Ideas for the Persnickety

The Holiday shopping days are winding down.  If you are still unsure what to get that persnickety person on your list, I have a few ideas for you.  These are not in any particular order, but offer something unusual for the hard to please.

Wingra Boats Gift Card

• These can be used for classes, boat rentals or towards a membership to Wingra Boats.

 Olbrich Botanical Garden Membership

• Membership has it's privileges and there are several membership levels.  Discounts at the gift shop, pre-event membership previews and discounts on classes, to name a few of the benefits.

 EVP Coffee House Gift Card

• For a morning pick-me-up that can be used anytime!

 Donation to a charity in the name of the recipient

• Two of my local favorites are Lily's Fund for Epilepsy and Gio's Garden

Event Tickets

• The Overture Center and the Barrymore Theater, as well as other venues have shows throughout the year.

Willy St., Monroe St. and Middleton also offer many local shops where you can find unique gift ideas for everyone on your list.  Season's Greetings and Happy shopping!

Fall Home Sales

Late Fall continued to be a strong Real Estate market on the near west side of Madison.  While interest rates inched up somewhat and this year's inventory remained low, buyers were persistent.  Here's a list of recent home sales.  Maybe one was your neighbor!

Address                                  Sold Price        Closing Date

701 Gilmore St $525,000 11/18/2013 206 N Owen Dr $200,000 11/15/2013 5109 Shawano Ter $182,500 11/13/2013 444 Hilltop Dr $235,000 11/12/2013 701 Seneca Pl $390,000 11/12/2013 4809 Holiday Dr $477,200 11/08/2013 4022 Saint Clair St Not Disclosed 11/08/2013 225 Westmorland Blvd $250,000 11/04/2013 5302 Burnett Dr $267,000 11/04/2013 5062 La Crosse Ln $279,000 11/04/2013 2228 Monroe St $379,000 11/01/2013 517 Charles Ln $290,000 11/01/2013 113 Richland Ln $294,000 11/01/2013 625 N Segoe Rd Unit 907 $275,000 11/01/2013 555 S Midvale Blvd Unit 225 $220,000 10/31/2013 4609 Keating Ter $324,100 10/30/2013 470 S Segoe Rd $240,600 10/29/2013 2103 Commonwealth Ave $259,900 10/29/2013 2141 Hollister Ave $272,500 10/29/2013 4518 Wakefield St $280,000 10/25/2013 3918 Saint Clair St $213,500 10/22/2013 309 N Owen Dr $225,900 10/21/2013 477 Hilton Dr $189,000 10/21/2013 422 Glenway St $110,000 10/15/2013 4905 Waukesha St $279,644 10/10/2013 4330 Odana Rd $165,000 10/09/2013 11 Larkin St $395,000 10/08/2013 555 S Midvale Blvd Unit 323 $237,000 10/04/2013 2928 Mckinley St $291,500 10/03/2013 2118 Regent St $405,000 10/02/2013 602 Sheldon St $398,500 10/01/2013 630 Constitution Ln $189,000 10/01/2013 2 Birch Cir $310,000 09/30/2013 2211 Keyes Ave $620,800 09/25/2013 2514 Commonwealth Ave $275,000 09/25/2013 2339 Monroe St $287,600 09/24/2013 714 Huron Hl $575,000 09/23/2013 113 Bascom Pl $190,000 09/20/2013 2643 Van Hise Ave $485,000 09/20/2013 2929 Stevens St $183,500 09/20/2013 314 N Owen Dr $210,500 09/19/2013 3545 Lucia Crst $165,000 09/18/2013 625 N Segoe Rd Unit 511 $325,000 09/17/2013 506 Togstad Glenn $285,000 09/17/2013 713 Glenway St $212,500 09/16/2013 58 Merlham Dr $261,000 09/16/2013 840 Woodrow St $379,000 09/16/2013

Reasons to Buy

I was at a seminar recently and part of the subject matter was what motivates a person to buy a house?  While the reason is often very personal and depends on many scenarios, I think the answers to the question may surprise you.

Based on a Fannie Mae survey, here are the top 5 reasons Americans buy a home:

• A better place to raise their children
• A place their family can feel safe
• Ability to have more space
• Freedom to renovate to their taste
• Owning is a better investment.

Interestingly, the financial reality of a home purchase is at the bottom of the list.  For most Americans it's a lifestyle choice before a monetary one.  Of course, price comes into play, but it's not one of the top four reasons cited.

Even when owning is still 35 percent cheaper than renting, it's the lifestyle choices that really move people to purchase.

Grateful

A few weeks ago, an envelope arrived in the mail from one of my clients.  We had closed on their new house a month earlier.  It was a thank you card.  Wow!  When you work with clients to buy or sell a house, you really get to know them.  We spend lots of time together in person as well as electronically.  By the time the closing arrives, we have developed a relationship and gotten to know each other well.  While I’m always happy that my clients have reached their goal, I’m always a little disappointed, too.  The weekly, and sometimes daily, communication slows down and in some cases stops all together.

So imagine my delight when the card arrived in the mail.  The card read “thank you so much for guiding us through the process of buying our first home.  It made such a difference to have a familiar and trustworthy partner in such a monumental step in our lives.  You were patient and accommodating and we thank you for that.”  Wow again! 

 

As we near Thanksgiving, the one day of the year set aside to reflect on the blessings in our lives, I am thankful for good health, a happy family and good friends.  I am reminded by that card that I am also deeply grateful for all of you, for reading this blog and reaching out when you read something of interest to you.  I am appreciative of your comments and suggestions.  But mostly, I am thankful to you for including me in your life, even if just for a short time. 

All the best for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!  Gobble, gobble!

EVP Expanding

EVP Coffee Company will be opening another location in the coming weeks.  The new store, at the corner of Whitney Way and University Avenue will add to University Crossing, the new health/dental/retail campus.

