Many parts of the real estate process can be done virtually, including staging. Staging is an important part of the home selling process. A staged home tends to have better listing photos, which attracts more buyers and helps it sell faster. For a while now, a home's first showing has been on the internet. But in this unique time of social distancing, listing photos and a virtual tour may be the only ways a buyer can see your home before writing an offer. It's more important than ever to showcase your home through great staging, photos, and a virtual tour.

Debbie Lea of Showcase Home Stagers has been helping clients virtually for years, so staging a home without ever stepping inside isn’t a new challenge for her. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

We know a lot of you have questions about how the Madison area real estate market is evolving, so we'll be sharing a lot of good information with you in the weeks and months ahead. This begins with our Madison single family home report, which will be updated regularly and is linked here. Below is our short summary of the latest trends and our perspective on how the market is changing. 

Here's a quick summary of the March single family home market:

• Madison home sales increased by 19% from March of 2019. 
• Accepted offers increased by 22%. 
• The number of expired listings and the average days on market remained near historically low levels. 
• The number of new MLS listings entering the market was the lowest total in the last 18 years.

Real estate practices and consumer expectations have shifted dramatically over the last few weeks, and we're learning almost every aspect of the buying and selling process can be done virtually. The real estate market is changing for sure, but buyers are still buying, and sellers are still selling. Many of our clients are still achieving all of their dreams and goals; they're just going about the process in a whole new way. 

Do you have questions about buying or selling during these turbulent times?

Whether you need to buy or sell right now, or you just want to start planning for the future, we can help you move forward with your goals as we practice social distancing. You're likely to have a lot of questions, so please reach out to us and

Even during these uncertain times, we're learning there are a lot people in the Madison area who have a very strong need to buy a home or condo. They have important personal or family reasons for buying at this time, and they're moving forward with their dreams and goals.

It also goes without saying that most buyers want to purchase their home in a manner that respects social distancing. We've been working in this mode for a few weeks now, and we have some case studies to share with you about our clients who are buying their home virtually. As you can see from the examples below, we're representing our clients in some new ways during this time of change. 

Buying a home virtually during coronavirus/COVID-19

Chris Venden recently wrote an

These are challenging times, and our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. To all of our past clients, please know we're here for you. We'll be checking in with you to see how you're doing, and we encourage you to reach out to us whenever you need someone to talk to. We'd love to hear from you. 

We also want you to know we're working very hard right now to assist all of our clients who need to sell their home, as we incorporate social distancing into the home-selling process. Here are a few examples from the last week that show how we're working creatively and getting our listings under contract in our new era of social distancing.  

Seller success stories during coronavirus/COVID-19

Our sellers on the

Social distancing has brought the entire family back under one roof 24/7, which can be a challenge. How do you keep your kids from getting too stir crazy?

Structure is important, and setting a rough daily schedule can be a good guide for the whole family. Include time for quiet play or relaxing, learning, and getting physical activity. Make sure to include something fun each day. Just remember, in-person play dates or time at the local playground are not permitted right now in order to slow the spread of the virus.

If your kids are anxious about COVID-19, or are fearful or confused, read this article from a UW-Madison expert on how to talk to your kids about COVID-19.

Make it educational

Just because school is out of session doesn’t mean kids

In early 2019 our real estate team made one of the smartest decisions we've ever made: We hired Tracy Kapela as a photographer and visual media specialist for our team. Then we set her loose and let her go to work. Her work over the last year has exceeded all of our expectations. Among her many contributions, she's taken our marketing materials for our home-sellers to the next level, in a way that makes our sellers feel proud of their listing. 

In early 2020, Tracy has upped her game by re-designing our listing photo process. First, by helping us select and invest in the latest, state-of-the-art equipment. And then by implementing a whole new photography and photo editing system. The results have been amazing. Here are just a few examples of Tracy's

Daily routines have been disrupted all over Dane County due to COVID-19, and it is making many people feel restless and stressed. Below are some tips for self-care during this challenging time.

Note: For the latest local information about COVID-19, visit the Public Health of Madison and Dane County website or the CDC’s website.

Stay connected

Social distancing means you’re likely not able to be in contact with many of the people you are used to spending time with. You may not be able to see loved ones at all. Calling friends and family on the phone is a nice way to stay connected while you need to physically stay apart. Make a point to reach out to elderly family members or those who may be living alone. Online platforms like Facetime and Skype

Real estate practices are evolving quickly as we all adjust to a world with coronavirus/COVID-19. One new practice that is coming soon is the digital closing. In a digital closing, the parties to a transaction sign their paperwork via e-signature from the comfort and safety of home. To learn more about how a digital closing works for buyers and sellers, please check out this article from the Homestead Title real estate blog. Thank you Peter Zarov for being a leader in the real estate field and for helping to spread the word about this important development.

As we navigate the changes in our own lives brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, many people also feel compelled to help the greater Madison community. But how? 

While still maintaining social distancing and following precautionary measures regarding COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Public Health Madison & Dane County, there are several ways to get involved.

If you have the means to give, please consider making a donation to a local cause you support. There are nearly 3,000 nonprofits to choose from in Dane County, and several directly provide food, housing, and transportation options for our community’s most vulnerable. 

The United of Way of Dane County, in partnership