Here are the latest, unfiltered trends in the Dane County condo market, updated for December, 2024.  Dane County condo prices Madison area condo prices were mixed in December, but up across all measures for the entire year. Do the December numbers suggest condo prices will be falling soon? We don't think so. Condo prices are subject to some variability due to the relatively low number of sales that occur each month. In the condo market, a few low-end or high-end sales can have a large impact on monthly prices. For this reason it's important to pay attention to the overall trend rathe ..read more

Here's our latest single family home report, covering all of the latest trends in Dane County. First, we begin with home prices.  December 2024 home prices Madison area home prices were up significantly in December, and were significantly higher for the entire 2024 sales year, too.  December prices The price per square foot rose from $228 in December of 2023 to $243 in December of 2024, up 6 percent. The median price increased from $414,900 in December of 2023 to $441,250 in December of 2024, up 6 percent.  The average price increased from $466,512 in December of 2023 to $520,11 ..read more

We invest a significant amount of time, effort, and expertise into selling your home. But what about your location?  At Mad City Dream Homes we love creating neighborhood, condo association and community guides to help us sell your unique location. We're also big believers in capturing community photos that help us sell the amenities and attractions in your neighborhood.  Buyers, especially those from out-of-town, want hyperlocal information. And our community content helps prospective buyers get excited about your listing. As one small example, here's a sneak peek at some of th ..read more

We are a diligent and dedicated bunch that works very hard on behalf of our clients, but from your perspective, there are really just 3 basic steps to buying your dream home in 2025:  1) You tell us about your dream home.  2) We create a customized home-buying plan for you.  3) We guide you through your financing, showings, offer, negotiations, and contingencies until you receive your keys at closing.  Of course it all begins with a meeting. Contact your Mad City Dream Homes realtor when you're ready to start working on your dream home. In the meantime, you c ..read more

The traditional yellow oak cabinets can be made to look fresh and brand new again when you choose the right paint and the right painter for the job. Contact us when you'd like some guidance on your home improvement projects. We'd love to be a resource for you and help you make the right contractor connections.  ..read more

Madison area home and condo listings edged lower in the month of December, but ended up higher for the 12 month period in 2024. Here's a quick review of the numbers.  Dane County single family homes Single family home listings decreased from 197 in December of 2023 to 155 in December of 2024, a drop of 21. However, MLS listings for all of 2024 were up by 6 percent compared to the previous year.    Dane County condos  Condo listings decreased from 56 in December of 2023 to 48 in December of 2024, a drop of 14. Condominium listings for all 2024 ended the y ..read more

One way you can save money in the near year is to choose thrifting and buying secondhand over buying new. Dane County is home to dozens of thrift stores with an amazing variety of clothing and household goods, and with many high-quality and unique finds. But the truth is there are a whole host of reasons to buy secondhand. Here are a few more of them:  1) Environmental sustainability: Buying secondhand reduces waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill.  2) Local support: Thrifting supports locally-owned businesses and local non-profits, which improves the overa ..read more

Do you have a preferred condo association that you would love to live in? You and your buyer agent can find the right condo by sending an authentic letter to all of the owners in the association. In our experience, the more low-tech the approach, the better.    Here's our simple 3-step approach:  1) Hand address each envelope and write your return mailing address on each envelope, too.  2) Make the letter from you, the buyer, not your buyer agent. A letter written by the buyer will receive a much better response than one that is written by the buyer agent.  3) Make it ..read more

We found these questions interesting to ponder, and thought you might find value in exploring a few of them, too. Do any of these questions help you clarify how you might make positive changes in your own life?  10 questions for 2025 1) What new hobbies or interests would you like to explore in the new year?  2) When do you find yourself feeling most content and at peace?  3) Where have you found inspiration and meaning in the last year?  4) Who are the people in your life that you are interested in knowing better?  5) Who are the people who inspire you? What ..read more

We recently shared our 2025 Madison area real estate predictions, and we feel it's important to share that we also expect homeowners insurance, property taxes, and the cost to maintain a home to rise in the new year.  Climate change is having a real impact on insurance premiums and the cost to maintain municipal services, while a tight labor market is contributing to higher wages for contractors and the tradespeople who help us take care of our homes.  Does this mean you should abandon your real estate goals for the new year? Absolutely not. There's still no place like home ..read more