Your home inspection is one of the most important events during the purchase process. When it reveals defects that affect the safety, structure, and value of the home (for example mold in the attic, a faulty furnace, a chimney that needs repairs) you're likely to feel anxious and uncertain. 

That reaction is completely normal. You've found a home you love, pictured yourself living there, and now you're staring at a list of problems you didn't know existed. Many buyers feel some version of this. The good news is that a clear process can turn that uncertainty into a plan.

Should you try to negotiate all of the proper repairs and move forward with your purchase? Does the home you're attempting to buy require more upkeep than you're willing to take on?

Our team continues to serve many families across the generations. Chris Venden's support of Maria and Alex, first-time homebuyers, serves as the latest example.

When Maria and Alex decided it was time to buy a home of their own, the choice of who to call was easy — Chris had already earned the family's trust years before. 

Here's the story, in Maria's own words: 

"My parents worked with Chris Venden when they bought their home around 15 years ago, and they had a great experience. My husband and I began searching for our first home, and decided to reconnect with Chris. She found us our dream home.

As first time home buyers/owners, everything can be so intimidating and confusing, but she walked us through the process and was there through every

We're midway through the 2026 sales cycle, which makes it a good time to review some of the key themes we're observing in this year's real estate market. If you're planning to buy or sell this year, here are a few key trends for you to be aware of. 

(Brittingham Boats in Madison)

Condo inventory is more plentiful than single family home inventory. 

According to our July market snapshot, 2.5 months of condo supply are available for sale in Dane County, compared to 1.8 months for single family homes. 

Competing offers are more common in the single family home market. 

In the month of May, 37 percent of all single family home contract signings involved multiple offers, compared to 25 percent for condos. This is consistent with the pattern

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

What questions do you have 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 

 Th

June Madison area condo prices

• The price per square foot was $256, up 8 percent from $236 in June of 2025.
• The median price decreased from $329,250 in June of 2025 to $325,000 in June of 2026, down 1 percent. 
• The average price increased from $366,065 to $377,877, up 3 percent. 

Year-to-date condo

At Mad City Dream Homes, we’re allergic to “forced registration.” We do not require you to give us your contact information to see our website’s resources and guides. And we never require you to sign a contract to get to know us.

We encourage you to peruse our online profiles or call us to join you for a cup of coffee — there is no contract, fee, or obligation as you do your research. 

We recommend Mike Austin at Epic Electric for your electrician needs. Mike has proven to be a great communicator and an expert in his field. While diagnosing an issue, he offers clear explanations and transparent pricing.

We encourage you to reach out to Mike, whether you’re looking to take care of a small repair or have a panel replaced at mike.austin@epicelectricmadison.com or 608-445-1497.

We recently recommended K&A Greenhouse as a wonderful resource for your gardening needs. Another excellent resource is Tend Native Plants out of Blue Mounds, just a short drive from Madison. 

If you're interested in converting some of your yard to a pollinator friendly habitat, Tend Native Plants is a helpful place to start. Sarah, the owner, clearly has a passion for native plants and wildflowers. She's been a tremendous resource for my family, as we convert more and more of our yard to native wildflowers, sedges, and grasses.

Just like our family, you'll be amazed by how much you learn — and by all of the birds, bees and butterflies that flock to your yard — as your native plants take root. 

(Bee Balm is easy to grow and a favorite for bees

When the closing paperwork is signed and we hand you the keys, it's not "goodbye" — in fact, we'd love for you to call anytime.

Call us if you need a repair completed and don't know where to start. Call us when you need a second opinion on a home improvement project's return on investment. Call us after the big storm if you're unsure if there's damage to your property. Call us when you can't remember how to reprogram the garage door opener. And call us when you or a loved one is making a move.

We want to be your one-stop shop for real estate questions — if we don't know the answer, we'll find someone who does for you.

What questions are on your mind?

Dane County home prices moved higher in June, as new listings, accepted offers, and home sales all increased. Here's our mid-year review of the Madison area single family home market. Note: All of our data is sourced directly from the South Central Wisconsin MLS. 

Dane County home prices

June Madison area home prices

• The price per square foot increased from $258 in June of 2025 to $261 in June of 2026, up 1 percent. 
• The median price increased from $501,250 to $537,300, up 7 percent. 
• The average price increased from $587,341 to $613,752, up 4 percent. 

Year-to-date prices through the month of June

• The Dane County price per square foot increased from $249 through June of 2025 to $257 through June of 2026, up 3 percent.

If you scroll through most real estate marketing right now, you'll see many of the same things on repeat: another "Accepted Offer!" graphic, another social media story set to music, another automated caption that could've been written for any agent in any market. It works, on the surface — it's getting the agent's name and face out there. But if everyone's doing the same thing, no one's really standing out.

We believe what actually builds a sustainable business looks a little different, and a little slower. It means putting your client's experience ahead of your social media presence, getting crystal clear on who you love working with, and creating content that's yours — not outsourced or automated. Here are four unconventional habits worth building