Our team is excited to once again host Madison artist Lilada Gee at our office, 1619 Monroe St, Madison, for Spring Gallery Night from 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 6th! The theme of her exhibit is a “Celebration of Black Girlhood.” 

Lilada writes, “Join me in celebrating the beauty of Black girlhood! EVERY girl who attends my Spring Gallery Night exhibit will get a piece of her own art to take home. Bring your girl out for a night of inspiration. Great food. Great company! And great art that celebrates amazing Black girls will be available in many forms for the girl in your life or to donate to inspire joy in a girl who needs a smile put on her face!”

We enjoyed seeing so many of you for Fall Gallery Night in November, and we hope you’ll stop by to meet

Can you see yourself living in your home for years or even decades to come? Or are you still in search of your forever home? According to statistics from the AARP, more than 90% of people over the age of 65 would prefer to stay in their current home the rest of their lives. By 2030, a fifth of the population will be in that age range. “Aging in place” has many benefits, including treasuring the memories and possessions you’ve accumulated at your home and staying connected to your community, friends, and familiar surroundings. Saving money and maintaining a sense of independence as long as possible are also key factors in this decision.  

So, what happens if someone wishes to remain at home but can no longer drive, doesn’t have family nearby, or could

Think about your last trip to buy groceries. If you’re like me, you drove your vehicle for a few minutes to your choice of grocery stores. Perhaps you picked up each piece of produce to inspect if it had any imperfections, and then gently set it aside to opt for one that looked better – ignorant to just how prevalent food waste is in our country. You filled up your cart with more items and your trunk with several bags and got home in time to cook a balanced meal.

Now imagine how that experience might be different if you needed to walk, ride a bike, or take a bus to get groceries instead – especially if it’s raining, snowing, dark out, or you have kids along with you. How many bags can you manage? How much time do you have to make a meal once you get

As building, lumber, and construction costs rise -- which leads to rising replacement costs to your home -- it’s important to make sure your property is fully covered.

What would it take to rebuild your home if something happened? The average inflation rate in Wisconsin this past year was about 10% and material costs were up about 14% in 2021 from early 2020, and “that’s where the rebuild costs get out of whack really fast,” said Steve Aune, an agent with American Family Insurance in Madison.  

People typically review their policy and coverage every few years to make sure their income and assets are protected. This can prevent them from being underinsured. Aune said some reasons to revisit it include if you: 

• Make material changes to

What started as a Kiwanis Club service project in the 1950s to support young people has grown into the largest neighborhood center for all ages in Madison. The Goodman Community Center has been serving the community -- predominantly those living on the northeast side of the city -- for the last 70 years. Through the connected values of integrity, respect, caring, equity, and trust, Goodman’s mission is to strengthen lives and secure futures. 

“The way I think about that is helping folks in the here and now and setting folks up for long-term success as well,” said Jon Lica, Director of Corporate & Community Relations. Programs range from urgent services such as the food pantry to those that “help young folks build themselves into the adults they

How might your life be different if you were offered a fresh start when you were younger? For 50 years, Operation Fresh Start (OFS) has been building the futures and transforming the lives of more than 8,000 young people with that question in mind. The mission of the nonprofit is to empower emerging adults on a path to self-sufficiency through education, mentoring, and employment training. 

“I think how this organization started is just amazing,” said OFS Development Director Jody Weyers. “Jack Osteraas was a former police officer and saw the same young people on the street all the time. So he talked to some different funding partners and got enough money to buy a dilapidated house, and he got a crew of 8 young men together to rehab the house with him

The Dane County Farmers’ Market has gained notoriety for being the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the United States. Each Saturday, nearly 100 vendors line Capitol Square to sell their goods -- from cauliflower to cheese curds -- all of which are grown, raised, and produced in Wisconsin by the person behind the stand. 

Since its inception nearly 50 years ago in 1972, the market’s mission has been to unite urban and rural cultures and allow people to connect with their food on a different level than they could by purchasing it from anywhere else.  

“The market supports small farmers who grow food in an environmentally-thoughtful way and also supports our local community,” said Market Manager Jamie Bugel. “The market is an incredible

In January 2010, Haiti was the site of an earthquake that killed over 300,000 people and displaced millions of Haitians. Gergens Polynice, a student at UW-Madison, was from Port-au-Prince (the capital of Haiti and also the epicenter of the earthquake) and had spent the holidays at home. Although his family was not hurt, the needs of the Haitian community were immediate. One of his professors, Tom Eggert, taught a class on sustainable development and organized students in the class to help those in Haiti who were left without places to stay, places to work, and places of safety. “This was one of the first natural disasters you could donate to on your phone via text, and the international community arrived with food, medicine, shelter, and water. But my

While many of our clients live in the homes they are selling, we also work with out-of-town owners who are ready to let go of their investment properties or second homes. We are proud to offer sellers -- whether they’re nearby or far away -- peace of mind during the entire process. 

For example, when LouAnn H. chose our team to sell her Jamestown Newbury condo, she entrusted us with her keys and we took care of the rest. Agents Jake Johnson and Dan Miller collaborated to co-list the 2 bed/1 bath property, which had multiple offers and sold above asking price. 

2150 Allen Blvd #1, Middleton

Listed for $145,000 and sold for $150,000 -- $5,000 above the list.

Rather than having LouAnn spend two hours driving one way to open up her condo for

While every real estate situation is unique, our team has noticed that sellers often view offers from buyers more favorably if they’re working with a local lender -- especially someone who takes the time to vouch for them. Even if your offer isn’t the highest or it includes financing or has other contingencies, having a local lender as part of the transaction can help distinguish your offer in a competitive market. Online or out-of-state lenders can cause listing agents to worry about appraisers, communication, and accountability. Sellers want a smooth closing, and a local, knowledgeable, and service-minded mortgage lender can help pave that path early on. 

For example, the determining factor in Mad City Dream Homes REALTOR Jake Johnson’s clients