EVP Coffee Company began in 1997.  Originally called "Etes-Vous Prets?!" (pronounced "et-voo-pray"), the name was later shortened to EVP Coffee to help customers with remembering the name and pronouncing it!  "Etes-Vous Prets" means "Are you ready?!" and is the traditional starting command of rowing races. 

The current EVP stores are located at 1250 East Washington Ave., 3809 Mineral Point Rd., the VA Hospital location and 555 S. Midvale Blvd. (Sequoya Commons). 

Join me at the Mineral Point Rd. EVP location on Wednesday mornings between 8-9 a.m. for a cup of coffee and good conversation.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Strengthening My Faith in Humanity

My parents are elderly.  It's hard for me to say that outloud, since it ages me, too!  My mom and dad still live in the house I grew up in on the near west side of Madison.  The kitchen has been remodeled twice and I can't count the number of times the exterior and interior have been painted.  For 46 years they have mowed grass, shoveled sidewalks, and raked leaves.

Such was the case recently when I stopped at lunch time to find my dad in the front yard tending to fallen leaves.  An endless job for him with the large silver maple tree that drapes over the front of the house and seems to hold her leaves far into the autumn.  Happy for the break, we stepped into the house for a quick visit.

As I was leaving and he was preparing to return to the leaves, I noticed a woman raking leaves in front of their house.  I ventured out to find out she was a neighbor who was just out to help.

"Your parents always have such a nice looking yard," she explained.  "It's a shame to see it covered with leaves."

I picked up a rake and she and I finished raking the front yard while my dad bagged the leaves to take to the city drop off site.

It was so refreshing to know that there are neighbors who look out for neighbors.  People who lend a helpful hand just because.  People who dive in for no reason other than it was a beautiful day and leaves needed to be raked.  It strengthened my faith in humanity.  It also made my day!  I think it made my dad's day, too!

Market Slow Down? Not Necessarily!

We have begun the final chapter of 2013, moving toward the holiday season and the year end.  As of today, there are only 57 days left in 2013.  Traditionally, this is a slower time in the home buying market.  But does it have to be?

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac announced on Halloween that the average rate on 30 year loans declined to the lowest level in four months.  It wasn't a huge decrease.  For most lenders in our area, the result has been a 1/4% to 1/2% decrease.

 

Will the interest rates continue to decrease? As long as the Fed continues to flip flop on adding to or subtracting from the stimulus, the longevity of current favorable interest rate levels remains anyone's guess.

 

The important thing for buyers to realize is that this time of year when rates are low and the inventory is also light, is when some of the best Real Estate deals are available.  

 

So, what is the best course of action at the moment? Buyers need to get going now. Doing so could provide the best pricing of the year combined with the best interest rates since the 4th of July.

SOLD!

Early Fall in Madison remained a busy Real Estate Market.  Interest rates continued to stay low and although inventory was still in short supply compared to a "normal" year, many buyers were able to find exactly what they were looking for on the near west side of Madison.  In fact, a total of 47 homes sold from the end of August to mid-September in the Westmorland, Sunset Village, Hill Farms and Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhoods.

Here's a list of some of the recent sales through the middle of last month.  Perhaps one was your neighbor!

Address                Sold Price            Closing Date

217 E Sunset Ct	$290,000	09/11/2013
239 Standish Ct	$205,000	08/29/2013
4210 Mineral Point Rd	$199,900	09/09/2013
4005 Birch Ave	$272,000	08/29/2013
2 Birch Cir	$310,000	09/30/2013
302 Waverly Pl	$205,000	09/05/2013
3901 Birch Ave	$355,000	09/04/2013
4026 Saint Clair St	$280,000	09/04/2013
53 S Midvale Blvd	$164,000	09/06/2013
458 Glenway St	$297,000	09/09/2013
301 N Hillside Ter	$229,400	08/29/2013
58 Merlham Dr	$261,000	09/16/2013
3709 Zwerg Dr	$219,000	09/12/2013
230 Saint Croix Ln	$350,000	09/09/2013
314 N Owen Dr	$210,500	09/19/2013
555 Glen Dr	$255,000	09/06/2013
506 Togstad Glenn	$285,000	09/17/2013
2715 Van Hise Ave	$380,000	09/11/2013
306 N Segoe Rd Unit 102	$127,500	09/04/2013
616 Glenwood St	$375,000	09/06/2013
2929 Stevens St	$183,500	09/20/2013
713 Glenway St	$212,500	09/16/2013
4725 Lafayette Dr	$405,000	08/29/2013
2643 Van Hise Ave	$485,000	09/20/2013
2914 Barlow St	$231,000	09/06/2013
3545 Lucia Crst	$165,000	09/18/2013
2846 Stevens St	$255,000	09/06/2013
4910 Marathon Dr	$240,000	09/12/2013
625 N Segoe Rd Unit 511	$325,000	09/17/2013
625 N Segoe Rd Unit 1100	$839,900	09/09/2013
2514 Commonwealth Ave	$275,000	09/25/2013
625 N Segoe Rd Unit 602	$335,000	09/04/2013
2339 Monroe St	$287,600	09/24/2013
5018 South Hill Dr	$295,000	09/16/2013
3519 Tallyho Ln	$455,000	09/11/2013
3329 Tallyho Ln	$427,000	09/20/2013
836 Woodrow St	$280,000	09/16/2013
3215 Topping Rd	$570,000	09/11/2013
840 Woodrow St	$379,000	09/16/2013
2211 Keyes Ave	$620,800	09/25/2013
5109 Shawano Ter	$229,660	09/16/2013
110 Marinette Trl	$494,245	09/04/2013
113 Bascom Pl	$190,000	09/20/2013