If you appreciate the clean lines and organic building materials of a mid century home, Dane County has several neighborhoods for your consideration. Here are a few Madison area neighborhoods well-known for their mid-century architecture. 

Dane County neighborhoods featuring mid century architecture

Near west side

• Hill Farms
• Midvale Heights
• Westmorland
• Sunset Village

West side

• Faircrest
• Crestwood 
• Spring Harbor/Indian Hills 

Monona

Downtown Middleton

Call us when you're ready to talk about your next dream home. We'll help you find and buy the home that's perfect for you. 

A new buyer client recently asked us this question, and you may be wondering, too. Our answer is simple: You should buy in the location that works best for your budget, your lifestyle, and your family. You should buy where you can see yourself living a better life. 

Our advice may seem overly simplistic, but no matter where you choose to buy in Dane County, your home's value is poised to grow significantly over the next few decades. There are a whole host of systemic factors that will contribute to sustained growth. Here are ten of them. 

Here's what you can expect to receive from Mad City Dream Homes when you hire us to guide you through your purchase or your sale. 

Competence

We are real estate professionals who faithfully and skillfully carry out our duties to you, our client. 

Communication

We communicate with you proactively and always respond immediately to your questions and concerns. 

Care

We tailor our approach to your individual needs so you know that we always have your best interests in mind. 

You can learn more by viewing what our clients have to say on Google, Zillow, and our testimonials page. 

Are you ready to move into urban living, where your shopping, dining, entertainment and recreational activities are just a short stroll from home? Here are some popular pedestrian-friendly condos for your consideration, both within and around the city of Madison. 

Near east side condos

The near east side of Madison offers over a dozen pedestrian-friendly condo communities, including the Livingston Condos on Williamson Street, and the Park East Condos on Atwood Avenue. Dining, biking, and lake activities abound on this side of town. The East Washington Avenue corridor, with shopping and entertainment options, is just a short stroll from home. 

Hilldale Mall condos

On the near west side, Weston Place, Hilldale Row, and the Coventry Condos

When you find a way to buy your first home in your 20s or 30s, you have decades of compounding equity to look forward to. And it's compounding equity that's your key to building wealth through real estate. 

You don't need to be an investor to create wealth through real estate. You can create it just by investing in your first home, and then allowing your equity to work for you. Your equity will create opportunities for you throughout your lifetime, and for your loved ones, too. 

(photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)  

We're here to help you when you're ready to talk about homeownership. We serve first-time home buyers in the city of Madison, throughout Dane County, and surrounding areas. 

Recently we shared these important questions to ask before buying a condo. Here are 3 more questions you should explore before you submit your offer. 

(photo courtesy of Step Inside Media) 

3 questions to ask before buying a condo

1) What does the monthly condo fee cover? You can count on the fee covering lawn care, snow removal, and common area maintenance. Some condo fees also cover utilities, internet service, and a healthy contribution to the association reserve fund. 

2) Which repair and maintenance items are your responsibility? You will be responsible for repairs and maintenance inside the walls of your unit. Reviewing the condo documents will help you understand who is responsible for your roof, your deck/patio, and your windows. 

It's hard to believe, but the median age for a first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. This, according to the latest Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, is the highest on record. Back in the 1980s, the median age was less than 30. 

The latest survey results underscore the challenge that many aspiring homeowners face: a limited supply of affordable starter homes is making homeownership increasingly difficult. As a result many young people are missing out on the wealth-building opportunities that come with owning real estate. 

(listing photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)

Your opportunity in today's market

If you're an aspiring homeowner, your best opportunity is to work with a team of experts who will help you create your plan for buying

It's a new year with new goals, and now you're ready to take your big leap into homeownership. Here are 3 tips from our team that will help you become a homeowner in 2026. 

 (listing photo courtesy of Step Inside Media)

3 tips for first time homebuyers in 2026

1) Get educated on the homebuying process, which includes working with your buyer agent, learning about the market, and financing your home. Our team is here to give you all the time and attention you need to become educated and well-prepared for homeownership. 

2) Establish a homeownership budget. Set a realistic monthly budget that takes into account your mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, and insurance. We also recommend allocating a monthly budget for future repairs

When you're in the middle of an important negotiation, and the other party is challenging to work with, you want your realtor to advocate for your best interests without letting ego and emotions get in the way. If your realtor does become emotional and reactionary, that's when your agreement with the other party is at risk of falling apart. 

Bluster and bravado may feel right in the moment. But diplomacy, humility, and maturity are the skills you need when the stakes are high. 

When a large goal looms, it can be hard to know how to begin - or when. If you have a dream of owning a home, but don’t know when or how you will turn that dream into concrete steps, reach out. We’d be happy to reverse engineer a timeline based on your lease, savings goals, or other milestones in your life. Once you see the path to homeownership more clearly, you can confidently take the first step.