Monday, October 31, 2016

September 2016 Home Sales

Well, although the weather doesn't seem to be sure these days, we are officially in Autumn!  Typically, a slower time for sales in the Real Estate market.  While the market has slowed a bit as the days become shorter, it is still a brisk market.  And buyer's are still searching high and low for their perfect home!

Here are the homes that sold in September on the near West side of Madison.  If you are thinking of making a move, ow might be a perfect time to start considering!  As always, I'm happy to help!


Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Why are Buyers and Sellers Nervous??

2016 has been an unusual year in the Real Estate Market. For buyer's it's been especially tough.

Buyer's are becoming disillusioned because the market is so tight; low inventory and lots of buyer's.  Many have tried to purchase and have been "beat out" by other offers on the same house, which only adds to their disappointment.  In some cases, these buyer's have been trying to get into a house for more than a year!  So why all the cautious behavior?
 
Here's my two cents on why buyer's and seller's are nervous:

When the market fell apart a few years ago, homeowners hunkered down and remodeled or refinanced rather than move.  Now, they either want to stay because of the remodel or it doesn't pay for them to move after a refinance.
 

With the uncertainty in the upcoming presidential election, buyer's and seller's are unsure what the next few years will bring for interest rates and for the economy.  That reasoning has buyer's wanting to get into a house before any unusual or drastic changes happen.  It's the same reason seller's want to stay put; all are uncertain about the future.

Despite all that, it's still a great time to sell a house; seller's are in the driver's seat.  And we haven't seen a slow down in buyer's searching for their perfect house.  

Monday, October 17, 2016

Fall Looks to Continue the Strong Sales Trend of Spring and Summer


Change is in the air! The kids are back at school, the leaves are turning brilliant colors, the air has a slight frosty nip to it and backyard barbeques have been replaced with football viewing get-togethers. Yes, it’s definitely fall in Wisconsin.

Oddly, though, one thing that doesn't seem to be changing very drastically is the state of the real estate market in the greater Dane Country region. Spring and summer home sales were fast and furious. In fact, August home sales in Wisconsin saw the strongest numbers since 2005, with a whopping nine percent jump over August, 2015. In Dane County, our numbers stayed pretty much static compared to last year's home sales, but the median sale price increased by 6.1 percent to $244,000.

As with the past year, home sale prices are being driven up by a lack of inventory in the marketplace. Obviously, this makes autumn a perfect time to list property. And those who are in the market to purchase a home are in luck, too. Not only is it a beautiful time of year to drive around and look at potential new homes, but the current interest rates are incredibly low. According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage this past August was at 3.44 percent, about a half percent lower than August 2015.

Fall is the perfect time for sellers to consider listing a home.  As always, I'm here to help!

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

New Restaurants Coming to Monroe St.

Monroe St. is home to some great shopping and restaurants.  Some new neighborhood restaurants will be opening soon:

Everly:
Opening at 2701 Monroe St. - Suite 270, the eatery will offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch specializing in local and regional meat dishes along with veggies, grains and eggs.

Miko Poke:
Slated to open at 2701 Monroe St. - Suite 250, this will be a Hawaiian-themed restaurant with a gluten and dairy-free menu.  The Poke bowls will feature raw seafood, rice or noodles with special sauces and spices.

The Roman Candle Pizzeria:
2623 Monroe St. A Madison/Middleton favorite has submitted plans to open soon.

Infusion Chocolates:
2503 Monroe St., this Chocolatier is also hoping to open soon to satisfy the sweet tooth of area folks!

Watch for these new restaurants in the coming months.  Yummy!