Blog

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is something most mortgage loan programs require unless the borrower has more than 20% equity in a property, and it can cost home owners thousands of dollars per year. PMI insures the lender against default by the borrower, and it generally costs 1/2 – 1% of the loan amount per year. Read More

Last month I did year end stats summarizing communities within Dane County, and I’ve had a few requests to show more specific stats and home sales data for each communities around the greater Madison area. Since 35%+ of our sales are in Verona, and that’s where we live and work, I figured I’d start there. Read More

Last month I wrote about the winter slowdown and year end statistics. I wrote things would keep moving quickly, but buyers might have some easier opportunities. Unfortunately for buyers, that didn’t last too long with the market heating up faster than I expected with the pre-Spring market. Our last couple of listings saw multiple offers Read More

The early half of 2022 was fueled with extreme bidding wars and buyer competition driving prices up 9.5% statewide and 9.7% in Dane County and the Madison area.  The latter half of the year (especially the 4th quarter) had a significant slowdown due to rising interest rates and lower affordability. Even though prices were up Read More

I have been a short term rental host for several years now, and I’ve learned a fair amount about the ever changing OTAs (Online Travel Agents), such as Airbnb, VRBO, Expedia, Booking.com, etc. These OTAs certainly have their purpose and have helped the vacation rental market explode. However, they also charge a number of hefty Read More

The monthly cost of buying a home has significantly increased with the rise of interest rates and housing prices. I have a lot of people asking Is it worth buying now or should I wait until rates dip or prices pull back? For those who already own a home and looking to upgrade, it’s definitely Read More

As I write this, I’m sitting here paying property tax bills and making the final contributions to nonprofits for the year as part of  our charity program. I can’t help but think – How will all this money will be used? I’m certainly thankful for the quality of public education we have available to us Read More

Over the past few years we saw many buyers waive their home inspection option or have a large allowances for defects (a dollar amount of defects they’d ignore). This was due largely to the fact there was so much competition among buyers that a buyer had to make their offer more appealing to a seller Read More

Some national headlines would lead you to believe that we are in the middle of a real estate crash, while others are still talking about competition among home buyers – so which is it? We are in a tricky weird market right now. Some of the more cyclical markets such as California, Seattle, and parts Read More

Scenic Valley is a new development in Cross Plains. Nestled in the western part of Dane County, the growing Village of Cross Plains offers something for everyone. This exciting new subdivision features spacious lots with beautiful country views of a wooded valley and the convenience of village utilities. You’ll enjoy a neighborhood park, bike and walking trails, Read More