Growing up in the country, I spent many summer days chasing swallowtail and sulphur butterflies through the hay fields. But one of Wisconsin's most recognizable butterflies, the monarch, has been facing a population decline over the last decade.

Some city neighborhoods, including many along bike paths in Madison, have established gardens with prairie plants like milkweed to try to bring back the orange and black beauties and other insects. If you're having trouble spotting them on your own, Olbrich Botanical Gardens on the east side offers a Blooming Butterflies exhibit that features thousands of butterflies for the public to see from mid-July to mid-August.

While some butterflies are naturally drawn to the outdoor gardens at Olbrich, the indoor

On a sunny August morning, Val Murphy tends the flowers around her nearly vacant home on Madison's west side.

Having spent over 30 years in the Parkwood Hills neighborhood with her family, she's ready to downsize -- but she's taking decades of memories with her.

"We loved the neighborhood the whole time through," she said.

The Murphys moved into their first house in 1986 on South Yellowstone Drive, but they outgrew it when their third child was born. So in 1993 when their daughter was 6 months old, they found the perfect spot to continue raising their family: just a few blocks away on a quiet, tree-lined street at 310 Everglade Drive.

"There's tons of space," she said. "And it's a great house for kids."

Now they want another family

Many of those living in the Parkwood Hills neighborhood on Madison's west side view it as the total package.

"It's very social and welcoming," said resident Peter Zarov. "I've been here for 14 years now and still love it."

Close to parks, a pool, community center and four schools, you'll often see families greet each other while walking along the quiet, tree-lined streets. And even though it's just around the corner from West Towne Mall and other stores and restaurants near Mineral Point and Gammon roads, it still has a small-town feel.

Kimberly Cowles, who has lived next to Everglade Park for the past six years, said her family is "very lucky" to have found a neighborhood that is "friendly and approachable."

"People will be walking

The most rewarding part of real estate is knowing you helped someone reach an important goal and that they genuinely appreciate you for your efforts. That, and knowing in the process you've gained a new friend. More than anything else this is what we work for on our team.

Chris Venden, Shelley Lazzareschi, and Tammy Steiner are all receiving some very rewarding feedback, which is a direct reflection of their commitment to their clients. Here are a few recent examples that have been posted by their clients online. 

Chris Venden

"Chris was amazing! Buying our condo with her was a walk in the park. She went above and beyond the call of duty in every regard and made the whole process smooth and efficient. Every time we had a question or needed help,

Over the years we've noticed some relatively common mistakes home owners make when putting their property up for sale. Unfortunately, each of these mistakes can cause a property to sit on the market and sell for well below its potential. Even worse are the emotional consequences that follow as a result. A bad listing experience can be emotionally draining and a huge source of anxiety and stress. 

The good news is all of these mistakes are preventable. You can avoid all of these common pitfalls by consulting with your agent well before you plan to list. Seek some proactive and professional guidance, and make the right choices that will lead to a successful sale.

Five Common Home Seller Mistakes

Below are 5 common pitfalls to avoid when selling

Just about 150 years ago, Frank Lloyd Wright was born right here in Wisconsin. He went on to become a renowned architect, and many of his unique homes and buildings can be found in Madison. His belief that structures should be designed in harmony with the environment influenced other architects to adopt a "modern" style after World War II.

Many of these mid-century modern homes were built from the 1940s-60s, with an emphasis on being open and functional. They can often be identified by their flatter roofs, asymmetrical exterior and large windows that make nature the focal point.

The mid-century modern style has gained popularity in the housing market in recent years, and there are quite a few scattered throughout the Madison area - especially on

Through the first half of 2017, the Dane County real estate market is setting new records in a continuation of the trends we shared earlier this Spring. Dane County properties are selling quickly. Inventories are low, and prices are increasing. Sales are declining in most locations due to low supply. Here's our market summary covering a few of the county's largest communities. 

Home Price Per Square Foot

The price per square foot is our best statistic for measuring property value because it's adjusted according to the square footage of each sold listing. As you can see in the table below, home values are historically high in every community we track. Prices are increasing by some large amounts, especially in Cottage Grove, Madison, and McFarland -

We recently blogged about the shifting summer real estate market, and how buyers and sellers should adjust their expectations accordingly. This confuses some people, because media headlines can lead us to believe the market is always in a crazy, hyperactive state. The truth is the market is constantly changing throughout the year.

Another thing to keep in mind about real estate headlines is most of the time they're based on old data. For example, very soon we'll be reading about the latest market data for closings that occurred in the month of June. The important thing to remember about the June data is it's based on offers that were written in the months of April and May. By default, most of the headlines we read are the result of market dynamics

Here's the vision we have for our real estate agents as our team continues to grow:

We're known as being among the best real estate agents in Madison and South Central Wisconsin. Our clients trust us because they know we're competent, they know we care, and they know we devote extra time and attention to their goals.

The best part of our real estate team is the people. 

We're learning each new person who joins us is raising the bar for the team and influencing all of us to become better agents. We all have different personality types and different strengths, but we're all very similar in a few key ways, too. Here are 7 traits shared by the members of our team. 

Seven Characteristics Shared by our Real Estate Agents

1. We have positive

Even in a hot seller's market there are plenty of over-priced listings which won't sell until the owner gets realistic about pricing. For some sellers, that realization is happening right now. The over-heated spring market has given way to a more balanced summer market, motivating some owners to drop their price in order to get their property sold.  

Opportunistic buyers are pouncing on price reductions

Some buyers have given up on their search because they don't believe there are enough listings to go around in the summer market. Other more opportunistic buyers are staying in the game and acting immediately as soon as the right price reduction or right listing comes along. 

It's true, there are fewer new listings to choose from in the