Imagine you've come across a new listing with a beautiful, recently upgraded kitchen. The kitchen space is perfect for you and your family, but you're wondering who did the work and whether or not permits were pulled for the plumbing and electrical. If the property is located in Madison, there's a great online tool you can use to get answers to your questions. 

City of Madison Licenses & Permits Webpage

The City of Madison Licenses and Permits Webpage helps consumers research building permits pulled for individual properties. To access the page, go to https://elam.cityofmadison.com/CitizenAccess/. If this is your first time using the site, you'll need to start by registering for an account. 

Once you've registered for an account, select the

In addition to staging, there are 4 other low-cost, high-impact improvements that can dramatically increase your home's value and mass appeal. This 30 second video covers our top 4 home improvement tips.

12 Ways a Painter Can Help You Sell Your Home

Our #1 home improvement tip is to hire a professional painter to freshen up your home. Painting by a professional always pays for itself, usually many times over. Here are 12 ways a professional painter can add sparkle and value to your listing. 

1. Remove dated wallpaper and replace with a fresh coat of neutral paint. Kilim Beige from Sherwin Williams is a great all-around color for the purposes of selling a home. 
2. Replace bold colors with neutral colors that give your home more mass appeal. 

On any given summer day at the UW Arboretum, you'll likely cross paths with bikers, runners and perhaps even a turkey.

The free, public space south of Lake Wingra includes 20 miles of trails that wind through woods, gardens, prairies, marshy ponds and oak savannas. This time of year they are bursting with colorful wildflowers and chipper critters.

Take in the beautiful sights and sounds at your own pace from dawn to dusk. And be sure to stop by the visitor center to fill up your water bottle, ask a volunteer for a map, and check out the bookstore and art gallery.

You can also bring along your binoculars or camera during guided hikes, often held Sunday afternoons, and learn about everything from butterflies and birds to blooming plants and