Mad City Dream Homes Real Estate Blog, Madison WI

It's fall in Wisconsin! Leaves are changing, mums are in bloom, and while we enjoy the beauty of the season, The team at Meicher CPAs suggest it's the perfect time to look at your tax strategy.  What is a tax strategy? Tax planning is really a way of making sure you utilize tax deductions, by getting everything that you qualify to use, and then using them the right way. "It's also utilizing tax credits, and making sure your capital assets are purchased at the right time," says David Meicher, CPA at Meicher CPAs. 

Meicher acknowledges that the current political climate makes tax planning tricky. It's hard to plan for a tax structure that remains undefined. Even so, we know that the existing tax code is complex, and it's wise to plan ahead. "It really

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sell in one day or sell in one weekWe've all heard stories this year of home owners who sold their listing within a day or even a few hours of putting their house on the market. Although it's very tempting for a home owner to accept the first strong offer that comes in, is this the right decision to make?

We would argue in many cases the right decision is to wait and allow more offers to come in before responding to the first buyer that writes an offer. The reason is competing offers are a seller's best friend. Sellers who negotiate with multiple buyers usually end up with a higher price and better terms than sellers who negotiate with just one. The hard part for some sellers is knowing how to attract competing offers in the first place. Here are four tips for making it happen. 

How

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It may still feel like summer, but fall is upon us. To help you get in the autumnal mood, check out these upcoming festivals throughout Dane County. Whether you want to drink apple cider, pick out pumpkins, or take a wagon ride over crunchy leaves through city streets, there's no shortage of fun activities for the whole family this month.

Great Pumpkin Give Away
When: 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, October 7
Where: Oak Bank, 5951 McKee Road, Fitchburg
What: Bring the family to pick out a pumpkin to take home; suggested donation of $5 benefits Summer Teaching to Advance Reading Success.
Activities: Kids games, local mascots, bounce house, horse and carriage rides, refreshments.

Monona Fall Festival
When: October 7-8
Where: Winnequah Park, 5301 Healy Lane,

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In this real estate careers topic we cover why we're heavily invested in content marketing. What is content marketing? It's our commitment to continuously share useful real estate information with clients and the general public. 

content and attraction marketing

What types of content do we share? 

We share a lot, including:

  • Community, neighborhood, and condo community profiles. 
  • Things to do in Madison. 
  • Buying and selling tips. 
  • Home and condo market reports. 

How does content marketing benefit our business?

Content marketing benefits our business in 5 main ways:

#1: It helps us attract new clients. We've learned real estate consumers appreciate this approach. It's different from what most other agents offer, and it builds trust and credibility with

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On a warm September morning, just weeks after Dane County Parks opened the first phase of the Lower Yahara River Trail, a group of bicyclists paused on the floating boardwalk between Upper Mud Lake and Lake Waubesa.

They had spotted an eagle, which was perched high in a tree adjacent to the pedestrian bridge -- the longest in the state and perhaps the country. It's a sight few could have seen without being on the new trail that is suspended above the shoreline and wetland.

"Over the years, the bridge will allow millions of people to experience the natural beauty in a manner never before experienced," said Bill Lunney, chair of the Friends of Dane County Parks Endowment and Dane County Park Commission.

That scenic segment, which in places

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The October real estate market offers a window of opportunity for sellers who are still looking for the right buyer. Take a look at the graph below, which shows the number of Madison single family home accepted offers for each month in 2016. 

fall real estate market in madison wi 

As the graph above shows, buyer activity typically increases in October before bottoming out in November and December. This means it's critical for sellers to get their listing priced properly right now. Sellers who find their buyer in October will avoid the slow holiday season and the need for a November or December price reduction. 

Pricing for the fall market

If you're still looking for the right buyer, we recommend working with your real estate agent to take a fresh look at the market in your area.

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The first week of October is packed with flavor and generosity in the greater Madison area.

Several local restaurants are donating a portion of their proceeds to causes that directly impact the community, and you can help just by filling up on some tasty food. So consider going out to eat with your family and friends during these three upcoming fundraisers.

Fall Food Cart Fest 

What: About 20 food carts from Let's Eat Out! will serve their menu items for $4. There will also be drinks for sale, yoga, and live music.
When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, October 1, 2017
Where: Breese Stevens Field, 917 E. Mifflin St., Madison
Tickets: $5 in advance, $10 at the door, $25 VIP
Fundraiser: A portion of all proceeds will go toward Carts for Community, which "uses

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In our August real estate update we've noticed an interesting trend in the Madison single family home market: New Madison listings have now quietly increased in 5 of the last 6 months. From March through August, listings are up 5% from the same months in 2016. This is a modest increase, but it's a step in the right direction toward a more balanced market which has enough housing supply to meet the needs of Dane County's growing population. We'll keep a close eye on listings in the months ahead. 

More Single Family Home News

All of our latest single family home statistics show it's still a strong seller's market in Madison. Currently there are only 1.9 months of single family home supply. Although this number is up slightly from 1.8 months a year

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The Madison area is beautiful in the fall. Leaves turn brilliant colors, pumpkins, apples and mums all hit their peak season, and area farms invite you to come and enjoy the harvest. This weekend, several of them are opening their fall festivities. We recommend you travel around town, and experience as many of these farms as you can!

Eugster's Farm Market: If you're interested in a full-blown farm experience, Eugster's the the place to be! The farm is south of Madison and east of Oregon on Highway 138. They feature a wide range of farm animals available for viewing, feeding and petting. They also offer a pumpkin patch and a corn maze, and additional special events throughout October. For those that want to just enjoy the harvest (and not hunt for it),

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Sit down with Steve Hansen at Summit Credit Union, and he will put you right at ease. He's the kind of lender that listens to you, partners with you, and helps to prepare you for a home purchase. "I really want to be an adviser to my clients,” he says.  “I can look at their goals and help them develop strategies to meet them." Sometimes this involves identifying the best mortgage options available. Other times, it can be figuring out how to reduce debt and save for a down payment.

"Having a down payment isn't always required, but it certainly makes the home buying process easier," he says. But so does having a pre-approval letter prepared for the moment you make an offer. "In this market, you have to move fast. If you have the pre-approval in hand,

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