Young people are being squeezed out of the real estate market, which the recent NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers makes abundantly clear. According to the survey: 

• The median home buying age in 2024 was 56 years old, the highest on record. 
• The median first-time home buying age was 38 years old, an all-time high. 
• Only 24 percent of all buyers in 2024 were first-time buyers, an all-time low. 

Until our local home supply significantly improves, buying a home will continue to be a challenge for many people, especially young people who are working hard to grow their income and save up for their down payment.

Despite the challenges, we want you to know there are still opportunities for first-time home buyers in this market. And

We’d like to extend a reminder: consider your estate planning needs. One part of estate planning is making sure your assets - like your home - are distributed in accordance to your wishes if something were to happen to you. This also saves your loved ones the trouble of the probate process, which can lead to extra stressors and fees.

Estate planning is also prudent to consider if you own a home with someone to whom you are not married to, or have bought property in another state. Not sure where to start? Not sure if an estate plan makes sense for you? We have vetted some attorneys who would love to be of help in answering your questions.

Contact us for a personalized referral.

#1) A professional anticipates your needs and proactively communicates with you. 

#2) A pro is willing to tell you what you need to hear, even if it's not what you want to hear. 

#3) A pro is generous with their time and attention and always gives discretionary effort. 

#4) A pro is dedicated to mastering their craft and continually adapting to industry changes.  

#5) A pro is cool under pressure and helps you handle a surprise with creativity and grace. 

** Learn more here **

Our home and condo selling clients have been experiencing tremendous results this year. One client, in particular, sold their home for more than $100,000 above the list price.

How did this happen?

There was one buyer who assumed the home was receiving extreme competition and structured their offer accordingly. The truth? They could have purchased the home for a lower price had they called the listing agent to inquire about the level of competition.

At Mad City Dream Homes, we're huge believers in picking up the phone whenever we're preparing to submit an offer for our clients. This simple step often reveals crucial information that can save our buyers thousands of dollars and strengthen their negotiating position.

Here's more info on our

Recently, our friends reached out to us in a difficult situation. Despite their roof being only 12 years old, they discovered all of the plywood sheathing in their attic was rotting. The culprit? Their original roofer had installed the roof without proper ventilation.

Our friends made multiple attempts to contact the roofer, hoping they would fix the issue and stand behind their work. Unfortunately, the contractor ghosted them, leaving them with a deteriorating roof and mounting concerns.

So we connected our friends with Cody Helmer, whose crew quickly addressed the problem. They removed the old shingles and damaged plywood, then properly installed a new roof with adequate ventilation. Now our friends have peace of mind knowing they have a sound

Whether you're buying or selling a home, you shouldn't have to settle for status quo service—especially when you have so much riding on the results.

At Mad City Dream Homes, we practice these 10 customer service philosophies daily, each of which has become increasingly counter-cultural in today's real estate market:

• Focus over distraction
• Relationship over transaction 
• Listening over talking 
• Serving over selling 
• Effectiveness over efficiency 
• Mastery over mystery 
• Humility over publicity 
• Generosity over scarcity 
• Collaboration over competing 
• The right thing over the easy thing 

**Here's more about our approach to customer service, in the words of our clients** 

Have you ever driven by a home and seen a "for sale" in the yard but with no indication of the home being for sale anywhere online? Chances are this was a "coming soon" or "delayed" listing that was only searchable by realtors with access to the source MLS.

We have good news to share. Soon, your buyer agent will be able to send you automatic updates when coming soon listings are posted to the MLS. We'll let you know when this feature is available.

A lot of us are concerned about inflation right now, with many people fearing that the everyday cost of living will soon be rising across the board. Whether our daily expenses end up increasing dramatically or not, it's good to keep in mind that owning real estate does offer a hedge against inflation. 

How is this so? 

When you buy a home with a fixed rate mortgage, you know exactly what your monthly housing payment (principal and interest) will be for the duration of your loan. Compare this to signing a lease, where it's possible your monthly payment will rise every 12 months. Unfortunately this is the reality for many renters right now, rents are rising significantly each year.  

The good news

The good news is you'll experience

What's a fiduciary? A fiduciary is someone who's legally obligated to act in the best interests of another person, placing that person's interests above their own. 

At Mad City Dream Homes, we always have the mindset of a fiduciary, whether you hire us to legally represent you or not. 

This means we take responsibility for knowing the market and knowing our craft, so we're always prepared to offer you sound advice. We act ethically and honestly and always choose to do the right thing, even when no one else is watching. And above all else, we always give you our best, knowing that the consequences of our actions can have a big impact on your life. 

Call us when you're ready to consult with a fiduciary. It would be our pleasure to serve you. 

We're happy for our client, Carol, who just experienced a very successful sale of her condo in Northern Lights Village. Chris helped Carol buy her condo 9 years ago, and when it came time to sell, Carol turned to Chris once again.

This is a nice, real-life example: We all want to know that we have an honest and competent professional we can turn to when we need one most. Chris is that person. 

Photo and virtual staging by Step Inside Media.