Let's face it. Buying a house, whether it is a $100,000 home or a $1,000,000 dollar home, it is a significant investment for you, and will be a pivotal moment in your life. Your home will be your base of comfort for the many years that you are in it, so it is important that you are able to get as much information as possible before closing on your new "castle". Aside from working with Real Estate Guy to ensure an easy process through the home buying experience, here are five things you could look into before making your final decision.   1. Are the neighbors renters or the owner? A big reason for a lot of people to move is to be in a neighborhood where you can network with people relatively close to you which you can rely on. For the average home owner, it can take years to develop ... 06/16/2013

This Sunday is  a day all about Dad.  What kinds of things are going on in Madison that you can do with him. Take him for a round of golf at one of Madison's many courses. It would also just be fun just to go to the range & hit some balls. There are several FD's brunches going on also. Fleming is having a 3 course brunch with a $25 gift card giveaway to each Dad dining there. The Madison Club is doing their Farmer's Market Brunch on Saturday that any Dad would enjoy.  Other Madison Brunch places. If your Dad is more of a out door person, there's always a walk in the Arboretum. 1 to 3 is the Greene Prairie & Grady Knolls walks. Wear your boots it might be muddy. The Mallards are playing at the Duck Blind against Green Bay & it should be a great game. There's a Meat Raffle & it's the Mad... 06/12/2013

  The market is half way through it's busy time and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Offers are being written everyday & closings scheduled. With the lower inventory numbers sellers can possibly see multiple offers for their property. The last 3 months the market has been strong. Houses have been on the market an average of 108 day. This shows that offers are being written on them within the first few weeks of being listed. Last year at this time properties were on the market at least 2 more weeks on the average. The typical sold price has gone up to around $240,000 from the average of $229,00 we were recording last year at this time. We are also seeing higher numbers of  luxury homes being sold. The top of the market this year was 2.4 million compared to last year's 1.8 million... 06/10/2013

Are you searching for a home? Visit an open house this upcoming Sunday, to find out if the perfect home is out there for you. An open house is the perfect way to start your search in. No obligations and the ability to take your time. If you would like to schedule a private appointment to see one of these homes please Contact us at 608.239.5593. Looking to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.   Monona Open Houses Sunset Village-Monroe Str Open Houses Downtown Open Houses Fitchburh Open Houses       06/07/2013

How to invest in real estate using an Individual Retirement Account, IRA (Part 3 of 4) Traditional retirement accounts, like a 401(k) or an IRA, can be powerful when the economy is strong and businesses are experiencing growth. This is due to the stocks and bonds that are typically bought and sold through these typical investment strategies. However, what happens when the economy is not so strong and stocks are struggling? This is when a self-directed IRA can come into play. More Flexibility photo credit: Neil Kremer via photopin cc A self-directed IRA gives individuals a chance to buy other assets such as gold and even real estate. These accounts charge an annual fee that can reach up to $300 per year. The ability to buy and sell real estate has led to the growth in popularity of these... 06/06/2013

  Not sure what to do when the weather turns bad? Here are 10 safety tips to live by. Always stay indoors, there could be flying debris, lighting &  strong winds. Stay away from windows. Strong winds  & debris could break windows. Do not drive. Flash Flooding could happen. Unplug electrical devices. There is a lot of electrical activity in a storm waiting to be released. Stay off the phone. Landlines should be used for emergency Have bottled water just in case water pressure is lost. Bring our pets inside. Remove potential debris, this includes lawn furniture, grills & any other item that could be blow around  Stay safe & let the weather clear up before you venture out. 06/05/2013

Purchasing Investment Property using an IRA (Part 2 of 4) Using an IRA account to purchase real estate can be a great way to add to an existing retirement plan or simply diversify current holdings. Following the guidelines of the law for these types of investments can bring strong yields to the IRA owner. Different Ways to Use IRA with Real Estate photo credit: j l t via photopin cc There are actually several ways to use an IRA as an investment in real estate. * Act as a bank – The money in the IRA account can be loaned out to individuals who offer up real estate as the primary collateral. In essence, the IRA account becomes a mortgage lender. * Own property – Most people choose to use their IRA funds to outright purchase an investment property. The seller of a home enters into a contra... 06/05/2013

