It's true, buying a home can be a real challenge in this market. But with the right mindset and the right people supporting you, you can achieve your dream of homeownership. Here are 4 tips from our team that can help you make your homeownership dreams come true. 

#1) Invest in your personal and professional growth. You'll improve your mindset, your career opportunities, and your income when you're intentional about learning and growing each day. 

#2) Partner with an employer who will invest in your future. Yes, there are plenty of dead-end jobs out there. There are also some excellent employers in the Madison area who will fairly compensate you for your character and your work ethic. 

#3) Save and invest your money with the help of a financial

Madison area home prices rose once again in December. Here's our latest update on the Dane County single family home market.  

Dane County home prices

Home prices in the month of December:

• The price per square foot increased from $216 to $229 (5 percent).
• The average price increased from $460,431 to $466,011 (1 percent). 
• The median price increased from $389,785 to $414,900 (6 percent).

Annual price increases (from 2022 to 2023): 

• The price per square foot increased from $214 to $225 (5 percent).
• The average price increased from $466,130 to $497,232 (7 percent). 
• The median price increased from $412,500 to $435,000 (5 percent). 

New listings

New listings rose for the second straight month (a positive

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

We recently reached out to a few of our peers in the real estate industry for their insight into this topic. And according to our peers, there are 5 big reasons why the market favors apartment buildings over condo developments. 

#1) Construction liability. Current construction liability laws require developers to take on more legal and financial risk when building a condominium development. In addition, many architects are hesitant to design condo communities due to a rise in HOA lawsuits.

#2) Financing. From an underwriting and lending perspective, condos are considered to be the more speculative investment, which limits the options for financing. For the developer, it's easier to finance an apartment building than it is to finance a condominium

At Mad City Dream Homes, we're dedicated to creating an environment where every agent and every employee is growing and prospering throughout their real estate career. When this happens, everyone wins. Our agents and employees win, because they're thriving in a supportive environment where everyone values collaboration and teamwork. Our clients win, because our team cannot prosper unless we're consistently providing exceptional customer service. And the larger community wins, because we're demonstrating a business can thrive and make a positive impact by always having a servant mindset.

Creating a positive environment for our agents

If you're a relatively new real estate agent who is just joining Mad City Dream Homes, you can expect to progress

We're always on the lookout for the next great fit for our team! Here are ten great reasons why you should consider a career with Mad City Dream Homes.

10 reasons why you should join Mad City Dream Homes

#1: Growth

You have a passion for real estate, you love serving others, and you want to surround yourself with people who are wired in the same way. You want to work in an environment where you are encouraged to grow personally and professionally throughout your whole career -- through coaching, training, and professional development. 

#2: Balance

You want to make a great living, AND you want to enjoy your life away from work. At Mad City Dream Homes, we believe you should be able to take weekends off and have your vacations, too. When

It comes down to 3 essential reasons:

#1) Availability: When you work with Mad City Dream Homes, you won’t ever miss out on seeing a property or writing an offer on your dream home. Our entire team is here to give you the support you need, when you need it. 

#2) Shared expertise: You may need help with a price opinion, an offer or negotiation, or solving a challenging problem. We share our collective expertise with you so you always receive the guidance you need to make smart decisions. 

#3) Depth of service: We are by your side and advocating for your best interests throughout your home-buying experience. We attend to every detail for you, and we’re always available to answer your questions that pop up along the way. 

Call us when you're

Here's our newest look into the Madison area condo market, starting with the price trends for November, 2023. 

Dane County condo prices

On a year-over-year basis:

• The price per square foot increased from $208 to $217 (4 percent). 
• The average price increased from $293,288 to $311,116 (6 percent). 
• The median price was even at $270,000. 

On a year-to-date basis:

• The price per square foot increased from $203 to $215 (6 percent). 
• The average price increased from $299,978 to $333,028 (11 percent). 
• The median price increased from $267,720 to $300,000 (12 percent). 

New Dane County condo listings

One big driver of high prices is the low supply of new listings. New listings did increase slightly in November, but

Dane County home prices increased once again in November. Here's our latest monthly update on the single family home market.  

Dane County home prices

Home prices in the month of November:

• The price per square foot increased by 7 percent compared to November of 2022.
• The average price increased by 9 percent. 
• The median price increased by 8 percent. 

Home prices through the first 11 months of the year: 

• The price per square foot increased by 5 percent during the first 11 months of the year. 
• The average price increased 7 percent. 
• The median price increased 5 percent. 

New listings

Prices remain high because listing activity remains low. A total of 262 Dane County homes were listed for sale in the month of

According to research by Buffini & Company, we have 8 major motivations for buying real estate: 

1) The desire to be close to family 

2) A need for more space

3) A realization that it's time to downsize 

4) Job relocation 

5) A major life change, such as a marriage, birth, death, divorce, or entering the workforce  

6) A desire to be in a different neighborhood 

7) A goal to invest in real estate 

8) A desire to own a vacation home 

What's motivating you to buy a home, condo, or investment property in 2024? We'd love to learn more about your needs and help you create a plan for your goals. Contact your preferred Mad City Dream Homes realtor to get started. We've helped hundreds of clients purchase real estate in our competitive