There's no doubt this can be a challenging time for first-time buyers. So, if you're an aspiring buyer who has been struggling with the market, it may be beneficial to evaluate the foundation that you're working from. Once you've had a chance to evaluate and strengthen your financial foundation, then your odds for buying your home should improve dramatically. 

Below we share 4 pieces of advice that can help you strengthen your financial position and help you achieve your dream of homeownership. At Mad City Dream Homes, we've integrated all 4 of these philosophies into our own lives. Each philosophy has stood the test of time by helping us improve our own financial foundations and by helping us achieve our homeownership goals, too. 

Four tips

Dane County condo prices continue to rise in early 2022, as a large number of buyers compete for a limited supply of condos. Here's our latest update on the Madison area condo market -- updated through the month of February, 2022. 

Dane County condo prices

The condo price per square foot jumped to $187 in February, which was a new record for the month and an increase of 8% year-over-year.

New MLS listings

A low supply of new listings continues to create a friendly market for condo sellers. Only 136 new Dane County condo listings entered the market in February, which was the 6th lowest total for the month dating back to the year 2000.

Active listings and months of supply

As of March 22nd, only 101 Madison area condo listings were

So many buyers are feeling frustrated by this year’s competitive real estate market. But this doesn’t need to be your experience. You can buy your dream home by partnering with our team as we help you overcome two big challenges during your home-buying journey.

Challenge #1: You can’t compete because you have a home sale contingency.

You may be struggling right now because you need to make your offer contingent upon the sale of your current home. If this has been your challenge up to now, we want you to know we now have access to a program that can help you write your offer without a home sale contingency -- even when you have a home to sell.

Challenge #2: You can’t compete with cash offers.

You might also be struggling because you’re

Dane County single family home prices moved significantly higher in February, as buyers continued to compete for a limited supply of homes. Here's our quick update covering all of the latest trends in the Madison area single family home market. 

New MLS listings

Only 404 single family homes were listed on the MLS in the month of February, which was a 25% decrease from February of 2021 and a record low for the month. 

When we break the data down into weekly trends, we can see that new listing activity continued along record-low levels during the first two weeks of March. 

Available listings and months of supply

With fewer listings entering the market, only 251 single family home listings were available (without an accepted offer) as

At a time when so many realtors are blending in with the crowd, there are still a few professionals in the world of real estate who remain priceless to their clients. And Maureen Moran is certainly one of them. How is it that so many clients have come to love and appreciate Maureen?

It’s because Maureen is a consummate professional who also genuinely cares about the needs and concerns of her clients.

That’s the only conclusion we come to as we peruse the dozens of online reviews that have been submitted by Maureen’s clientele. Professionalism and personal care are the two constant themes that run throughout her clients’ commentary, the two main ingredients in Maureen's secret sauce.

Are professionalism and personal attention important to you as

Almost certainly, you can earn a nice return on your investment by selling your home in 2022. But how do you earn an amazing return on your investment? Really, it depends a lot on how much your realtor (or realtor team) invests in you. 

Three ways a professional invests in you:

1) Investment of time and attention

We’re big believers in taking a proactive approach to your sale, which usually begins a few months before your home hits the market. We do this by helping you stage and prepare your home so it pops for your ideal buyer. We help you understand your market and price your listing to generate immediate traffic. And of course we collaborate with you on a negotiation strategy that rewards you with a wonderful return on your investment.  

You're serious about buying your dream home, but you know inventory is tight. So how do you achieve your homeownership goals in 2022? 

The answer is: by adjusting your perspective. By realizing that finding your dream home isn’t about finding the perfect home at the perfect price. It’s about finding the home that will help you build a better life. 

Or, put another way, it’s not about finding the home that checks all of your boxes. It’s about finding the home that checks most of them. 

So, even if the home you buy isn't the perfect home at the perfect price, it can be reassuring to know that your new home can help you create a better life. And it can help you create a better financial future, too. 

By paying down the principal on your

Prices keep rising for single family homes, and they're rising for condominiums, too. Here's our latest update on all of the important trends in the Madison area condo market.

January Dane County condo prices

The price per square foot increased by 12 percent year-over-year, while the average price and median price increased by 13% and 7%, respectively.

New MLS listings

A scarcity of new listings is one big reason for higher prices. Only 94 condos were listed for sale last month, which was a new low for the month of January.

Months of supply

As of February 12th, only 86 condo listings were available for purchase, which is the equivalent of .6 months of inventory. Where will inventory go from here? Check out this recent article for

In the past few months we've been sharing some of the key trends impacting supply and demand for Dane County real estate. Here's a quick recap:

On the demand side

We see plenty of strength in the years ahead for two key reasons:

1. The millennial generation, America's largest, is aging into its prime years for homeownership. 
2. Dane County is the fastest growing region in the state, and we expect many more people will continue to move here for reputation, quality of life, economic, and climate-related reasons. 

On the supply side

We see two big trends at play that will continue to limit inventory and support higher prices:

1. Foreclosures are occurring near historically low levels, and we expect distressed sales to remain low for the

If you're buying in 2022, your offer to purchase will likely be up against offers from other motivated buyers. Below are 28 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. 

28 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