Our friends Henry and Mary recently came to us with a problem. They had moisture stains on their bedroom ceiling, and they weren't sure what to do next. So we called one of our most trusted contractors, Cody Helmer, and arranged for a visit. 

Cody inspected the roof and the attic and determined that the roof was leaking. To make matters worse, all of the roof sheathing was severely water damaged and covered in black stain. Cody's inspection revealed that the previous roofer didn't install the proper ventilation. This led to poor air circulation and a build-up of moisture in the attic. 

The good news? Cody was able to make room in his schedule for a quick and complete rebuild of Henry and Mary's roof, and with all of the correct ventilation in place.

Spring is here, which means it's time to start planning for your home maintenance and improvement projects. Maybe you need a handyman to address the small repairs around your home. Perhaps you need someone to clean up and mulch your yard. Or maybe you're ready to build that deck you've been dreaming of. 

(deck built by Cody Helmer, photo courtesy of PG Creatives) 

We can help you make the right connections. 

When you have work to address around your home, we'll be happy to refer you to reputable, local business owners who are a good match for your individual projects. Reach out to your Mad City Dream Homes agent for your own personalized recommendations. It's always our pleasure to assist you. 

Your heart is an astounding organ. It pumps blood to nearlyevery one of the trillions and trillions of cells in your body, delivering enough new blood every single day to fill 50 average-sized rain barrels. Go ahead - take a moment to be in awe of your heart.  While we rush through our days, our heart dependably keeps us going beat by beat. And, indeed, many of us don’t pay much mind to our hearts until an emergency gives us cause to.

One of our brokerage colleagues, Holly Hassenzahl, reminded us of some sobering facts about women’s heart health during a recent meeting. Did you know that one in three women will face a life-threatening cardiac event in their life? And more sobering yet, women are less likely than men to receive CPR from a

Does your email inbox feel overwhelming and impersonal at times? With promotions and AI-generated emails, it can be hard to know how to connect with the people and services you’re hoping to reach.

At Mad City Dream Homes, we don’t use any marketing software to send you check-in emails or “drip campaigns.” And when you respond to us at marketing@madcitydeamhomes.com or through our contact page, it ends up right in a team member's inbox, all of whom are licensed real estate agents. If you email us, you’ll connect with one of the nine of us, not a third-party service or bot. And we can’t wait to hear from you!

Are you in search of a Madison area condo with mature trees and peaceful surroundings? Dane County offers a number of condo communities for your consideration. We've highlighted a few of them for you below.

Dane County condos with mature trees and peaceful surroundings

On Madison's west side

The Highland Woods condos are nestled within a park-like setting off of Old Middleton Rd. Further to the west, the Hidden Hollow Condominiums feature views of the surrounding woods and community pond. Residents also enjoy access to the community walking path that meanders through a natural setting. 

In Middleton

Middleton Conservancy, Harbor Village, Woodcreek Village, and the Solitude Condos all offer wooded views and direct access to the Pheasant

The Sewing Machine Project is our first nonprofit spotlight of 2026. Having just celebrated its 20th anniversary, this organization was founded - and continues to operate - with a vigor that captures the spirit of the new year.

In the spring of 2005, Margaret Jankowski read a BBC news article that particularly touched her. It was about a woman in Southeast Asia who had just endured the devastating tsunami and lost her sewing machine in the tragedy. However, this sewing machine was her essential tool for making a living that she had saved up for years to purchase, so the impact was profound and pervasive. Margaret was sure she could help. She quickly connected with the American Hindu Association to send 25 sewing machines to Sri Lanka and

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

This month, we would like to highlight a moving company that does their job with skill and integrity: A1 Movers. 

Amanda recently sent the owner of A1 Movers, Brandon, an email about a fantastic client testimonial - from a client who hadn't even hired them. Here's a slightly edited snippet of that email:

"[My past client's condo] unit faces the parking lot. We were reminiscing about when her friend down the hall moved out two summers ago, and she commented on how stellar of work your team did. Since [her] place faces the parking lot, she told me she sees a lot of bad behavior from moving companies who "don't think anyone is watching." However, she reported the A1 crew did a thorough, careful, and conscientious job even when they probably suspected no one

We're all acutely aware that nearly everything costs a lot more these days. Sometimes, it's almost shocking to learn how much some companies are charging for their services. 

We're noticing this more and more in our real estate work, especially in the trades: There's a local HVAC company, for example, that consistently charges around 50 percent more than their competitors. And a chimney repair company whose estimates consistently come in thousands of dollars higher. 

Even though many companies are charging a lot more for their services, the good news is we continue to cultivate good relationships with many excellent contractors. Contractors who approach their work with skill and care, and who charge a fair fee for their service. 

So if you have

This year, the majority of our clients came to us through referrals -- friends recommending friends and family to us. That means everything to us, because it says you believe we'll treat the people you care about with the same honesty and care we've shown you.

Working by referral allows us to do what we love: spending our time helping people navigate one of the biggest decisions of their lives. We get to focus on serving and truly understanding what matters to each client.

As we head into 2026, we want you to know how much we appreciate your trust in us. If someone you care about mentions thinking about buying or selling in the year ahead, we'd be honored if we came to mind. We promise to take care of them the same way we've taken care of you.