Saturday, December 31, 2016

What's in Store for 2017?

Can we predict what will happen in 2017 given the strong markets of the past two years? While it's all speculative, we can make a few guesses. For instance, rates could move higher, based on our President- elect's fiscal and stimulus agenda. Even so, interest rates should remain at historically low levels.

Another thing to look for is more millennials buying homes. According to the National Association of Realtors, millennials who have paid down their student loans and built up their cash may be in a position to buy more house than even most real-estate professionals might think. And right behind them is Gen Z. Their elder members will hit their 18th birthdays in 2017, and as they come of age with low interest rates, better job prospects and higher wages to help cushion the high costs of college education,they likely could be a generation that strongly values homeownership and will continue to drive the real estate market for a long time to come.


Stay tuned to see what the new year brings.   Here's to 2017!

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Live Large in a Tiny House!

Join the tiny house revolution with one of the original "tiny" houses! Built in 1928, this darling 652 square foot bungalow is packed with character and charm! Beautiful built-in corner china cabinet, updated kitchen, updated bath, fresh paint throughout, refinished hardwood floors and a delightful 3-season porch to enjoy the private backyard. Detached garage with extra storage and adjacent bonus art studio or office. 

Excellent near west location-bike everywhere! Close to the UW-Madison, University Ave restaurants and shops, Hilldale and Hoyt Park. Move right in and reduce your carbon footprint. Contact me about how you can live large in this tiny house!


Saturday, December 10, 2016

October 2016 Home Sales



October continued to be a strong Real Estate market on the near west side of Madison.  Below is a few of the listings that sold.  Maybe there was one in our neighborhood?




SOLD IN OCTOBER 2016

Friday, December 2, 2016

Looking Back at 2016

Despite all the changes that came about in 2016, the real estate market remained solid. It was extremely consistent, and is likely to become a record-setting year for Wisconsin's existing home market.

As with 2015, the housing industry again saw healthy increases in value. Inventory, while still very low compared to the number of people looking to buy, loosened up a bit mid-year. In June of 2016 the number of available homes for sale rose to 9,942, up from 9,450 the previous year. By August of 2016, there were nearly 1,000 additional homes for sale over 2015 inventory for that same time period. Still, buyers outweighed sellers, which continued to drive home prices up.

Why so many buyers? This is thanks to many factors, including low interest rates, lower gas prices, stronger wage growth, and greater numbers of millennials entering the home buying market. Technology is also making it easier for these buyers to shop for homes from virtually anywhere.


What's in store for 2017?  Stay tuned....

Thursday, November 17, 2016

No Slow Down in Sight

Crisp, cool air. Football. Shorter days; longer nights. Yes, we are definitely in the midst of autumn. The holidays are quickly approaching. The first snowfall of the season could happen at any time. And all this as we prepare for spending a day feasting with family and loved ones on Thanksgiving.

Just because the world seems to quiet down a bit in the fall doesn't mean great things aren't continuing to happen in real estate, though. 


Locally, our market still shows no signs of slowing down. September's numbers were up across the board. In South Central Wisconsin, MLS reported home sales were 1,416, up from 1,320 last year. Median home prices were $196,500, up from $183,000 in September of 2015. As I've stated before, inventory remains low, so this fall and winter continues to be an ideal time to sell.  Contact me for a free market analysis.  As always, I'm happy to help!

Friday, November 4, 2016

Six Fall Homeowner Tips

Well, I’m not sure what happened to summer, but with piles of leaves to rake, cooler nights and shorter days, autumn has certainly arrived.  And speaking of shorter days, remember to “fall back” this Saturday November 5th, when Daylight Savings Time comes to an end.

Here are a few more tips to get your house ready before the snow flies:

Jack-o-Lanterns:
·        Time to dispose of those Halloween jack-o-lanterns!  The city of Madison will pick them up if left at the curb.  Please don’t put in the garbage; they only take up landfill space!

Check your windows:
·        If you have combination storm windows, be sure the screens are down.  Close windows and lock to keep out any drafts.

Furnace:
·        Change your furnace filter and if you haven’t had a furnace safety check recently, now is a good time to take care of that.

Outdoor faucets and hoses:
·        Reel in and drain your outside hoses and store for the winter.  Now is also a good time to make sure the outside faucets are turned off for the winter.

Clean the Gutters:
·        Where are all those leaves that aren’t piled in your yard?  They are in your gutters!  Clean your gutters now so when the spring rains arrive it’s clear sailing.

Start your snow blower:
·        Check your snow blower to see that it will work when that first snowfall arrives.  Have it at the ready too, not buried behind the bikes, lawnmower and other “garage stuff” that tends to accumulate!  No snow blower?  Find the snow shovels and have them ready, you’ll also need those!


Remember to find time to enjoy the season, too.  There are still plenty of nice autumn days ahead!  Happy Fall!

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!