Transcontinental Transaction

Referrals are the highest compliment I ever receive, so I was thrilled when a friend called to put me in touch with her friends who had a condo to sell.  It was a sweet condo for sale in a darling little condominium complex complete with an in-unit laundry area and a cute balcony off of the dining room.

We set about getting the condo ready for sale, we signed paperwork and prepared marketing material We did a little staging, took great photos and I wrote a description to grab the attention of buyers.  We were all set!  The condo was on the market.

A week or so later, I received a call from another Realtor who had recently showed the condo to a buyer who was ready to make an offer.  Sweet!   Here’s the funny part: I was in Florida at the time.  The seller (my client) was in Minnesota. The buyer was in New York.  The buyer’s agent was in Seattle.  This was going to be a transcontinental transaction!  No problem!

With today’s technology (we love it and we hate it, don’t we?), this would be a snap.  Paperwork was completed, phone calls were made, negotiations took place, documents were signed and the condo was sold!  Between cell phones calls, texts, digital signature programs and e-mail the whole process was straight forward and seamless.  The seller was thrilled!  The buyer was elated!  And the other Realtor and I were happy to have a positive, painless experience that produced happy clients.

Perhaps you know a friend or relative that needs to buy or sell a property while not in Madison.  It’s a piece of cake with technology.  Have them give me a call at 608-333-4406.  Hassle free, cross-country transactions can be trouble-free and fun!  In fact, I may leave town just so I can be involved in another one!  As always, I’m happy to help!

Hey neighbors!  One of the most popular posts on this blog is the area homes sales report.  It makes sense, you want to know what's happening in your neighborhood. 

Sales continue to be strong and interest rates are still low, a win-win!  So, without further adieu, below are the home sales on the near west side of Madison during the month of April.  As always, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail, text or give me a call if you want specific information on a property.  Happy to help!

April 2014 Home Sales

2202 Regent St $212,000 04/23/2014 61 Cherokee Cir Unit 103 $168,000 04/23/2014 625 N Segoe Rd Unit 904 $345,000 04/23/2014 5405 Trempealeau Trl $345,000 04/22/2014 4721 Ames St $219,000 04/22/2014 4714 Mineral Point Rd $156,000 04/21/2014 1413 Stemp Ter $225,000 04/08/2014 5205 Fairway Dr $275,000 04/08/2014 5009 Odana Rd $252,000 04/08/2014 6010 Hammersley Rd $97,700 04/07/2014 53 S Midvale Blvd $220,000 04/07/2014 6532 Offshore Dr $131,500 04/07/2014 201 Larkin St $195,032 04/04/2014 229 Carillon Dr $355,000 04/03/2014 121 Frigate Dr $295,000 04/03/2014 2127 Regent St $342,000 04/03/2014 3311 Topping Rd $400,000 04/03/2014 4121 Winnemac Ave $165,000 04/03/2014 3100 Lake Mendota Dr Apt 701 $340,000 04/03/2014 15 Merlham Dr $229,000 04/03/2014 6405 Woodington Way $250,000 04/02/2014 5530 Terre Haute Ave $194,000 04/02/2014 5 Mark Twain St $197,000 04/02/2014 1029 High St $223,000 04/02/2014 13 N Rosa Rd $244,720 * 04/01/2014 2 S Midvale Blvd $265,000 04/01/2014 2616 Kendall Ave $352,000 04/01/2014 2039 Irwin Pl $117,500 04/01/2014 309 Forest St $199,500 * 03/31/2014 906 Hampshire Pl $181,500 03/28/2014 10 S Spooner St $340,000 03/28/2014 555 S Midvale Blvd Unit 223 $224,000 03/28/2014 2546 Kendall Ave $222,000 03/28/2014 3714 Hammersley Ave $252,500 03/27/2014 2909 Stevens St $178,000 03/27/2014 6613 Berkshire Rd $217,000 03/27/2014

* Prices are estimated. Actual sales price unavailable.

 

June Dairy Month

Wisconsin natives and transplants alike know that June is synonymous with dairy month.  All month, the state celebrates the dairying and cheese making heritage that is truly Wisconsin.

If you are looking to take in some June Dairy Month activities, there are several to choose from.  The month kicks off with the long-held tradition of Cows on the Concourse on June 7th.  Bovine beauties are on display around the Capitol square where kids and adults can get up close to the cows and calves from local dairy farms.

The annual Dane County Breakfast on the Farm this year is scheduled for June 14th from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Zander Dairy Farm in Mount Horeb.

Travel a little further from home to take in the Beer, Bacon and Cheese Festival June 14th in New Glarus or the Reedsburg Butter Festival June 9-14th.

