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

We're getting asked this question a lot these days, and here's our take: Although there are no guarantees about the state of the market in 2021, we do know the Madison area real estate market is very favorable for sellers right now. Here's what we're seeing in the market as we approach the month of October. 

The fall real estate market in Madison, WI

For starters, mortgage rates are historically low, and buyers are buying. Dane County home buyers are writing offers at a much faster pace right now than they were during the same time period in 2019. 

Dane County home prices are trending favorably for sellers, too. Many properties are receiving multiple offers right now and selling for well above the list. Home prices are on pace to set

Thinking of selling your home in the coming year? Below are 10 low-cost home improvement projects that add real value to your home. Over the years we've helped many sellers completely transform the look of their home by implementing these and similar projects. In some cases clients have increased their home's market value by tens of thousands of dollars through their sweat equity and only a minimal financial investment.   

10 low-cost home improvement projects

1) Replace dated bathroom mirrors, towel bars, and towel rings with newer and inexpensive pieces. This one simple change can dramatically improve the appearance of a dated bathroom. Our amazing stager, Debbie Lea, can show you which products to buy and where to buy them. Remember, we offer

Does your home offer a truly special setting? Then use drone photography to sell your property's unique location. Below we share some great examples of aerial photography from a few of our recent listings. 

We have only a short window of time before the weather turns cold and the snow starts flying. Right now is the perfect time to capture some colorful aerial photos in preparation for your upcoming real estate listing. Contact your favorite Mad City Dream Homes agent to discuss your marketing strategy. 

A luxury home in Middleton Hills

This high-altitude shot shows the close proximity of Pheasant Branch Creek and Lake Mendota to our latest luxury listing in Middleton Hills. 

A waterfront home located along Spring Harbor Cove

This drone

We're excited to announce that Alan Feder has joined our real estate team! Alan brings with him six years of full-time real estate experience and a strong belief system that is centered on customer service. We're confident Alan will be a great fit for our clients and our team.

On a more personal level, Alan is passionate about the environment, health and wellness, and nutrition. Like others on our team, Alan is leaning in to social justice issues and is seeking to use his business as a platform to influence positive change in the Madison area. 

One unique thing about Alan is that he is joining us as the first "level 2 agent" on our team (if you're interested in real estate as a career, you can learn more about our level 2 role in this article). In

We’re excited to announce we’re hiring! Here’s a little more background on what we’re looking for in the next person to join our agent team... 

If you know members of our team, you likely know that they share similar talents of being generous, hard-working, and humble people. If you have similar traits and a passion for serving others we’d love to hear from you. 

We are looking to diversify our team, so it doesn’t matter whether you are just getting started in real estate, whether you’re midway through your career, or in the later stages. We are looking for someone that has a positive influence on all of us and adds strength to our team.   

We’d love to speak with you if this background about our team resonates with you. Please reach out to

A recent listing in Middleton was located on a quiet cul de sac on a large lot that backed up to a wooded conservancy. It was a perfect backdrop for a cozy and inviting home. However, the home was somewhat sparsely furnished. It needed additional furniture and decor to help it show to its full potential. This is a scenario where staging can make a huge difference.

REALTOR Shelley Lazzareschi worked with the seller to develop a staging plan that worked best for them and their budget. The seller decided to hire Brook Furniture Rental to provide furniture and decor while the home was on the market. Brook Furniture delivered and set up the furniture - they even hung the artwork! Debbie Lea of Showcase Home Stagers worked alongside with Shelley to finish

This year's real estate market is unlike any we've ever experienced. It's been a year of uncertainty, anxiety, and surprises. It's been a year that has tested our resilience and challenged our assumptions about how property is bought and sold. We've learned a lot over these last few months, and we know we'll learn a lot more as we adjust to the world around us. With this spirit in mind, we'd like to share a few home-selling tips that are based on our lessons learned in 2020. 

5 lessons learned for Madison area sellers in 2020

#1) Read beyond the headlines. 

Although recent world events may be discouraging, there are reasons to be encouraged by the world of real estate. The Madison area real estate market has been very active in 2020. More