The market is off to a fast start!

Even though it’s early in the year, our real estate team is very busy assisting our buying and selling clients. The market is definitely off to a faster start this year compared to 2019. In fact, we helped four of our clients receive accepted offers during the first week of January. One of those offers was accepted during the Rose Bowl!

If you know someone who’s planning to sell this year, please let them know right now is a great time to get started with their planning and preparation. Mortgage rates are low, inventory is low, buyers are buying, and the spring market is right around the corner. It’s shaping up to be another solid year for sellers in 2020. As always, all of us on the team are well-prepared to

If you’re planning to sell in 2020, right now is the perfect time to schedule a market analysis for your home. Dane County real estate prices have risen for seven straight years. And with strong demand and low inventory, they’re on course to rise for an eighth straight year in 2020. 

Another factor affecting home prices right now is the upcoming spring market. Properties listed in the springtime tend to receive the highest offers, because that's when multiple offers and bidding wars are most common. So if you're planning to sell in March, April or May of this year, it's possible your home is worth a lot more than you think. 

Schedule a complimentary market analysis for your home

All you need to do is reach out to your favorite Mad City Dream

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

What are the keys to a successful negotiation? Here are our tried and true philosophies for negotiating a great price and great terms on the sale of your home. 

Our six negotiation tips for sellers

1) Create a beautiful real estate listing. 

One of our first goals early on in the listing process is to create a solid partnership between you, our stager, our photographers, and our creative team. Working together, we create a beautiful real estate listing with eye-popping photos and plenty of marketing materials which highlight the benefits of your home. Beautiful listings receive more online interest, more showings, and more offers - all of which give you more leverage when it's time to negotiate. 

2) Ensure your listing receives full

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 the real estate reports put out by the media focus on active listings (inventory) and sold listings (number of sales, median price, and days on market). Expired listings are another key part of the market that often get overlooked. You might be asking, so what is an expired listing, anyway? An expired listing represents a listing contract between a seller and real estate brokerage which does not result in a successful closing. In other words, a listing that runs its course and "expires" without selling. 

More about expired listings 

In a buyer's market, a large number of listings expire because there are more sellers than buyers. In a seller's market, a low number of listings expire, because there are more buyers than sellers. The 2

Over the years we've assisted hundreds of homeowners with their sale, and along the way we've observed a few key reasons why some sellers succeed (and others do not). Below we cover 4 key traits which our most successful sellers tend to exhibit. 

Four traits of successful sellers

1) They have a positive mindset about their sale

Our most successful sellers have positive expectations for their sale. Working side-by-side with our stager and our real estate team, they commit to doing all of the little things that will lead to multiple offers, a high price, and a quick closing. They know that by taking all of the right steps upfront they are positioning themselves for a successful sale and a smooth closing. 

2) They are proactive with their

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,

There are many reasons why Dane County property owners can feel good about their investment. Here are 5 big reasons why the greater Madison area is one of the best places in the country to own a home, condo, or investment property. 

5 reasons why Madison is a great place to own real estate

A strong local economy

The greater Madison area is blessed with many thriving businesses and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Innovative companies like Epic Systems, Exact Sciences, and others are fueling growth by adding a variety of new, high-paying jobs to our economy. 

A high quality of life

The Madison area has a strong reputation throughout the country for being a great place to live and work. The University of Wisconsin, a

The Dane County real estate market is always changing, but one dynamic we can continue to count on is low inventory. Here are a few reasons why the supply of Madison area homes and condos will remain low for the foreseeable future. 

Why Madison area housing supply will remain low next year

1) A low supply of new construction homes and condos

Although it may seem like there are a ton of new construction homes and condos being built in Dane County, much of the new construction growth in the area has been for commercial space and apartments. New home construction has been running well below historical highs for the last 14 years (see graph below). New condo construction has been very scarce and insufficient to meet the demand in the