Madison area condo prices continued to move higher in the month of April. Here's our latest update on the Dane County condo market.  Dane County condo prices The price per square foot increased from $210 in April of 2023 to $229 in April of 2024. That's a 9 percent increase year-over-year. Through the first 4 months of the year, the price per square foot is up 12 percent.  MLS condo listings New condo listings edged higher in the month of April, and are up by 15 percent through the first 4 months of the year. In the bigger picture, listing activity remains low compared to most other ..read more

Buyer activity was strong in the month of April, as Dane County home prices continued to move higher. Here's our latest update on the Madison area single family home market.  Dane County home prices  The price per square foot increased from $227 in April of 2023 to $234 in April of 2024. That's a 3 percent increase year-over-year. Note the price per square foot is up 8 percent through the first four months of 2024.  The median and average price were also higher in the month of April: The median price jumped from $444,900 in April of 2023 to $496,000 in A ..read more

Most of the popular real estate websites have home valuation tools that can be interesting and fun to interact with. In the matter of a few seconds, we can find our home online, and view real-time how our home's market value is changing.   But keep in mind these tools very often are a reaction to, not a prediction of, the market.  Take this local property, for example. According to one popular online tool, this home's market value increased by almost $140,000 in a single day. This happened because the home was listed for sale in May of 2024 at a price that was much higher than t ..read more

We continue to be blown away by the work of Stephen Meyer and Phenomenal Carpet Care. Stephen is one of those rare people who approaches his work as a craft, someone who truly takes pride in his work.  Here's one example from a recent client.  If you're getting ready to sell your home, cleaning your carpet is a smart decision that always more than pays for itself. Visit phenomenalcarpetcare.com to get started.  ..read more

We have no way of accurately predicting if and when mortgage rates might drop below 6, but let's assume at some point they do. When this happens, we do expect more homeowners who are locked into a low mortgage rate to list their home for sale. It's reasonable to expect that supply will increase when mortgage rates fall.  At the same time, we also expect many more buyers -- enticed by lower rates -- to enter the market, too. Demand will also rise when mortgage rates fall.  So very likely, the net effect of lower rates will be a continued upward pressure on home prices. If you're ..read more

We've written extensively about why we expect Madison area home and condo prices to continue to rise for the foreseeable future. But there's one underlying trend that we haven't really delved into, and that's the large number of millennials that are aging into their peak home-buying years.  See the chart below from the economics blog, Calculated Risk, which shows the largest population groups by year using data and projections from the US Census Bureau. As the chart shows, a large number of millennials are aging into their 30's, and it's the 30 to 39 age range when most people take t ..read more

Sunshine Place is proving we can accomplish more when we meet our neighbors’ needs with dignity and collaboration. This Sun Prairie-based organization is where families and individuals can come for help with food, housing, and other essential support. Sunshine Place is a “resource hub” for basic needs, offering its nine innovative programs plus subsidized space for other agencies. They currently host staff from Centro Hispano, Joining Forces for Families, RISE – Early Childhood Initiative (ECI), Dane County Madison Public Health, and Tenant Resource Center saving their visitors time, transport ..read more

Seventeen years ago Chris helped her friends Dede and Dave buy their dream home in Fitchburg. And 17 years later we're grateful to be helping Dede and Dave again as they prepare to move to their new dream home for their next season of life.  Thank you to all of you who continue to trust us with your real estate needs. We appreciate each and every opportunity to serve.  ..read more

Recently a friend called us to tell us that her roof was leaking and she needed some quick help diagnosing her problem. And so we referred her to Cody Helmer, one of our most trusted contractors. Our friend called Cody that morning, and Cody was there to help her by noon on the same day.  We love working with Cody because he is the type of person who always strives to do the right thing. Cody and his team specialize in roofing, siding, home additions (including 3-season porches), and a variety of large home renovation projects. If you're planning for a major home renovation that requires ..read more

Do you have a favorite contractor or business owner who you trust and respect more than any other? Someone who follows up on their commitments and always strives to do the right thing?  We're always seeking to grow our network of professionals who do business on a handshake. So if you know someone we should meet, we would love an introduction. Thank you, and wishing all of you a happy spring :) Your friends at Mad City Dream Homes ..read more