Planning to sell your home or condo in the coming year? Here are 4 things you can do right now in order to prepare for a smooth and successful sale. 

1) Find out how much your home is worth. We'll perform a complimentary market analysis for you, so you know how much equity you have available to you for your next purchase. 

2) Schedule a cosmetics consultation with our team. We'll identify the simple and low-cost updates that will help you sell your home for a higher price and a better return on investment. 

3) Have your home pre-inspected. If your inspection does reveal any defects, you'll have the opportunity to address them now and avoid any unpleasant surprises down the road. 

4) Schedule your exterior and aerial photos while the fall

It can be hard to imagine what a home would look like post-renovation. When Chris had a client looking to sell their fixer-upper in Sun Prairie, we wanted to highlight the potential of the property and enlisted the help of Step Inside Media. Not only did Step Inside Media take high-quality listing photos, but edited them to show potential renovation results using currently trending colors and finishes. The results were stunning before and after photos (above) that helped buyers envision what some time and sweat equity could produce. 

This is an example of how we customize our services based on each seller's situation. Behind the scenes, we collaborate with our trusted partners and brainstorm how to create the best possible advertisement for each home. 

Chances are you know someone who sold their home a few years ago because they were convinced the market had peaked and would be crashing soon. On the flipside, you probably know someone who has been waiting to buy for the last several years -- believing that falling prices are right around the corner. 

Just like the stock market, timing the real estate market is really hard to do. At the same time it's also plain to see that Dane County home and condo values are poised to rise over the long run. 

So, we recommend you make your real estate decisions based on your life goals and your aspirations. Avoid the trap of trying to time the market, and remember that real estate is a buy-and-hold investment. Your investment will pay off over the long haul.

Does the realtor care about you and your individual needs? 

Is the realtor clearly competent? 

Is the realtor a person of strong character?  

You can't go wrong when you hire for character, competence, and care.  

The internet has made real estate listings more accessible, high-tech, and glamorous. Seeing your home featured online is an exciting part of the selling process. However, there are many valuable face-to-face interactions you could benefit from well before advertising your home to buyers:

• Meeting one-on-one for an in-depth conversation about your real estate goals and timeline.

• A cosmetics consultation to update your home over the winter months in preparation for a spring sale.

• A chat with your loved ones present who are involved in your selling decision and have questions, too. 

• Walking through the blank paperwork for extra time to digest the forms to be eventually completed.

• Hands-on help staging your home

It seems Americans are becoming more reactive and less patient over time. We're quick to judge and blame the other person, while we often struggle with listening and constructive conversation. 

Unfortunately we're seeing a lot of these same dynamics play out in the field of real estate. It’s not uncommon for some realtors to overreact and under-communicate during a challenging negotiation, when what is called for is level-headedness and open communication.

And so some transactions do end up being filled with unnecessary drama, and some even needlessly canceled, due to the actions of a realtor. 

This is why we place such a strong emphasis on communication in our professional standards. Being present, being patient, over-communicating, and always

One of our clients recently found themselves in a jam. They had just accepted a nice offer for their home, but the ensuing inspection revealed a significant defect. The buyers still wanted to proceed with their purchase, but they wanted the sellers to repair the defect prior to closing, and the closing was only 3 weeks away. 

So Mad City Dream Homes hit the phones and was able to schedule quick estimates from two different companies. Company A's quote came in at a hefty $11,000.  While Company B's quote came in at a much more palatable $2,600. Even better, Company B (a reputable one) was able to complete their work in time for the closing. 

This is a great example of why it pays to do your due diligence and seek multiple opinions whenever you face

Spend a few minutes on social media, and it's plain to see our culture is obsessed with the spotlight and individual achievement. 

And yet the simple truth is, we do our best and most rewarding work when we step out of the spotlight and work as a team in service to others. 

This explains why we choose to work together to take care of you. Stepping out of the spotlight and collaborating as a team is our sweet spot, and how we will continue to serve you for years to come. 

Our office on Monroe Street is in Suite #1, the first office door you encounter when you walk inside the building. Due to this, we regularly have people in the community (e.g. interviewees for our neighbors' businesses, delivery drivers, vendors) peek their heads inside and ask:

"Am I in the right place?"

We're happy to help these visitors. And we often get a similar question in our line of work from new potential clients. If you're unsure where to start in the home buying or selling process, you can always contact us. We'll always point you in the right direction - whether that be a lender, contractor, financial advisor, etc. - to make sure you're in the right place to successfully reach your goals. 

Our promise to our clients is that we will never “set it and forget it” when helping you buy or sell. We will help you achieve the small, often unsung successes that make the entire process easier, more rewarding, and more fun. For example, we have recently:

• Helped coordinate packing help for a seller, including assistance driving the U-Haul to her property.

• Completed in-person tours for a buyer in town and virtual tours for their partner.

• Cleaned floors in between showings when debris was tracked in.

• Moved furniture between floors to help accommodate a seller’s upcoming estate sale.

• Dropped off plants to ease a seller’s outdoor staging efforts. 

We would love to give you the same level of personalized