Real estate practices are evolving quickly as we all adjust to a world with coronavirus/COVID-19. One new practice that is coming soon is the digital closing. In a digital closing, the parties to a transaction sign their paperwork via e-signature from the comfort and safety of home. To learn more about how a digital closing works for buyers and sellers, please check out this article from the Homestead Title real estate blog. Thank you Peter Zarov for being a leader in the real estate field and for helping to spread the word about this important development.

We're all adjusting to new ways of living, and for our clients and team, new ways of buying and selling real estate. During this period of social distancing, here are a few of the measures that we're evaluating and implementing in order to protect the health of our clients, staff, and the larger community. We understand we'll need to continually evolve our practices as we adjust to the events around us. 

How we're practicing real estate and social distancing

Working remotely and meeting virtually

Our agents and staff are now working from home and using conference calls and Zoom to conduct our team meetings. We're also carrying out buyer and seller consultations with conference calls and Zoom. 

Using technology to conduct staging consultations

Imagine a new property has just hit the market and you know as soon as you view it online it's the perfect house for you. It has the dream kitchen you've been waiting for, a beautiful and private yard, and the perfect location in your ideal neighborhood. The only problem is you know there are dozens of other buyers out there who are fawning over this house just like you. So how do you get your offer accepted when there are so many other buyers in love with the same property? Read on for our 5 tips that will help you successfully buy your dream home in 2020. 

5 tips that will help you buy your dream home in 2020

1) Be the first to visit the property and the first to write an offer. 

Sometimes getting your offer accepted is all about being the

If you're buying in 2020, your offer to purchase will likely be up against offers from other motivated buyers. Below are 22 ways you can make your offer stand out from the competition and be the one that gets accepted. Of course the strategies you use will depend a lot on the type and condition of the property, your level of motivation, and how much competition you have from other parties. 

22 Ways to Write a Winning Offer

#1: Submit your mortgage pre-approval from a reputable, local lender. A pre-approval from an out-of-town or big box lender can create doubt in the mind of a seller. For example, we've seen sellers disregard offers from buyers who are pre-approved by an internet lender. Give your seller every reason to believe your pre-approval is

This year is another year of low mortgage rates and low inventory in Dane County, so 2020 is already proving to be another very competitive year for local home and condo buyers. With this in mind, here are our do's and don'ts for buyers in this year's fast-moving market.

Three don'ts for Madison area buyers in 2020

1) Don't wait for the weekend open house to tour a property

Instead, rely on your buyer agent to schedule a private showing as soon as each property hits the market. Many properties are selling right away and aren't lasting until the open house. 

2) Don't call the listing agent to arrange a showing. 

By the time you reach the listing agent, there's a good chance the property is already sold to another buyer. You're better off

The spring real estate market will be heating up soon. Are you thinking of making 2020 the year you buy or sell a home? There are things you can do now that will help you stay competitive in what’s expected to be another busy real estate market this spring. Read on for tips from our team for ways you can prepare, and then contact us for a consultation. We can help you achieve your buying or selling goals.

Looking to sell?

1. If you’re thinking about selling your home, be proactive. You’ll set yourself up for a better home-selling experience if you begin planning and preparing right now. Many people feel stressed when they have to rush through the process, and planning ahead can make the whole experience much easier. Reach out to schedule a

The month of December has arrived, which means it's time for our annual real estate predictions. Below we've identified 8 key market trends for the coming year. For a look back at our 2019 predictions, check out this article which we published at the end of last year.

Our 2020 Madison real estate predictions

#1: Mortgage rates will remain well below 5 percent.

We're not economists and we're not experts in the mortgage market, but we do know 2020 is an election year. Because of this we expect mortgage rates will remain near historically low levels throughout all of 2020. 

#2: Inventory will remain low.

Dane County's growing population needs housing, but the pipeline of new listings and new construction homes isn't sufficient to meet the

Most of us don't associate the month of December with buying a home, but the holiday season is actually one of the best times to be shopping for real estate. That's because there's much less competition from other buyers during the month of December, and some sellers become very motivated during the holiday season. Plus, new listings do enter the market each week, even when it's cold outside and most people are focused on the holidays. Last, there's the added bonus of lower moving costs. Many moving companies offer better pricing when business slows each winter. 

Have you been thinking about buying a home in 2020? 

Give us a call and tell us more about your dream home. We'll send you the listings that match your criteria, and if you'd like,

Jennifer and Jordan Hegerfeld worked with Maureen Moran as they were getting ready to buy their first home. The couple found themselves with an accepted offer on their ideal condo, but there were hitches with securing the mortgage. Read on for the story of how Maureen’s persistence helped these first-time homeowners successfully purchase their new home.

Ready to become homeowners

Jennifer and Jordan began searching for their first home in March of 2019. They were ready to have a place of their own with more space, in a great school district for their child. At first, they considered single family homes, but most of the properties in their price range were fixer uppers and not in move-in condition. They found themselves looking for condos, which

Imagine you and your buyer agent have been looking for the right home for the past few months, and now you know you've found the right one. You're excited by the possibilities of owning your next home, but you realize you need guidance on how to structure and negotiate your offer to purchase. Here are five great questions to consider before you and your agent draft your offer. 

5 questions to ask before writing your offer 

1) What is important to the seller?

Having your buyer agent ask the listing agent this simple, open-ended question can reveal so much about the seller's priorities. And usually, you will learn there are factors very important to the seller that have nothing to do with price. For example, the seller may prefer a specific