A staged home sells much faster than a vacant home, because it helps buyers imagine their belongings and lifestyle there. Sometimes, staging a home is not possible when the home has been vacant for some time. That was the case with a recent condo listing. The sellers were not living in the area, and their daughter had been living in the condo. After she moved out, they were ready to put the condo on the market.

Maureen Moran met with the sellers to see the unit. The unit was nicely maintained, but had the risk of presenting as bland or too small because it was empty. Based on the price point, it wasn’t financially feasible to furnish the unit before putting it on the market. Maureen suggested virtually staging the condo. Our team took photos of each of

Imagine a new property has just hit the market and you know as soon as you view it online it's the perfect house for you. It has the dream kitchen you've been waiting for, a beautiful and private yard, and the perfect location in your ideal neighborhood. The only problem is you know there are dozens of other buyers out there who are fawning over this house just like you. So how do you get your offer accepted when there are so many other buyers in love with the same property? Read on for our 5 tips that will help you successfully buy your dream home in 2020. 

5 tips that will help you buy your dream home in 2020

1) Be the first to visit the property and the first to write an offer. 

Sometimes getting your offer accepted is all about being the

It's only Valentines Day but the market is already heating up, especially for some of the more affordably-priced properties in the Dane County area. For example, in the last week, one of our clients received 3 competing offers on their new listing, while another client received an amazing 13! Here's a quick look at the price points that are receiving the most interest from buyers in early 2020. 

The hottest homes in the Madison area

Right now the hottest homes in the Madison area are those priced under $300,000. As you can see from the data below, well over 50% of these more affordably-priced listings are under contract with an accepted offer. If you think of this another way, it's like browsing for properties on a website like Zillow and

January was another strong month for the Dane County single family home market. Here's our latest update from the South Central Wisconsin MLS:

Dane County single family home sales

January home sales reached the second highest total on record and were up 14% from the sales levels in January of 2019. 

Dane County home prices

The price per square foot reached a record high in January, setting the stage for more strong price growth in 2020. Prices were up 5% year-over-year in January. 

Dane County accepted offers

Accepted offers were down from each of the last 2 years, but were still strong compared to most other years dating back to the year 2000. 

New MLS listings

New listings continue to enter the market at a slow pace.

Hundreds of homes are sold each month in Dane County, but if your goal is to sell when the market is hottest, then you should list your home during the 4-month window that spans from March to June. Take a quick look at the market data below. Year in and year out, the months of March, April, May and June have more buyers writing offers than any other month of the year. 

If you're planning to sell in 2020...

Then right now is the time to schedule a consultation with your favorite Mad City Dream Homes agent. Have a quick conversation about timing, pricing, staging, and marketing -  as well as the low-cost improvements that will add real value to your home. Our team is well-equipped to help you make the most of your investment in this year's

This year is another year of low mortgage rates and low inventory in Dane County, so 2020 is already proving to be another very competitive year for local home and condo buyers. With this in mind, here are our do's and don'ts for buyers in this year's fast-moving market.

Three don'ts for Madison area buyers in 2020

1) Don't wait for the weekend open house to tour a property

Instead, rely on your buyer agent to schedule a private showing as soon as each property hits the market. Many properties are selling right away and aren't lasting until the open house. 

2) Don't call the listing agent to arrange a showing. 

By the time you reach the listing agent, there's a good chance the property is already sold to another buyer. You're better off

December was another solid month for Madison area real estate. Here's our latest summary of the single family and condo markets in Dane County. 

December home and condo sales

A record 464 single family homes sold in the month of December, an increase of 32% from the 352 homes sold in December of 2019. 

Condo sales were just below the sales levels from 2018 and 2017. 

December accepted offers

Single family home accepted offers were a tad lower compared to the prior December. 

Condo accepted offers were consistent with the levels from each of the last two Decembers. 

January months of supply

As of January 11th, only 1.4 months of single family home inventory are available for sale in Dane County. Supply is

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