As we head into the holiday season in full gear, we all have a lot to be thankful just for the privilege of living in this country.

From a pure business standpoint, I am thankful for the privilege of our company being affiliated with the most respected real es

tate brand in the world, Coldwell Banker.  The 110 year old company has an impeccable legacy, as well as the commitment to being a 21st century organization in delivering services to us and our clients.

Further, I am grateful to be working with a group of sales associates and professional staff that represent our company the way they do every day.  Their approach to business is simply to deliver their services in a manner our clients prefer….embracing technology with old fashion relationship building as the approach for sincere, honest service.

Finally, I am thankful for the many, many business associates who are friends and make conducting business pleasurable in the Greater Madison, Wisconsin area.  While the economy continues to be a little unpredictable and days are long as a small business owner, I believe these friendships and mutual encouragement make all the effort worthwhile.

Indeed, lots to be thankful for…..make it a great holiday season!

Coldwell Banker Success | Real Estate Agents

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If you are signing a new lease, but might be ready to buy a home before the lease expires, consider the ramifications of your commitment to the landlord.  You will be responsible for the full year’s rent, unless you take some measures before signing that lease.

Discuss the possibility of buying a home during the lease term with your new landlord prior to signing.  Chances are your landlord will understand your desire to own and allow language added to your lease providing an “out clause” in the lease if you request an early release.  Typically you will need to show proof of a bona fide accepted offer to purchase

If your landlord says “no,” this rental market is such that a sublet may be possible, but again, discuss this ahead of time with your new landlord to have an understanding before signing.  Your lease may not be assignable and that will cause a problem if you decide to buy prior to expiration.

The moral of the story is, just think ahead of the possibilities, and if you decide that buying will be a preference to take advantage of low interest rates, have that conversation before signing.

Helpful Links:

Rental Information

Property Search

The median sale price in Dane County continues to rise, up for October & 2014.  The monthly median sale price is above the peak set in 2007!

Home sales statistics in the Madison, WI area. Status of the real estate market in Dane County for October 2014. A comprehensive update grouped by school district and county.  See details in the October Home Sales Report… broken down by Madison area School Districts and Counties.

We want to make sure you are kept up-to-date on the status of the real estate market in Dane County.  Every month we create a comprehensive update that you can view and download!

Real Estate Market Monthly Update Reports on Pinterest

Why Fitchburg is a Bicycle Friendly Community…

Picture a bicycle wheel. The hub is in the center to which the spokes attach.  Spokes branch out 360 degrees.  Just like the hub and spoke system, Fitchburg is the hub of a robust system of trails, branching out in all directions, near and far.  Whether you’re a commuter bicyclist or a recreational rider, Fitchburg is an ideal starting point, terminus, or mid-way point on your journey.

Fitchburg is a designated Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.  This designation is based on a community’s commitment to improving bicycling conditions through education, engineering, engagement and evaluation.  Basically, it’s all the components needed for a vibrant and healthy community in which bicycling is part of the culture.  If biking is important to you, it doesn’t get any better than Fitchburg!

Here are two great resources (maps, trail conditions, photos) for Fitchburg and the greater Madison area:

www.fitchburgchamber.com/about-fitchburg/biking

www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadison

Put on a helmet and enjoy the ride!

A positive sign, the median sale price in Dane Co. continues to be higher than 1 year ago. A pace ahead of inflation!  See details in the September Home Sales Report… broken down by Madison area School Districts and Counties.

We want to make sure you are kept up-to-date on the status of the real estate market in Dane County.  Every month we create a comprehensive update that you can view and download!

Real Estate Market Monthly Update Reports

Extraordinarily low interest rates continue to be a major story.  Most agree that they will go up ‐ someday.  Until then, the tremendous opportunity they present cannot be ignored.  See the details in the August 2014 Home Sales Report… broken down by Madison area School Districts and Counties.

We want to make sure you are kept up-to-date on the status of the real estate market in Dane County.  Every month we create a comprehensive update that you can view and download!

Real Estate Market Monthly Update Reports

If you are new to the Madison, Wisconsin area, here are 3 terrific resources to get you started experiencing your community and connecting with others:

People:  Meet people with like-minded interests by checking out the variety of Meet Up Groups.  There is something for everyone from recreation groups, to groups specifically for parents, to community service meet-ups.

Places:  Explore Madison’s many eclectic neighborhoods by finding out where they are and the vibe of each using this link to Madison neighborhoods from the City of Madison website.

Things:  There’s no better way to find out things to do than look at Isthmus, a free weekly newspaper.  It’s distributed on Thursdays all around the city including government offices, libraries, grocery stores and businesses.  You can also visit their online guide section for a daily list of what’s going on in Dane County.

Yes, it is. The manner in which a real estate agent writes a property description may determine how long a property is for sale. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article that said buyers interested in higher priced homes are passing judgement on the house and the listing agent after reading remarks on real estate websites.

Misspelled words and bad grammar are often found even though our computers correct our deficiencies in spelling. I am no one to criticize as I misspell words and use poor grammar, but depend on software to keep me from receiving an “F” in spelling. Like others, I have ideas but lack the ability at times to write them in a manner that would please an English professor.

That being said, abbreviating every other word to cram into the character-restricted MLS comment section may be counter productive. Since data sheets have room types and dimensions, plus more and more listings offer video tours, there is less reliance on the typical facts in remarks.

USA Today had an article on May 12th that suggested the pace of housing recovery is worrisome to economists. Well surprise, surprise.

This real estate broker has been saying over the past 12 months that the sales numbers have not reflected a sustainable trend mainly because, as so astutely pointed out in the article, younger first-time homebuyers are mired in school debt and a lousy job market. They are not able to qualify for loans. And, not only are the quality jobs lagging, credit has tightened for these potential buyers.

Now, some may feel that this is a good thing, for example tighten credit so we don’t repeat the past mistakes providing loans to those who shouldn’t be borrowing. There is merit to that, however the pendulum has also swung way too far the other way. We have seen very qualified buyers be turned away, many of them are veterans, and are not being give the opportunity to borrow at these historically low interest rates.

The economists in the article estimated a drop of 300,000 home sales nationally in 2014 compared to last year. That drop has a rippling effect in the economy unlike many other sectors in the economy. Hardware, furniture, carpet, landscaping, home repair all feel the effects.

So, while cold weather to begin the year may have had some buyers and sellers to delay their move, the bigger picture is tied directly to this economy’s very slow recovery.

We are in a service business, helping people accomplish their goal of buying, selling, trading or leasing real estate with a process that is preferred by our clients. While we, as real estate professionals, have conducted business in a certain fashion for many years, technology has changed expectations of efficiency during transactions to save the most precious of commodities: time.

This is not to minimize the face-to-face connection our agents have with their clients, but does that client really want us to stop over to their home after dinner to have an amendment signed by them? I don’t think so. Our acceptance of technology to deliver service only enhances our relationships because our clients know we care about them in every facet.

Our responsibility is to ask how our clients prefer delivery, and adapt our services to meet that request, all to make the real estate transactional experience the best it can be… efficient and client-centric.