It's Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kick-off to the summer season in Wisconsin. It's the season for family gatherings, outdoor barbeques, camping trips, Saturday mornings at the Farmers Market -- and yardwork. 

It's a special time of year here in Wisconsin, one that will be over before we know it. Soon the fall season will be upon us, with the arrival of cooler temps and autumn colors dotting the hillsides. 

Just like the seasons, our local real estate market is always changing, too. And right now our market is mellowing. This is the time of year when the competition for listings begins to subside, when prices become a little more "rational", and when some homes take a little longer to sell. 

For buyers, this means a window of opportunity

We couldn't be happier for our clients who just closed on their dream home. And what a treat it has been to be a part of their story: 

Mr. Buyer secretly schemed to purchase the home as a surprise birthday gift for his wife. There was a slight glitch in his plans, however. On the day that Isabella submitted the offer, Mrs. Buyer saw the listing online, and immediately fell in love with it.

Not knowing that her husband had just secured an accepted offer, Mrs. Buyer was disappointed to learn that the status of the home was "under contract". She kept checking the status daily, holding out hope, wondering if the offer might possibly fall through.

And then came the day of closing. Mrs. Buyer was absolutely floored when she learned the home was hers.

But are they fully present with you? 

Do they spend as much time marketing your home as they do marketing their brand? 

Do they respond to all of your questions with care and concern, with prompt and thorough answers? 

Do they love their job? Are they dedicated to their craft?

In your heart of hearts, do you trust that your agent will always have your back?

Pay close attention to your realtor's words and actions, and you'll have your answers to these questions. 

We have so many ways to get out of our homes and into our neighborhoods and make a positive contribution to our community. Here are two meaningful paths to consider in Dane County: 

Become a steward of the land

Join a “friends group” for the Ice Age Trail, The UW Arboretum, Groundswell Conservancy, a Dane County Park, or a Madison Park. These organizations welcome volunteers of all skill levels who want to help preserve our local green spaces. You'll enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while learning about the natural world in community with others. Whether it's helping with trail maintenance, removing invasive species, or assisting with educational programs, your contribution makes a difference. 

Help neighbors who are food insecure

Get involved

A few tried-and-true kitchen staging tips from our team:  

• Remove all "knick knacks" and refrigerator magnets. 
• Keep only a few curated items for your countertops. 
• Low-profile greenery is often a nice look. 
• Remember "less is more". 
• Deep clean your kitchen so every surface sparkles. 
• When in doubt, consult with a professional. 

This home, staged by Shelley, offers an excellent example of a well-staged kitchen. 

** Thank you as always to Step Inside Media for your beautiful listing photos. **

At Mad City Dream Homes, we make it easy for you to get a quick read on the market in your neighborhood or condo community. All you need to do is find your location guide on our website (we have hundreds of them), and then review the latest trends which are all updated real-time. 

The example below is from the Valley Ridge neighborhood on Madison' far west side. The current listings section offers a snapshot of what's on the market right now, while the sold listings section summarizes the sales activity in the last year. 

Of course we always recommend a consultation with a trusted realtor when you're getting serious about buying or selling. In the meantime, our location guides are an excellent resource that will help you gain a good initial

The feeling of true community is unmistakable. Maybe you’ve felt such mutual respect and love walking into your home during the holidays, when you get together with a dear group of friends, or at your place of worship. This same sense of belonging was immediately noticeable when I visited Yahara House earlier this year.

Yahara House is a ‘clubhouse-style’ recovery center for individuals with mental health struggles. It is one of over 330 clubhouses in 30 countries that use this model. You probably have driven by Yahara House many times if you live in Madison. Behind its doors at 802 East Gorham Street is a group of members and staff focused on recovery through hope, dignity, and community. Members of Yahara House can spend 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the

In 2024, the average Dane County home sold for 3.1 percent above the original list price with competing offers. Without competing offers, the average Dane County home sold for 2.4 percent below the list. 

For Dane County condos, the average was 3.8 percent above the original list price with multiple offers. Without multiple offers, the average condo sold for 1.7 percent below the list. 

In both cases, for homes and condos, listings with competing offers sold for 5.5 percent more than listings without. For a $500,000 listing, this is equivalent to $27,500.

This huge price difference is why we always work to attract competing offers for our sellers. Not to mention that competitive listings tend to bring in cleaner offers with fewer contingencies. 

The real estate environment is always changing, and one scenario that seems to be happening more often lately is an unrepresented buyer asking a listing agent to write an offer on their own listing. 

The buyer's line of thinking, in many cases, is that they can better compete for the home when the listing agent writes the offer and receives both sides of the commission. In other words, the buyer is betting that the listing agent will be motivated by a bigger paycheck and use their influence to persuade the seller to accept their offer. 

But there's a problem with this. 

The seller hired the listing agent to represent the seller's best interests, not the buyer's. And asking the listing agent to serve both sides in a transaction is often fraught

Our apologies for the title. 

But now that we have your attention, here are a few examples from some of our recent listings of how pillows can be used to add color and warmth to a room. 

What questions do you have about staging your home for your upcoming sale? 

We're here to help you execute your professional staging plan and prepare for a successful sale. Just reach out to your preferred Mad City Dream Homes realtor when you're ready to begin the conversation. We're always available to help, and never with any high pressure sales or spin. 

** Thank you as always to Step Inside Media for your beautiful listing photos. **