It could be one of the biggest questions you'll face in your home search — and there's no single right answer. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, and for most people the decision takes time after carefully weighing the options. In the end, it comes down to which preferences are most important to you.

(an established neighborhood on Madison's westside — Ice Age Falls; photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)

Common Considerations

For example, you may value the advantages of a new construction home:

• Rooms that offer all of the modern conveniences and finishes
• A floorplan that's designed to fit your lifestyle
• A scenario that gives you peace of mind — knowing you won't have any costly repairs to address shortly after you move

At Mad City Dream Homes, we have five team philosophies that help us thrive as individual agents within the support structure of the larger team. Here's a look at the philosophies that guide each of us toward a productive and sustainable career in real estate. 

1) Ask for help, and offer help

We constantly encounter new situations in the field of real estate, so it's important that we seek advice from team members when the path forward is unclear. Just as important is asking for help when our workload is too much for us to handle on our own. Helping each other navigate our day-to-day challenges is key to all of us enjoying prosperous and rewarding careers.

2) No hierarchy, and no egos

Regardless of our age and experience, we're all full-time

Are you dreaming of buying or building a new construction home in 2026? Here's our overview of Madison area neighborhoods with new construction homes and buildable lots. All of these Dane County neighborhoods have inventory available right now. 

(photo courtesy of Step Inside Media) 

Albion

• Hawks View right outside of Edgerton offers 1 plus acre lots for under $120,000. 

Belleville

• Baker's Woods offers 3-bedroom/3-bathroom homes for under $400,000.  
• Bell West offers a wider selection of homes with price points starting between $400,000 and $500,000. 

Black Earth

• Red Hawk Valley in Black Earth has buildable lots available for under $100,000. 

Town of Bristol

• Bristol Gardens outside of Sun Prairie

Are you considering new construction? A new Dane County builder might be a good fit for you: Maverick Homes. Maverick Homes was founded last year by a team with over seventy years of collective industry experience. Shawn, Mike, Matt, and Dan know quality construction and prioritize customer service.

For example, pricing is upfront when you tour a model home. Everything you see walking through one of their spec homes is included in the price presented to you (yes, the fireplace and 9-foot ceilings, too!). Maverick Homes clients enjoy flexibility while this company builds its floor plan portfolio, too.

Choose from one of their three affordable floor plans, or design something semi-custom, like a current client's layout with two first-floor primary

It is too soon to tell how tariffs may impact building costs long-term, according to Mike Fujihira, Director of Operations at Maverick Homes. However, we definitely have started to see and feel some of the impacts, and Mike has some wise advice on the issue: work with companies that care about their customers and maintain good relationships with outside vendors. 

These companies will do more to mitigate any unexpected costs, and have a business model that better protects you from future tariffs. Partnering with the right people is invaluable when looking for as much certainty as possible in the build process. 

Reach out if you could use some extra guidance - we'd be happy to find solutions that meet your goals with you.

Aerial photography by

** This article was originally written by Samantha Haas while a member of our team. You can learn more about Samantha and her work here. 

There are few places left in Madison where you can build a home in a quiet, natural setting that's also close to amenities.

Among them are a handful of lots conveniently located between the Yahara River, Cherokee Marsh and Cherokee Country Club on the city's north side, just north of Wheeler Road.

One of the developments, called Burning Wood, is an extension of Burning Wood Way near Comanche Way. Here you'll find lots that back up to the golf course on the east side and face a wooded area along the Yahara River on the west side.

Just down the road hugging the river is Cherokee Park, which offers more

There is a lot of discussion presently about green energy, and the use of renewable energy sources is increasing in the Madison area. One option available to homeowners is solar energy. Solar panels are being included in many new construction homes, but they can also be added to existing structures. It can make sense for a homeowner, especially if the roof faces south, and is not heavily shaded. 

"The cost for solar energy has dropped about 75% over the last 5 years," says Chris Collins, Regional Project Developer for SunVest Solar Inc.  "Many customers choose to amortize the cost of the solar installation into their mortgage. Customers who do amortize the cost of a solar electric system often find that their payments are less than what they would pay

Thinking of building a new home in Madison, Wisconsin? You're not alone. Housing starts in the Madison area are up by more than 75% through the first two months of 2013. And we see the trend toward more home-building continuing throughout the year.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. The inventory of existing homes is at its lowest point since 2005.
2. Foreclosures continue to decline rapidly, which well help to keep inventories of existing homes low.
3. Demand is high. Madison homes are selling at their fastest pace in the last 6 years.
4. There is a large, pent-up demand for real estate, which suggests we'll continue to see robust sales in the year ahead. Contrast this to the last several years when home sales were at depressed levels and consumers