"Staycation"

Road Trip!  That's what my college friends and I would yell as we planned and departed on a trip, long or short, outside of Madison. Today, the more savvy term is "Staycation".  Regardless of what you call it, the meaning is the same; "stay" at home and explore the not-so-far areas around where you live. 


Living in Madison, we have the unique and good fortune to be outside the city limits in 20 minutes or less.  Sure, there are incredible opportunities within the city limits (more on that in a later post), but there are also fabulous places to explore a short distance from the city limits.  So, if you are looking for a staycation for a week, a weekend or even just a day trip, here are some of my top picks.


Indian Lake County Park: When my children were small, my dear friend would take her kids and mine to Indian Lake.  What a respite for me, and the kids had a blast!  And the dog was welcome too, score! 


Devils Lake Sate Park: One of my favorite places in the state.  This was a road trip favorite in college and continues to be a favorite for our family.  Founded in 1911, Devil's Lake is the third oldest state park in Wisconsin, the largest, and the most visited.

Parfrey's Glen: My parents took my kids to Parfrey's Glen when they were small.  I'm not sure who had more fun, my parents or the kids!  It's one of Wisconsin's first State Natural Areas.


Cave of the Mounds: It's the same temperature year-round...incredible!  Still privately owned, visitors have flocked here for more than 70 years.  This is one of the best one day trips in the Midwest! 


Mineral Point, WI: Looking for some history, unique art and architecture, then check our Mineral Point, WI.  WisconsinTrails magazine just named Mineral Point the best historic town in the state.


Of course, there are lots of places to choose from, these are just a few.  Wherever your "Staycation" takes you, I hope you enjoy the trip!

HPAJP Public Meeting

The Hoyt Park Area Joint Planning Committee has been hard at work developing a neighborhood plan to make the Hoyt Park Area an even better place to live.  The planning committee has studied a wide variety of topics including pedestrian and bike traffic, auto traffic flow, residential design characteristics and park and open space improvements, as well as several other neighborhood issues.

A draft plan of the Hoyt Park Area Joint Plan is now ready for public review.  A public hearing on the draft plan is scheduled for Wednesday May 30 at the First Baptist Church 518 N. Franklin St. at 6:30 p.m.  

The public meeting will include an overview, plan presentation, community input and next steps.  A draft copy of the neighborhood plan is now available for review on the project website at

www.cityofmadison.com/planning/HoytParkPlan/ or a review copy is available at the Sequoya Branch Library, 4340 Tokay Blvd, reference desk. All comments on the draft plan are public record.

Plan to attend the meeting to see what the planning committee has been up to.

Fun on the Water

The temperature is creeping up which means it's time to head to the water!  Madison's west side is blessed with Lake Wingra, a small, no-wake lake tucked along the edge of the UW Arboretum.   One of the best places to enjoy Lake Wingra is at Wingra Park just off of Monroe Street.

Perched at the end of the park on the shores of the lake is Wingra Boats, a small boat marina that rents kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, pontoon boats and more.  In addition, there are lots of educational activities planned for the summer months such as yoga on stand up paddle boards, birding excursions and Full Moon Paddle trips.

Looking for some fun water activities?  Wingra Boats is the place to be!  And it's open for the season!  The Wingra location is now open weekends from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.  After Memorial Day, they will be open 7 days a week.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did!

Spring Spruce Up

I have some friends who are selling their house…YEAH!  It’s a great house (check it out here).  As all home sellers do, they have been sprucing up their house, inside and out, to put their best foot forward.  With that sprucing, comes yard work and cutting back the bramble of overgrown winter vegetation.  As luck would have it, the City of Madison will begin brush collection this month.  Score!  Is your yard and garden waiting for that spring haircut and restyle?  Now is the time to get that overgrowth to the curb!  The Streets Division will be collecting brush to coincide with refuse collection days.

Not willing to wait for curb side service?  You can always drop yard waste at one of the City of Madison drop off sites.  Those locations are:

East: 4602 Sycamore

South: 1501 W. Badger Rd.

West: 402 South Point Rd.

One reminder: garlic mustard, an invasive weed, should be placed in the trash.  No need to spread this nasty weed!

Good luck!

Market "Hyperactivity"

This spring has seen a kind of market “hyperactivity” we haven’t seen of late, including double digit sales increases and open house traffic increases of 5 to 10 fold. With April nearly behind us, the strength of the market continues to be apparent.  I have seen in certain markets and price ranges, increased incidents of multiple offers being submitted on the same property.

The message here is two fold: For sellers, this is the best time in the past 6 years to have your home on the market. For buyers: Don’t take a chance on missing out on your dream home by sticking to last year’s paradigm of a soft market and making an unreasonably low offer. With interest rates hovering at about 4% (about one half of the level they are in a typical market), you will more than make up for your purchase price increase through the interest saved by locking in today’s rates.

Interestingly, history has shown us that interest rates are held down during an election cycle, but after November, anything could happen. Its time to move to your next home now.

Remodeling ROI

Over the last few years, many homeowners disgruntled with the housing market have decided to remodel their current home rather than move to a new one.  Although interest rates continue to be be low and the housing market on the near West Side of Madison has improved substantially over the last year, some homeowners are still inclined to remodel.  Nothing wrong with that!  Before you decide to jump into a remodel, be sure you know what kind of return to expect.  Here are few things to think about.

1. The kitchen – The kitchen will give you the biggest bang for your buck.  Whether it’s a major remodel or a simple face lift, putting a fresh face on your kitchen is your best investment. If you are making changes to sell your home, don't go overboard, choose high end finishes and fixtures only if you plan to stay for a while.  Expect an 85 percent return on your investment.
2. The bathroom – An outdated bathroom can be a real downer. The large soaker tubs that were popular several years ago are being replaced with large walk-in showers.  A major renovation could cost less than $20,000, but it should yield an 80 percent return.
3. Decks/Patios – A new deck or patio can cost a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on size and materials used.  Stone patios in lieu of the traditional deck is becoming more popular, but will also cost you more in materials and labor. If the deck/patio is well done and incorporates inside space with outside space, your return could be more than 80 percent.
4. Landscaping – With the warm months of spring and summer upon us, landscaping becomes more important.  Don't underestimate to value landscaping can add to the curb appeal of your home as well as the enjoyment of a beautiful yard and garden.  Professional landscaping can cost as much as $20,000, depend on the size and scope of the project.  But you can expect to reap 110 percent return on your investment.
5. Window replacement –  New windows offer energy efficiency as well as improve safety, in some cases.  The number of windows you replace and the type of window you choose will impact the cost, but you can expect a return of about 70 percent.

New West Side Habitat ReStore

Looking to replace the tile in your bathroom?  Check out the selection at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  Need a new vanity?  Light fixture? Kitchen cabinets? Front door, back door, storm door?  The Habitat ReStore sells new and used building materials to the public at discount prices. Inventory includes appliances, cabinets, flooring, hardware, windows, wood furniture, and more.  If you have visited the east side store, you know what a treat it is!

And If you are a treasure hunter like me, you'll be thrilled that Habitat for Humanity has plans to open a west side store in July. The new location, at 5906 Odana Rd., will begin taking donations on May 1 on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Habitat ReStore estimates that 10,000 tons of building material have been reused and sold instead of going in the Dane County landfill. Proceeds from the store benefit Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. Currently, Habitat East helps build two to three homes a year. With both stores, proceeds will help Habitat build as many as five homes a year in the future.

So if you are thinking about a home improvement project, be sure to check out the new west side ReStore location.  You might find just the right treasure for your project and help a worthy cause at the same time!