We’re grateful for our Director of Agent Development, Matt Doyle, at our brokerage; he’s always providing insightful, synthesized statistics. Here’s the latest regarding final sale prices – by price range – for single-family properties that received accepted offers between September 1st and November 7th in Dane County.

Homes that were listed...

• Between $200,000-$399,999 sold for an average of .5% under list price.
• Between $400,000-$599,999 sold for an average of .9% under list price.
• Between $600,000-$999,999 sold for an average of .9% under list price.
• At $1 million and above sold for an average of 1.1% under list price.

The takeaway? Home values in Dane County continue to grow, but sellers would be wise to price a

We are seeing more national headlines about real estate agents using AI to edit their sellers' listing photos, sometimes in a misleading fashion.

Our commitment to you is that we will always be transparent when we edit our photos with a "Virtually Staged" label in the corner. If we crop the photo, we'll add a new disclaimer back in. Buyers should feel inspired, not deceived, when looking through one of our listings. 

Virtual staging is a powerful marketing tool Mad City Dream Homes uses with the help of Step Inside Media. It is beneficial for buyers, so they can imagine what their belongings and lifestyle would look like in a vacant room, and beneficial for sellers who prefer to move out before getting photos taken.

Shelley's beautiful listing at

When we begin the listing process with each seller, we customize a marketing plan for their home. One of the most exciting tools we have is creating a virtual “dollhouse” tour with the help of Step Inside Media.

Click on the “Virtual Tour” link when you browse our listings at madcitydreamhomes.com/listings.php

This type of virtual tour allows you to “walk through” the home as if you were touring in person, room by room. You can turn around and view your surroundings in 360 degrees. This is a useful tool for buyers who are out of town or for serious buyers who want to look through the property again before making an offer.

Check out one of these virtual tours, in collaboration with Maverick Homes, with some spooky

Amanda’s clients, Brent and Rachel, closed on their new home this summer. For these first-time homeowners, one of the most exciting parts of moving was having a yard for their adorable dog, Max. After years of apartment living, Max was ready to frolic on his own turf as he pleased, and the beautiful home they purchased on Madison’s west side allows him to do just that. On closing day, Max explored his new outdoor digs, complete with a fenced yard.

If you’re considering a new home, we’d love to help you find the right fit for your whole family - including your furry friends like Max.

For many of our neighbors in Dane County, the answer to this question depends on more than their symptoms. For low-income, uninsured Madisonians, receiving specialized medical care could result in bills high enough to topple their monthly budget, leaving families to decide whether to pay rent that month or treat an ailment. It goes without saying that this unfortunate dilemma leads to our community members delaying - or altogether foregoing - treatment that could significantly improve their lives, or even save them.

Specialty Care Free Clinic is a nonprofit specialty clinic funded entirely by donations that has been addressing this need since 2001. It was founded by three local doctors who saw these disparities reflected in their

We’ve come to love the Ice Age Trail as a nature-filled hiking path that hugs the western border of some Madison’s suburbs. But did you know that the Ice Age Trail is so expansive that 60% of Wisconsinites live within 20 minutes of it? Over 700 miles, made up of over 100 different segments, laces through the state. And that’s, of course, by design! 

(Photo: Dan and Kellie Miller on the Ice Age Trail in Door County)

Around 100 years ago, Raymond Zillmer had a dream to preserve and expand Kettle Moraine State Park so its beautiful glacial features could be enjoyed by more people than would otherwise travel to another distant national park. A lawyer by trade and an avid walker by hobby, Zillmer founded the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation (now

If you own a home with another person, there is a designation on your deed about how you “hold title.” In part, this refers to who would get ownership of the home if you were no longer living. Would the ownership be fully transferred to the other person (Joint Tenancy with Survivorship Rights)? Or would your ownership in the home be passed on to your next of kin (Tenancy in Common)? This is an oversimplification, but an important piece of the homeownership process to have recorded correctly or addressed in your estate planning. Reach out if you’d like help finding out how you “hold title” - we’d be happy to refer you to a reputable title company or attorney.

Real estate is an ever-evolving industry. It fluctuates based on our economy and community-specific trends. Due to this, we often hear some "myths" that stem from outdated information or misunderstandings. Let's bust them!

Myth: "You need a 20% downpayment to buy a home." 

Busted: Many buyers qualify for loans that require only 3% to 5% down, while veterans who qualify for a VA loan may not have to put any money down at all. There are also down payment assistance programs for many first-time homebuyers in Dane County. Some buyers do opt to put 20% or more down to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance, however.

Myth: "You can't ask for a home inspection in this market."

Busted: Home inspections are becoming common again as the market

One of the most nuanced parts of our job as real estate agents is advising our sellers on an accurate pricing strategy. While we understand a seller's inclination to "price high and see what happens," there are many predictable benefits to choosing a listing price the market agrees with, including: 

• More showings in a shorter span of time
• Fewer days on market, lessening or eliminating the need for a price reduction
• Competing offers often resulting in a higher offer price and fewer contingencies 
• Quicker closing (if desired by the seller)

Of course, each listing plan is based on a seller's unique goals. We don't have a one-size-fits-all approach. If you'd like a complimentary home valuation (no cost, no obligation), reach out to your

We’ve all heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder” with the underlying message to streamline and automate your business. However, at Mad City Dream Homes, we have a new take on the saying:

• Build genuine connections with our clients as people, not “leads”
• Do the right thing, even if it is time-consuming or challenging
• Treat each client with individualized care and attention
• Collaborate, instead of compete, with other professionals in the community

This way of doing business may not be the most systematic, but it is people-centric, and it makes our work more enjoyable - we think that’s quite “smart.”