As listing agents we're able to observe and interact with many different buyer agents with each property we sell. And one trend we've been noticing lately is a surprising number of offers being written where the buyer agent assumes -- rather than verifies -- that a listing is receiving many offers.

What this means for some buyers is that they are paying way more than they need to for their home. As an example, our team recently sold a home for more than $30,000 above the list, even though only one offer was submitted for the listing. Unfortunately for these buyers, they could have purchased their home for a much lower price if their agent had invested a little more time and thought into their offer.

The market is always in flux

Our late

In January 2010, Haiti was the site of an earthquake that killed over 300,000 people and displaced millions of Haitians. Gergens Polynice, a student at UW-Madison, was from Port-au-Prince (the capital of Haiti and also the epicenter of the earthquake) and had spent the holidays at home. Although his family was not hurt, the needs of the Haitian community were immediate. One of his professors, Tom Eggert, taught a class on sustainable development and organized students in the class to help those in Haiti who were left without places to stay, places to work, and places of safety. “This was one of the first natural disasters you could donate to on your phone via text, and the international community arrived with food, medicine, shelter, and water. But my

While many of our clients live in the homes they are selling, we also work with out-of-town owners who are ready to let go of their investment properties or second homes. We are proud to offer sellers -- whether they’re nearby or far away -- peace of mind during the entire process. 

For example, when LouAnn H. chose our team to sell her Jamestown Newbury condo, she entrusted us with her keys and we took care of the rest. Agents Jake Johnson and Dan Miller collaborated to co-list the 2 bed/1 bath property, which had multiple offers and sold above asking price. 

2150 Allen Blvd #1, Middleton

Listed for $145,000 and sold for $150,000 -- $5,000 above the list.

Rather than having LouAnn spend two hours driving one way to open up her condo for

Over the years we've become increasingly involved with local service organizations, and it's been an overwhelmingly rewarding experience to collaborate with others and work for positive change. Along the way we've been learning that there are a number of other benefits that come with volunteerism. Here are three big benefits that we've experienced through our work with local community groups. 

Three big benefits of volunteerism 

#1: Volunteerism offers exposure to role models.

By volunteering our time to local community organizations, we're getting to know some incredible, service-minded people. In the process we're able to observe their habits, their mindset, and their leadership abilities at work. It's an amazing educational opportunity to

We recently shared with you our highest recommendation for Cody Helmer, a local home construction and renovation contractor we know and trust. Another local business owner we've grown to appreciate is Kristi Bertelson, owner of the Inspired Design Team in Monona. 

Our experience working with Kristi

Kristi recently worked with our team to help us design our office space on Monroe Street. When we started our project, our office suite was filled with pink carpet, dark paneled wood, and a choppy floor plan which limited the functionality and desirability of the space. Thanks to Kristi, our office suite is now an open, functional, warm, and inviting space -- which makes showing up for work each day a pleasure on Monroe Street!

We enjoyed working

June was another profitable month for Madison area condo sellers. Here's our latest update on the Dane County condo market. 

Dane County condo prices

The price per square foot set a new record in June, increasing by 21% year-over-year and by 16% year-to-date. 

Dane County condo sales

Although prices were high, sales were limited by low inventory. 

Accepted offers

New contracts were also limited by low supply. 

Condo months of supply

Only .7 months of supply were available for sale as of July 16th. The under $300,000 market is especially competitive in Dane County. 

New MLS listings

New listings continued to enter the market at a subdued pace in June. 

Days on market

The average days on market

The numbers for the month of June are in, and once again, it was another very favorable month for Madison area home sellers. Here's our latest update on the Dane County single family home market. 

Dane County home prices

Dane County home prices set a new record for the month -- increasing by 12 percent year-over-year and 12 percent year-to-date. 

Dane County home sales

Sales (or closings) in June were limited due to low supply. 

Accepted offers

Despite low supply, accepted offers came in at the second highest total on record. Based on this, we expect strong sales totals in the months of July and August. 

Dane County competing offers

The percent of listings receiving more than one offer reached an all-time high in the

Over the years it's been our observation that the most successful real estate agents assume a strong sense of ownership over their career. These agents know it's not the market that determines their path. It's what they bring to the market.

One way to assess your own level of ownership is to evaluate the foundation upon which your career is built. Are you continually building and reinforcing your foundation in real estate? Here are 5 ways you can build your own solid foundation and take control of your career.

5 ways to assume ownership over your real estate career

1) Cultivate a positive mental attitude. Many successful agents work constantly on their positive mental attitude which sustains them day-after-day and year-after-year in the

Over the years we've been working to become more intentional about how we invest in the community. With this spirit in mind, we're offering gift certificates to the Dane County Farmers' Market to the first 20 people who reach out to us by August 15th. All you need to do is contact us, and we'll mail your certificate to you. 

When we buy directly from local producers, we use our purchasing power to support sustainable agriculture, invest in our local economy, and lead a healthier lifestyle. Not to mention that Downtown Madison is a wonderful place to be on a Saturday morning. Many downtown businesses are re-emerging from the pandemic, so we encourage everyone to spend some time on State Street and buy locally.

Speaking of supporting local

Ann Raschein and I recently read the book "Who Not How" based upon the recommendation of a real estate colleague -- and it was an inspiring read! This book illustrates how we are all capable of leading more rewarding lives and accomplishing so much more through collaboration and teamwork.

The author, Dan Sullivan, points out that we all possess our own unique abilities. When we lean into our unique gifts in collaboration (rather than competing) with others, we maximize our potential and positively impact the world around us.

Is this a philosophy that resonates with you? We are always looking to hire our next team member who is inspired by collaboration and by practicing real estate in ways that make the most of their unique abilities. 

More than