Real Estate

According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association statistics median house prices in the State of Wisconsin increased from $143,500 to $148,000 which is a 3% increase. In Dane County things were a slightly stronger with median prices rising 4% from $211,000 to $220,000. Statewide home values have increased year over year for 33 of the last Read More

Of course this answer depends on your personal timeline. It’s true, there generally is less activity in the real estate market during the winter months. However, it’s a myth that homes don’t sell during the winter. There are some benefits to buying or selling during the winter. The main benefit is less competition. If you Read More

There’s been a lot of chatter recently about Melvin Watt’s announcement that the government is working to loosen mortgage lending standards for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed loans. Most real estate agents and lenders I’ve talked to are excited about this idea. Are they just looking at the fact that it will be easier Read More

Over the past 5 years we have seen amazingly low mortgage interest rates compared to the historical average. I can only imagine that over the next 5 years we are likely to see higher rates as the economy continues to improve. However, last week there was some market volatility causing a nice dip in mortgage Read More

In recent years it seems many sellers are starting to think that open houses don’t work. I think this is the result of a lot of listing agents being lazy and convincing their sellers that open houses don’t work so the agents don’t have to spend their time holding an open house. I’ve even heard Read More

Welcome Home!! Wonderful 3 bedroom has room for everyone! Family room with wet bar, gorgeous stained glass window and cathedral ceilings, has a deck ready for grilling out. Nearly 100% fenced yard boasts blooming Jack in the Pulpits, female Hops, lilacs, roses, trillium, horseradish, garden and more! Fresh paint and carpet, along with roof from Read More

I’m a big believer in living debt free. Living without debt offers you more freedom, less stress, and a more stable life.  Although, it’s pretty rare that someone has saved up enough cash to buy a home (good work if you have). A mortgage is one of the few debts I don’t think is totally Read More

Honesty and Integrity – When you list your home with an agent, you are putting a lot of trust in them. You want someone who can keep any of your personal and financial information confidential, and someone who will do business with your best interest in mind. Look for an agent that is honest an Read More

There has been much debate over whether owning a home is a good investment or not. Dictionary.com defines investment as “the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.” Historically real estate has had an annual average rate of appreciation between 3.5% and 5% depending Read More

When searching for a home people often want to know what their neighbors are going to be like. As a Realtor I need to abide by fair housing laws and not discuss the demographics of a neighborhood. In most cases though, I don’t think people are trying to be discriminatory in any way. Buyers are Read More