What a ride the COVID market was. We had record low mortgage rates and historically low inventory. Properties selling for unimaginable prices and in a matter of only days, and sometimes with a dozen or more offers.

The COVID market lasted long enough for many in our line of work to view it as "normal". But the truth is it was far from normal. It was overheated and unsustainable due to artificially low mortgage rates -- among other factors. 

The good news

Here in Dane County, the good news is we are actually seeing our local real estate market trending along at a healthier and more sustainable pace: 

Inventory is rising, giving buyers more properties to choose from and more opportunities to negotiate the terms of their offer. It's great to see

When you need to hire a business for work that's important to you, we don't believe you want a slick sales presentation. We believe you want something entirely different. 

We believe you want to work with people who prioritize serving over selling. People who choose to educate versus spin. People who choose to show up as reliable and trustworthy professionals. 

This is what we all want from our important business relationships. From our accountants, our attorneys, our financial planners...and yes, from our real estate agents, too. 

It was only two years ago when Dane County had roughly 100 condos available for sale. As of today, we have 297 Madison area condos available. That's the equivalent of 2.5 months of supply, the highest inventory level we've seen since before COVID. 

If you've been thinking of buying a condo in the Madison area, right now is an excellent time to talk to your realtor about your needs and goals. Selection is improving, and many sellers are eager to strike a deal.

In the meantime you can start learning more about your options by checking out our guides to Madison and suburban Madison associations. We think you'll find them helpful. 

Who would have thought that the Milwaukee Brewers would have the best record in baseball heading into the month of September? And yet here we are with a bunch of no-name players well on their way to a 100 win season.

Here are a few good lessons that any organization can learn from the surprise team of the major leagues.  

Four lessons from the 2025 Brew Crew

#1: Focus on the fundamentals. With good coaching and a focus on the right habits, the roster is filled with players who are improving by leaps and bounds. 

#2: Lead by example. It begins with Christian Yelich and Brandon Woodruff, two strong leaders who model for the younger players how to approach their craft. 

#3: Play for each other. The success of the team is more important to the

When you think of the significant moments in your life before the age of 16, what do you think of? Maybe you quickly recall building friendships at school, a special family vacation, or developing an interest that has endured into adulthood. However, it’s easy to overlook how foundational a safe and supportive home life is to these formative life experiences.

Before 16 is a local nonprofit founded by our Broker, Dan Spransy, that focuses on aiding “older orphans” (ages 6-16) around the world in finding their Forever Family. It may come as a surprise that many children “age out” of orphan community support services at 16 years old in their home countries, and that 16 is typically the cut-off age for an international adoption. Thrust into adult life at

We love to keep the lines of communication open with you, even before you’re ready to buy. If you ever see a home online that piques your curiosity, we’re happy to help you find answers. 

Why is that home so cheap? So pricey? Still for sale?

There’s often a clear story about each home when we pull back the curtain, and we love to help our clients educate themselves during the (even casual) home search. And better yet, we love helping them find a home that’s an incredible value. Reach out if you could use our help. 

Dane County income properties continue to be a popular choice with both local and out-of-state investors. As of August 23rd, we have just 2.5 months of supply across the whole county, which is just slightly above the supply levels for both homes and condos.

Here's a quick snapshot of the Madison area multifamily real estate market through the first 7 months of 2025. Note all of our data is sourced from the South Central Wisconsin MLS. 

Dane County multifamily price per unit

The price per sold unit through the month of July was $209k, even with last year. As the chart below shows, income property prices are trending along historically high levels. 

Dane County gross rent multiplier 

The gross rent multiplier (GRM) is defined as the

We couldn't be happier for our clients Sarah and Jonathan, who just moved from Nashville to Waunakee. Sarah grew up in Waunakee and her parents still live there. In fact, Sarah's sister and kids moved back to Waunakee a few years ago to be near their grandparents. 

Sarah and Jonathan's journey began with a consultation with Shelley. With a plan in place, they toured several homes over the Fourth of July weekend and quickly found "the one". Shelley immediately submitted their offer. Their offer was accepted, local jobs were secured, and the kids were enrolled in school prior to the start of the new year. The whole family is grateful to be coming together under Shelley's guidance and care.

Do you have out-of-town family longing to return to their

One nice by-product of improving inventory is more balance in the market, with buyers and sellers negotiating on a more level playing field. For a period of time, when supply was at rock-bottom lows, sellers had an unhealthy advantage in an over-heated market. If a buyer wanted to get their offer accepted, they often had to submit their offer without an inspection contingency. 

We're happy to report that inspection contingencies are making a clear comeback in 2025, with a majority of accepted offers now including an inspection. According to our firm's tracking, 67 percent of July contract signings included an inspection contingency -- the highest percentage of the year. 

We should see this percentage continue to grow as supply continues to improve,

How does the Dane County single family home market vary by price? Here's a little insight using our inventory snapshot from August 6th. 

Percent of listings under contract

According to our August 6th snapshot, the under $400,000 price categories are experiencing the most momentum, with greater than 50 percent of all listings under contract with an accepted offer. At $400,000 and above, the percent of listings under contract is lower, ranging from 26 to 45 percent (depending on specific price category). 

Inventory by price range

Another way to evaluate inventory is to look at months of supply by price range. Once again, the numbers show a tighter and more active market in the under $400,000 price categories. According to our August