Buying Tips

Buying a Home in Madison & South Central Wisconsin: Real Estate Buying Tips

Found 218 blog entries about Buying Tips.

successful home buyer with mad city dream homes

With the market mellowing, the home-buying experience is changing.

Now, buying your dream home can be as simple as following these 3 basic steps:

#1: Hire a professional buyer agent who will help you stay on top of every new opportunity.

#2: When a new listing intrigues you, schedule your showing right away.

#3: If you absolutely love the home after seeing it in person, then write your offer immediately. It's possible that the seller will accept your offer as written, if you're the first one to write. 

Of course not every sale goes this way, but we're seeing more and more sellers accepting offers which don't involve any competition. Which means more homes and condos are selling for below the list price, and with inspection and appraisal

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Earlier this summer we shared the names of a few contractors who are standing out with service in 2022. Here are a few more professionals that we'd love to share with you based on their track record with our clients and our team. 

Mad City Dream Homes Recommended Contractors

Paul Peterson - Painter (608-358-3600)

Paul and his team are friendly, reliable, and professional. They're receiving rave reviews from our clients, and we absolutely love their work on our office remodel. We highly recommend Paul and his crew. 

Cody Helmer - Construction (608-577-7041)

Cody and his small crew specialize in new roofs, new siding, 3-season porches, and large-scale remodeling projects. Even better, Cody is the type of person you can do business with on a handshake.

Bob Stigsell - Asbestos, Mold,

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Chances are you've heard from at least one friend or loved one about their frustration with trying to buy a home in our low-supply market. But sometimes, all it takes is some fresh perspective and a new approach in order to make that dream home happen. 

At Mad City Dream Homes, we're helping over 100 clients find and buy their dream home in 2022, and we'd love to help your friends and family, too. Hard work, skill, and teamwork are proving to be exactly what our clients need in this year's market. 

So please let us know if there's someone in your life who we can help. We're always up for talking real estate and sharing our ideas and advice, and it would be our honor to serve your friends and family in their time of need.  

Thank you and

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Why do so many people choose to buy a home in the Madison area? Below we share some of the big themes that we keep hearing from our clients year-after-year. Some of these reasons are due to the attractions and reputation of our region, while others are more personal and matters of the heart. 

Relocating to Madison WI

Top 10 reasons for buying a home in Madison

#1) Quality of life 

The city of Madison has established a national reputation for being a great place to live, and for a host of reasons. Our lakes, parks, bike trails, festivals, restaurants, entertainment venues, the arts, and the many educational opportunities that are available through the University -- all of these are big draws to the Madison area.

#2) Alignment of values

Our local culture is known

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As mortgage rates have risen in recent months, many buyers are now turning to the Adjustable Rate Mortgage (or ARM) in order to lock in a low interest rate over a five, seven or ten year period. As many as 40% to 50% of all buyers are now choosing an ARM over a fixed-rate mortgage, based on our recent conversations with local lenders.

adjustable rate mortgage

Why would you choose an adjustable rate mortgage?

An ARM allows you to lock in a lower monthly payment during the initial period of your loan. For example, with a 7-year ARM, during the first 7 years of your loan you would lower your interest rate by a full percentage point compared to the traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage. After the initial 7 years is up, your rate would adjust subject to market conditions

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No doubt, there is some fear in the world of real estate right now: Fear about world events. Fear about inflation. And fear about higher interest rates, to name a few.

And because we're human, that fear can cause us to hesitate and put our dreams on hold. But on the flip side of fear, is opportunity. And the market does offer some real opportunities for those of us who are are able to hold onto our aspirations and keep working on our real estate goals.

crisis vs opportunity in real estate

For example

If you've been frustrated by a lack of supply, selection is improving...And you have opportunity.

If you haven't been able to compete, competition is decreasing...And you have opportunity.

If you need to sell in order to buy, home sale contingencies are back...And you have

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Congratulations to our clients Beckie and Eli, who recently closed on a beautiful property so they can expand their Montessori school and childcare offerings starting this fall! This is the second time that agent Chris Venden has helped the couple secure additional real estate for their growing business on Madison’s far east side. 

The stars seemed to align over the last 7 years for all of these adjacent properties near Milwaukee St and Sprecher Rd, in part because each of the neighbors wanted their 5-acre parcels to remain wild, natural spaces as opposed to being developed when they decided to sell. Beckie and Eli share that philosophy when it comes to their educational programs, which “focus on a natural environment and the natural growth and

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We all have our own ideas about our ideal home, location, and setting. And for many of us, it has a lot to do with a new stage of life. Have you been dreaming about a home for your next season of life? How many of these features are on your dream home bucket list?

Your Dream Home Bucket List

Your dream location and setting

  • A home near your friends and loved ones

  • A home in your preferred school district

  • A community that reflects your personal values

  • A home near parks, green space, trails, and nature

  • A home that’s walkable to restaurants, cafes, entertainment

  • A fenced in yard with plenty of space for your kids or dog to play

  • A condo with inspiring, panoramic views

  • A home with acreage and plenty of peace and

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Our circumstances in life are always changing. For example, the events of the world. The state of the economy. Changes in our family. And changes in our personal life, too. 

But regardless of what is happening in the world around us, we all need a place to call home. And more than that we all desire a place that truly feels like home. A home that enhances our sense of wellbeing and our feeling of belonging. That belonging could be the connection we feel with our neighbors, the connection we feel with our community, and the connection we feel with the natural world that surrounds us. 

Home Sweet Home

Do you find yourself dreaming about your next home? A home that enhances your sense of wellbeing and belonging? We would love to explore the possibilities with you

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As we return to a more balanced market, the art of negotiation is making its return, too. And it has been a long time coming. For the last three years, so many buyers have felt like they were at the mercy of sellers, where virtually every aspect of the offer to purchase was about buyers giving and sellers taking. But now, with the market mellowing, many buyers and sellers are realizing that they are on a much more level playing field when it comes time to negotiate. 

the art of real estate negotiation

Now all of these terms are open for negotiation once again:

The price.

The inspection.

The appraisal. 

The home sale contingency.

And a host of other contingencies, too.  

Do you need help negotiating our changing market? 

Reach out to your preferred Mad City Dream

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