At Mad City Dream Homes, we make it easy for you to get a quick read on the market in your neighborhood or condo community. All you need to do is find your location guide on our website (we have hundreds of them), and then review the latest trends which are all updated real-time. 

The example below is from the Valley Ridge neighborhood on Madison' far west side. The current listings section offers a snapshot of what's on the market right now, while the sold listings section summarizes the sales activity in the last year. 

Of course we always recommend a consultation with a trusted realtor when you're getting serious about buying or selling. In the meantime, our location guides are an excellent resource that will help you gain a good initial

The feeling of true community is unmistakable. Maybe you’ve felt such mutual respect and love walking into your home during the holidays, when you get together with a dear group of friends, or at your place of worship. This same sense of belonging was immediately noticeable when I visited Yahara House earlier this year.

Yahara House is a ‘clubhouse-style’ recovery center for individuals with mental health struggles. It is one of over 330 clubhouses in 30 countries that use this model. You probably have driven by Yahara House many times if you live in Madison. Behind its doors at 802 East Gorham Street is a group of members and staff focused on recovery through hope, dignity, and community. Members of Yahara House can spend 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by horticulturalist Jeff Epping, entitled: "From Lawn to Life: Creating Beautiful Eco-Friendly Gardens". 

Jeff's presentation was packed with helpful insight and information. Here are just a few of Jeff's tips for creating and managing an eco-friendly garden -- one that is low-maintenance, drought-resistant, free of chemicals, and teeming with life. 

Jeff's home gardening and conservation tips

1) Use leaf mulch instead of wood mulch. 

2) Grow gardens composed of at least 70 percent native plants. 

3) Plant keystone tree species of native oak, willow, or cherry. 

4) Swap out the traditional bluegrass lawn for low-maintenance fescue. 

5) Remember, weeds are okay, and "lawn =

We've been sharing how condo inventory has been quietly improving in Dane County, and the same goes for Downtown Madison. As of this post, there are 19 condos available for sale (without an accepted offer) near the Capitol Square, with 14 of these condos available for less than $500,000. 

You can learn a lot more about the available opportunities in our Downtown Condo Guide, where we profile over 20 different associations for you. Or, reach out to your favorite Mad City Dream Homes realtor for a helpful consultation. We're here to help you learn about our local condo market and find the right community for you. 

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.

Did you know Madison was ranked the 7th happiest city in the country by Reader’s Digest last month? Consideration was given to the residents’ emotional and physical well-being, employment opportunities, sense of community, and focus on environmentalism. What a fortuitous time to highlight a nonprofit organization that positively impacts Madison in all of these ways: Bikes for Kids Wisconsin.

In 2017, Bikes for Kids Wisconsin opened the doors to its nonprofit bicycle shop and has been helping to increase bicycle-based transportation for everyone since - not just kids and not just people who can afford them. Last year, 2,518 bikes were donated to people in the Madison area who use their new-to-them bicycle for transportation to work and life’s other

Shout out to a nonprofit we have spotlighted in the past and would like to highlight again: FairShare CSA Coalition. FairShare is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Madison with a mission “to build resilient food communities by investing in farmers and empowering eaters.” Now more than ever, they can use our help supporting our local farmers.

It’s a great time to sign up for a CSA vegetable share. A purchase like this funds local agriculture -- and nourishes you! Not sure how to cook with a variety of fresh vegetables? Try using your favorite AI chat service to create recipes curated to your taste buds and existing pantry inventory.

Mortgage fraud and identity theft have become all too common in today's real estate market, often leaving homeowners devastated after their property or identity has been stolen without their knowledge.

Fortunately, there's a free service from the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association that notifies  property owners of possible fraudulent activity being committed against their home. This service is available for owners in Dane, Sauk, Columbia, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock, Green, Lafayette, Iowa, and other Wisconsin counties. 

Signing up for this service doesn't prevent fraud from happening, but it does alert you with an early warning that can help you take appropriate action when a crime has been committed. You can learn more by visiting this FAQ page

Many don't know, but Wisconsin Focus on Energy (FOE) has free product bundles that you can use to conserve energy and lower your monthly utility bill.

For example, this energy saving shower pack comes with two 60W equivalent A19 LEDs, one high-efficiency showerhead, one dusk-to-dawn LED night light, one 15-foot pipe insulation wrap, and a hot water temperature card.

(graphic from Focus on Energy)

FOE also offers a fee comfort pack and a free bath pack. One pack per household per year is allowed, so you can order a new pack each year. 

Stay tuned. We'll have many more home energy savings tips to share in the weeks and months ahead. 

The Wisconsin Focus on Energy (FOE) has a free and easy to use online tool that you can use to identify energy savings opportunities within your home. I recently completed the online assessment myself and learned that our family can save over $500 annually by completing a few relatively simple insulation and air sealing projects.  

FOE provides a list of recommended contractors who are qualified to do the work, as well as information on incentive programs that offer substantial rebates. 

Rising costs are a concern for must of us. By taking this online assessment, we can take positive steps right now to lower our monthly budget, conserve energy, and reduce our carbon footprint. I encourage you to check it out.