Staging is a key step in getting a seller’s home ready for professional photos and showings. But sometimes it just isn’t possible to leave behind furniture and decor during moving preparations. In these situations, we often suggest “virtual staging," which involves adding these items to each photo digitally.

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Virtual staging allows buyers to visualize how a room could be arranged and lived in. Including furniture in the image also makes most rooms feel bigger, ironically, as does traditional staging. 

We’re proud to work with Step Inside Media who consistently does a high-quality job selecting furnishings and color palettes that accentuate the beauty of each home. 

We’re always sure to include a note that a

Here are the latest, unfiltered trends in the Dane County condo market, updated for the month of December, 2024. 

Dane County condo prices

Madison area condo prices were mixed in December, but up across all measures for the entire year. Do the December numbers suggest condo prices will be falling soon? We don't think so. Condo prices are subject to some variability due to the relatively low number of sales that occur each month. In the condo market, a few low-end or high-end sales can have a large impact on monthly prices. For this reason it's important to pay more attention to the overall trend rather than the individual measures in any given month. 

December condo prices 

• The price square foot decreased from $224 in December of 2023

Here's our latest single family home report, covering all of the latest trends in Dane County. First, we begin with home prices. 

December 2024 home prices

Madison area home prices were up significantly in December, and were significantly higher for the entire 2024 sales year, too. 

December prices

• The price per square foot rose from $228 in December of 2023 to $243 in December of 2024, up 6 percent.
• The median price increased from $414,900 in December of 2023 to $441,250 in December of 2024, up 6 percent. 
• The average price increased from $466,512 in December of 2023 to $520,112 in December of 2024, up 11 percent. 

2024 annual prices

• The price per square foot increased from $225 in 2023 to $241 in 2024, up 7

We invest a significant amount of time, effort, and expertise into selling your home. But what about your location? 

At Mad City Dream Homes we love creating neighborhood, condo association and community guides to help us sell your unique location. We're also big believers in capturing community photos that help us sell the amenities and attractions in your neighborhood. 

Buyers, especially those from out-of-town, want hyperlocal information. And our community content helps prospective buyers get excited about your listing. As one small example, here's a sneak peek at some of the media that we'll be including in our upcoming listing near Monroe Street.  

We currently have hundreds of guides and thousands of photos covering locations

When it comes down to it, you really have just 3 basic steps for buying your dream home in the coming year: 

#1) You tell us about your dream home. 

#2) We create a customized home-buying plan for you. 

#3) Then we guide you through your financing, showings, offer, negotiations, and contingencies until you receive your keys at closing. 

Of course it all begins with a meeting.

Contact your Mad City Dream Homes realtor when you're ready to start working on your dream home. In the meantime, we encourage you to learn more from our clients about how our home-buying process has worked for them. We can't wait to help you make your big move in the new year. 

The traditional yellow oak cabinets can be made to look fresh and brand new again when you choose the right paint and the right painter for the job. Contact us when you'd like some guidance on your home improvement projects. We'd love to be a resource for you and help you make the right contractor connections. 

(professional photos of these freshly painted cabinets coming soon)

Madison area home and condo listings edged lower in the month of December, but ended up higher for the 12 month period in 2024. Here's a quick review of the numbers. 

Dane County single family homes

Single family home listings decreased from 197 in December of 2023 to 155 in December of 2024, a drop of 21%. However, MLS listings for all of 2024 were up by 6 percent compared to the previous year. 

Dane County condos 

Condo listings decreased from 56 in December of 2023 to 48 in December of 2024, a drop of 14%. Condominium listings for all 2024 ended the year up 13 percent. 

Looking ahead to the 2025 real estate market

Our sense is the contentious election season has caused some would-be sellers to put their plans on hold at the

One way you can save money in the near year is to choose thrifting and buying secondhand over buying new. Dane County is home to dozens of thrift stores with an amazing variety of clothing and household goods, and with many high-quality and unique finds. But the truth is there are a whole host of reasons to buy secondhand. Here are a few more of them: 

1) Environmental sustainability: Buying secondhand reduces waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill. 

2) Local support: Thrifting supports locally-owned businesses and non-profits, which contribute to the overall health of our community. 

3) A sense of adventure: You never know what you might find when you go thrifting. Each time you thrift, it's like going on your own mini treasure

Do you have a preferred condo association that you would love to live in? You and your buyer agent can find the right condo by sending an authentic letter to all of the owners in the association. In our experience, the more low-tech the approach, the better. 

Here's our simple 3-step approach: 

1) Hand address each envelope and write your return mailing address on each envelope, too. 

2) Make the letter from you, the buyer, not your buyer agent. A letter written by the buyer will receive a much better response than one that is written by the buyer agent. 

3) Make it easy for the reader of each letter to contact either you or your buyer agent. Your letter should include your phone number and email address, and the number and email address

We found these questions interesting to ponder, and thought you might find value in exploring a few of them, too. Do any of these questions help you clarify how you might make positive changes in your own life? 

10 questions for 2025

#1) What new hobbies or interests would you like to explore in the new year? 

#2) When do you find yourself feeling most content and at peace? 

#3) Where have you found inspiration and meaning in the last year? 

#4) Who are the people in your life that you are interested in knowing better? 

#5) Who are the people who inspire you? What is it about them that you find inspiring? 

#6) What can you do to better live within your means and contribute to your financial peace? 

#7) How might you invest in