Our team is excited to once again host Madison artist Lilada Gee at our office, 1619 Monroe St, Madison, for Spring Gallery Night from 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 6th! The theme of her exhibit is a “Celebration of Black Girlhood.” 

Lilada writes, “Join me in celebrating the beauty of Black girlhood! EVERY girl who attends my Spring Gallery Night exhibit will get a piece of her own art to take home. Bring your girl out for a night of inspiration. Great food. Great company! And great art that celebrates amazing Black girls will be available in many forms for the girl in your life or to donate to inspire joy in a girl who needs a smile put on her face!”

We enjoyed seeing so many of you for Fall Gallery Night in November, and we hope you’ll stop by to meet

Can you see yourself living in your home for years or even decades to come? Or are you still in search of your forever home? According to statistics from the AARP, more than 90% of people over the age of 65 would prefer to stay in their current home the rest of their lives. By 2030, a fifth of the population will be in that age range. “Aging in place” has many benefits, including treasuring the memories and possessions you’ve accumulated at your home and staying connected to your community, friends, and familiar surroundings. Saving money and maintaining a sense of independence as long as possible are also key factors in this decision.  

So, what happens if someone wishes to remain at home but can no longer drive, doesn’t have family nearby, or could

Dane County condo prices reached new highs in the month of March, as high demand and low supply continued to push the market higher. Here's our latest report covering all of the latest trends in the Madison area condo market.

Price per square foot

For the first time ever, the price per square foot reached $200 in Dane County. The price per square foot increased by 7% in March and by 9% year-to-date.

New MLS listings

Only 202 condos were listed for sale in March, which was down 8% from the 220 condos listed in March of 2021. Through the first quarter of 2022, new listings were lower by 10 percent from the year before.

Available listings and months of supply

As of April 10th, only 116 condo listings and .8 months of inventory were

As we approach another Earth Day, we can’t help but acknowledge how climate change is impacting our local real estate market. In the last few months alone, we’ve heard from families in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah who are planning to move to Madison due to the changing environmental conditions out west. Collectively our clients have mentioned wildfires, excessive smoke, excessive heat, and a diminishing water supply as the reasons for their move.

It’s here. And if we allow climate change to continue unabated, then climate-related migration could create population and environmental pressures in Dane County in ways that we never imagined. 

Which begs some important questions:

• How will we as individuals and as a community limit

Dane County home prices rose 16% in March, as high demand and low inventory continued to create an ideal market for sellers. Here are all of the latest trends for the Dane County single family home market, covering the month of March, 2022.

New single family home listings

A total of 644 single family homes were listed for sale in the month of March, which was the lowest March total on record (our data goes back to 1999). Listing volume decreased by 14% year-over-year and by 16% year-to-date. 

When we break our data into weekly trends, we see for the first time this year, the number of new listings increased when compared to the same week from the year before. A total of 175 homes were listed for sale during the 14th week of 2022, compared to

Congrats to our client Tricia, who just closed on her bright and beautiful home on Madison’s west side! With plenty of room to live, entertain, and work from home, Tricia’s new abode is a perfect fit for her lifestyle. And the low-maintenance yard suits Tricia’s tastes just fine, too!

Tricia was referred to us last year by a friend of our team. When we first met Tricia, Dan learned more about her wants and needs and provided guidance on the market. Then Dan and Shelley worked together to begin the search for Tricia’s new dream home. 

When it was time to tour properties, Tricia quickly zeroed in on the one she loved, and Shelley and Dan collaborated on the negotiation strategy that eventually resulted in Tricia’s offer being accepted over 7 other

Our friends Lynn and Paul were excited for their next stage in life. They had just put in an offer on their new dream home, and they were eager to enjoy lake living and the warmer temps down south. But they had 25 years of family possessions to sort through, and they needed guidance on how to make their home sale and their move to this beautiful new setting happen.

How it all came together

So Dan paid Lynn and Paul a visit, and together they created a plan and quickly sprang into action. First, Dan completed his market analysis and customized his marketing plan for the home. Then he connected Paul and Lynn with Debbie Lea and Shelley Lazzareschi to begin the staging process. Grant Priehs was called upon to address a few cosmetic updates, and A1

We often talk about the power of staging and the value that we put on making homes picture-ready! But sometimes it just isn’t possible to leave furniture and other decor in a property for the sale. In these situations we often utilize virtual staging, which involves adding these items into a digital photograph using a computer program. 

Our very own photographer and graphic designer, Tracy Kapela, uses her expertise and keen eye for detail to help prospective buyers visualize what a home could look like if it was occupied, in a very stylish way. 

Check out the difference in this before and after photo -- from stark to spectacular!

We upload the vacant photos next to the virtually staged images to give buyers both perspectives when

There's no doubt this can be a challenging time for first-time buyers. So, if you're an aspiring buyer who has been struggling with the market, it may be beneficial to evaluate the foundation that you're working from. Once you've had a chance to evaluate and strengthen your financial foundation, then your odds for buying your home should improve dramatically. 

Below we share 4 pieces of advice that can help you strengthen your financial position and help you achieve your dream of homeownership. At Mad City Dream Homes, we've integrated all 4 of these philosophies into our own lives. Each philosophy has stood the test of time by helping us improve our own financial foundations and by helping us achieve our homeownership goals, too. 

Four tips