However you decide to celebrate the heritage that is dairying in Wisconsin, here's hoping it's Dairylicious!  For a complete list of dairy activities during June

Don't be Unconnected

It happens to the best of us!  We drop our cell phone into water.  It falls and the screen cracks.  The phone breaks (who knows why?) and you have 18 months before you are eligible for a new phone.  There is help!


Clean Planet Cell Phone Repair is the place to go.  Open 7 days a week and conveniently located on University Ave., they offer affordable repairs and used cell phones to get you through until you are eligible for a new one.  Clean Planet will even purchase and refurbish old cell phones.


The company can also repair iPads and tablets, iPods and laptops.  They are the go-to place for busy people who don't have time to be unconnected.


So when you technology is causing you headaches, don't worry!  Clean Planet can help!

Starving Artists

If you are a fan of the arts, you won't want to miss Fine Arts Week at West High School. 

In addition to the daily presentations of theater, dance and music in the Band room and the Auditorium, The Colucci Gallery will showcase the best work from visual art students, this spring semester. There will be two open gallery nights, Monday and Wednesday nights, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Join students, parents and staff for music performances in the Ash St. entrance both evenings, and a choir concert in the Auditorium on Wednesday night.

 

On Friday, the Art Department Pottery and Craft Sale starts at 9:00 am in the courtyard. The famous West Pottery Auction begins at noon in the courtyard, following the Art Department Awards Ceremony.

 

This event is free and open to the public  And while these artists aren't starving (they still live with their parents!), it's a worthwhile event to support young artists and you might be able to take home a nice one-of-a-kind piece or art or two!

 

 

A Ringing Phone

My phone rings a lot.  A lot!  It’s a good thing and this particular day was no different.  At the other end of the line was Caroline, a woman who wanted to look at one of the houses I had listed for sale.  We set a day and time to meet at the house.

Upon arrival at the designated time, I met Caroline and Aaron, a young, newly married couple looking to purchase their first home.  It turns out this house wasn’t the right one for them.  After some discussion to learn more about their wants and needs, I promised to stay in touch and send them some others that might be of interest.  Over the next few weeks we exchanged e-mails and phone calls and looked at several homes.  Nothing was right. 

One Sunday, my phone rang again.  Caroline and Aaron had just left an open house they LOVED!  Would I go look at it?  They wanted to write an offer.  A did a quick run through at the open house and met them at the office to write the offer.  Several long, anxious days later, we learned that another party had gotten the house.  Shoot!  The search continues.  We looked at others, including a second look at the original house that brought us together.  But when you find the one you want and it gets away, it’s sometimes hard to move on.

Still more time passes and I receive another call from Caroline.  They think they found another house, and it’s just down the street from the “house that got away”.  It’s not on the market, though. A friend of a friend is selling it.  Can I help?  Absolutely!  Of course, they don’t need me if it’s not listed and I mention this to Caroline and Aaron.  “Oh no,” Caroline explains.  “You have been so helpful, we want you involved.”   So forward we march.  We write a good, solid offer and it is accepted.  We work through the inspection, secure the financing and the closing date is set.  A month later, Caroline and Aaron are new homeowners and are thrilled with their new home!  Another happy client!

A few months pass and my phone rings (remember it rings a lot!).  It’s a friend of Caroline and Aaron, who are looking to purchase a new house.  Can I help?  Absolutely!  And so we began their search.

Caroline and Aaron gave me the ultimate thank you by referring their friends to me (who did buy a house, by the way.  You’ll hear their story in another note).  I am so grateful to Caroline and Aaron for sending their friends my way.   As they say, it’s not always what you know but who you know.

Perhaps you know someone who is looking to buy their first home.  Or maybe someone looking to downsize or relocate to another area?  Do me a favor and have them give me a call at (608) 333-4406.  I promise, I’ll answer the phone!

Spring Housing Craziness Continues

Now that our weather delayed spring season has finally arrived, it seems things couldn't be better: no more snow for buyers to trudge through; more choices in homes on the market…even interest rates have softened by about 1/4%. Sounds like everything is in order right? The answer is... Maybe.

While new inventory is hitting the market daily, buyers seem to be coming into the market at an even faster pace. The result is no different than with any other product where demand exceeds supply: Shelves go empty and prices go up. Housing is no exception to this rule.

In markets like the current one, it is critical that you are prepared when you venture into the world of home buying and selling.  As a home seller, you want to be sure your home is prepared, staged and marketed in a manner that will get you to the closing table quickly. For those looking to buy a home, an experienced agent can help you construct an offer strategy to help ensure that your offer will be the winning offer...and that may not always be about the highest price. Things like loan pre-approval, reasonable contingencies and timelines, along with the best closing schedule to accommodate the seller’s needs all play into the process.