recently covered the details, but here's the short version: to qualify for a conventional loan, most condo associations will need to set aside at least 15 percent of their monthly budget for reserves — up from the current 10 percent. 

 (Listing photo courtesy of Step Inside Media.)

This number has real consequences for both buyers and sellers. So whatever side of the transaction you're on, this should be the first question you ask when you sit down with a set of condo financials:

What percent of the monthly budget goes toward reserves?

If the answer is below 15 percent, it could mean the association isn't yet positioned to qualify for conventional financing — which matters differently depending on where

Acting as your buyer agent, we often uncover issues during showings and inspections that will require future repairs. For example: the roof that needs to be replaced, the chimney that needs to be rebuilt, or the electrical service that needs to be upgraded. 

(a fuse box and electrical panel we recently investigated during a buyer showing) 

When we do find issues, we quickly obtain ballpark repair estimates by consulting with trusted contractors. Sometimes we do this electronically, by sharing photos and/or inspection reports. Other times, we arrange for in-person contractor visits. Either way, we're here to help you gather the timely information you need before you write your offer, and as you negotiate your inspection. 

Here's a good

While it's hard to argue with the wisdom that "the best things in life are free", when it comes to the world of real estate, we wholeheartedly believe that the best things in your career are earned:  

• Your reputation in the field.
• Your loyalty from your clients.
• The steady growth of your business over time. 
• And the many friends you make along the way. 

All of them are the result of the dedication, skill and care that you bring to your clients and your job each day. When you bring dedication, skill and care to your work — and you believe in yourself — you don't need to rely on rehearsed scripts, viral videos, or purchased leads. You already have everything you need. 

So we encourage you to simply show up. Do the work. Trust that

National data from Keeping Current Matters (KCM) recently reported that 63% of buyers consider a “good” interest rate to be less than 5%. So, what is a good interest rate from a realtor’s perspective?

One way to approach that question is to look at average rates over time. Mortgage interest rates have been between 5% and 10% nearly sixty percent of the time over the last 50 years (KCM). Current rates reflect a return to “normal” in a balanced real estate market. There’s definitely some “good” in that.

The other way to look at the question is what works for you and your family. Do current interest rates help you meet your goals, financial and otherwise? Do they work within your budget? “Good” may be a personal opinion, and in

As real estate agents, our jobs take us to many different areas of town — maybe ones we’d never have an excuse to visit otherwise. We experience diverse landscapes each neighborhood offers firsthand, including those with acres of nearby farmland. These dairyland vistas are often beloved by homeowners and prospective buyers who enjoy some visual elbow room. 

Not only beautiful, Wisconsin’s land is also precious. Glaciers helped shape the rich soils that make much of our state well suited for agriculture — from growing crops and produce to supporting livestock. And between 2001 and 2021, Dane County lost more than 76,000 acres of agricultural land to development — an area roughly one and a half times the size of the City of Madison.

Our Nonprofit

Changes are underway in the condominium lending world, and if you're planning to sell your Madison area condo in the next year or two, they are worth understanding now — before they affect your sale.

Beginning this month, mortgage lenders will be required to dig deeper into a condo association's finances and insurance before approving a buyer's loan. In plain terms: if your association's financials and insurance don't meet new lending guidelines, it could become harder for your buyers to get a conventional loan  — which can slow down a sale. The good news is that with some proactive planning, you and your association can get ahead of it.

Here's what's changing, and what we recommend you do about it. 

(photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)