School is almost out and vacation season is right around the corner, which means we're officially entering a new season for real estate, too. Here's our quick preview of what buyers and sellers can expect from the June Madison area real estate market. 

 (Wingra Boats on the near west side of Madison) 

Expectations for buyers this June

New listings will continue to enter the market at a brisk pace, and buyers will benefit from a decrease in competition. Now that we're on the other side of the Memorial Day Holiday, competing offers and bidding wars will moderate over the course of the summer. Some properties will undergo price reductions and begin to sit on the market a little longer -- making this an excellent time for buyers to remain patient

It's springtime in Dane County, the perfect time to get out and explore the natural world and the beautiful landscapes of South Central Wisconsin. Here's our quick guide to a few of our favorite hiking spots in the Madison area. 

(Ice Age Trail, Gibralter Rock Segment)

The Ice Age Trail 

Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail traces 1,200 miles of varied terrain, winding throughout the state. Many beautiful segments are located within and around Dane County, including the Valley View, Verona, Table Bluff, and Gibralter Rock segments. If you're feeling ambitious, you can download the app and track every segment of the trail you hike. Who knows, you might even set a goal to hike the entire trail and become a thousand-miler. 

Dane County Parks 

Income property prices continue to rise in Dane County, while inventory remains tight. Here's our latest update on the Madison area rental property market, covering the first four months of the year. 

Dane County price per unit

The price per multifamily unit through the first four months of the year was just shy of $213,000, a new record for our market. Note from the chart below that the price per unit has tripled since bottoming out in 2012. 

Gross rent multiplier (GRM) 

The Madison area gross rent multiplier through the month of April was 10.7, which is consistent with how the market has been trending over the last ten years. The GRM has been relatively flat over the last decade, which indicates that rents and prices have been

Planning to sell your Madison area duplex? If your goal is to maximize your return on investment, we recommend focusing on first-time homebuyers as your target audience. Many first-timers are drawn to duplexes because owner-occupying one — with a tenant helping subsidize the mortgage — offers a real, attainable path to homeownership. 

Here's what this marketing approach looks like, using our recent duplex listing on Madison's near east side as an example. This duplex received five competing offers and will be closing soon for tens of thousands of dollars above the list price. 

(photos courtesy of Step Inside Media) 

1) Work with the tenants to stage the duplex. 

Even if it's just two or three rooms, staging your duplex will draw the attention

At Mad City Dream Homes, we have five team philosophies that help us thrive as individual agents within the support structure of the larger team. Here's a look at the philosophies that guide each of us toward a productive and sustainable career in real estate. 

1) Ask for help, and offer help

We constantly encounter new situations in the field of real estate, so it's important that we seek advice from team members when the path forward is unclear. Just as important is asking for help when our workload is too much for us to handle on our own. Helping each other navigate our day-to-day challenges is key to all of us enjoying prosperous and rewarding careers.

2) No hierarchy, and no egos

Regardless of our age and experience, we're all full-time

Condo buyers are more selective this year. And that's understandable. Condo prices, HOA fees, and property taxes have increased significantly over the last decade, so buyers are naturally more sensitive to the costs of ownership. 

Here's how one Madison area seller addressed those concerns head on to create a beautiful listing presentation -- and a sale that attracted multiple offers for far above the list price. 

(photos courtesy of Step Inside Media)

How to crush your condo sale

1) Apply a fresh coat of paint and install new flooring to eliminate wear and tear. 

When you choose the right colors and products, new paint and flooring will change the entire look and feel of your condo, and reward you with an excellent return on

Researching online reviews can be an incredibly helpful exercise before choosing your Madison area realtor. Approached the right way, they offer insight into an agent's skills, work ethic, and character.

Unfortunately, reviews can sometimes be misleading, too. Here are a few tips that will help you effectively use online reviews as a helpful realtor selection tool. 

What to look for when researching online reviews

1) Stories that offer insight into the realtor's skills, work ethic, and character 

Numerical ratings can be informative, but we recommend paying more attention to the actual client testimonials. Look for reviews that share stories of how the agent specifically helped the client. What themes emerge from the stories? Do the stories

The short answer is not very common at all. Here are the latest numbers from the Wisconsin Circuit Court. 

Dane County foreclosures through April 2026

A total of 89 Madison area foreclosures were filed through the first 4 months of the year, essentially even with 90 foreclosure filings during the same time last year.

Note from the chart below that Dane County foreclosures continue to trend near historically low levels. This year's pace is 85 percent lower than the peak foreclosure pace in 2010, when 612 foreclosures were filed through the month of April. 

How historically low foreclosure totals impact our market

We're happy to know that relatively few homeowners are facing foreclosure in Dane County. Distressed property listings

How can I serve you?

It's a simple question, but it can change the whole trajectory of your career.

Here's how it might look in daily practice:

When a potential client calls about buying or selling a home, resist the urge to jump into sales mode. Instead, focus on listening and asking good questions that help them clarify their next steps. The goal isn't to "convert" them — it's to serve them.

When you're creating content — a video, a social media post, a newsletter — ask yourself who it's really for. Are you making yourself the primary focus? Or are you creating something that genuinely benefits your audience?

When you're thinking about marketing, remember that most people are wary of businesses that lean on self-promotion and aggressive

Dane County condo prices decreased in the month of April, while new listings and accepted offers increased. Here's our deep dive into the April Madison area condo market. Note: All of our data is sourced from the South Central Wisconsin MLS. 

Do you have any questions about buying or selling a condo in the Madison, Wisconsin area? Reach out to one of our condo experts for a helpful consultation. 

Dane County condo prices 

April Madison area condo prices

• The price per square foot was $250, down 3 percent from $257 in April of 2025.
• The median price decreased from $337,550 in April of 2025 to $314,000 in April of 2026, down 7 percent. 
• The average price decreased from $401,258 to $370,313, down 8 percent. 

Year-to-date condo