A Realtor® can help you invest in an IRA (Part 1 of 4) Using a self-directed IRA can be a great way to start your journey to owning real estate as an investment. However, being familiar with the rules and regulations associated with these accounts will prevent you from making expensive mistakes. Here are some helpful tips from Realtors® that you should consider before you start investing in real estate with an IRA account. photo credit: 401(K) 2013 via photopin cc * Loans can be hard to find – A loan used in an IRA are required by the IRS to be a non-recourse loan. Basically, the owner of the IRA cannot sign as guarantor on the loan. This will require a minimum of a 40% down payment to acquire the property and possibly 50%. * Do not put a good-faith deposit on a home with your personal ... 06/05/2013

  There are a few things going on in Madison to keep you busy this weekend. The most exciting & biggest event is Festa Italia in Fitchburg. Pasta, meat balls, Bocce ball &  vintage baseball games. The Italian Worker's Club knows what they are doing, this celebration has been going on for 101 years. Event info The Mallards are playing Saturday against the La Crosse Loggers at the Duck Pond. There will be Blues Hat giveaways & Post game fireworks. Website Do you like Cows? It's Cows on the Concourse this Saturday starting at 8am. Local farmers bring the Best of the Best to be on the Capitol Square. Stop by & see the big eye beauties.  Info There will also be Cars on State. The Cars on State Classic Car Show and Custom & Classic Motorcycle Showcase returns to State Street in Madison for a ... 05/30/2013

  Paulie Fest After the tragic death of Paulie Heenan on November 9, 2012, a group of his family and friends came together to form Paulie’s Gift. Through this group, we seek to keep Paulie’s memory alive and honor his life by supporting projects that reflect some of Paulie’s core principles: his love of music, his eagerness to lend a hand and his desire to bring people together. Come celebrate and listen to some fantastic music by local artists. Paulie Fest Bands: Hometown Sweethearts, Mojo Radio, Beyond Reason, Oregon High School Jazz Combo Friday, May 31st 2013 7:00 pm $10 adv / $15 dos Tickets This event is 21 and over High Noon Page 05/29/2013

Are you searching for a home? Visit an open house this upcoming Sunday, to find out if the perfect home is out there for you. An open house is the perfect way to start your search in. No obligations and the ability to take your time. If you would like to schedule a private appointment to see one of these homes please Contact us at 608.239.5593. Looking to sell your home? Find out what your home is worth.   Monona Open House Vilas-Greenbush Open House Nakoma Open House Downtown Open Houses Fitchburg Open House 05/17/2013

2 Incredible Secrets To Refinancing Your Madison Mortgage Even If You Are Upside Down Are you a homeowner and have not yet taken advantage of the lowest Madison mortgage interest rates in history because your home’s value is upside down?  Have you tried to refinance your existing Madison Mortgage only to be denied by your bank or any Madison Mortgage Company?  Are you one of the over 23% of American Homeowners that owe more on their home than they can sell it for? Hartford Financial has partnered with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to offer two programs that will allow your family to save $75 to $275 a month regardless of your home’s value. This partnership has ushered in the opportunity for Madison Homeowners to be able to take advant... 05/15/2013

Here are 4 simple tips to help when the weather is warmer & you have a showing set up on the house you are selling. Keep it cool: Keeping the house at a comfortable temperature will keep the potential buyers there longer. We suggest around setting it at 72. This is a nice average temperature that will make most people comfortable. Smells are not your friend: Warmer weather intensify even moderate smells. If you have pets, remove them for the showing. Remove the cat's letter box & dogs beds. Spray their area with a solution like Febreze to freshen the area. For basements, keep your dehumidifier running to keep it dry. If you still have a slight musty smell wipe down surfaces with a lite bleach solution. Nice look lawn: Try to keep the yard as green as possible. If your have local water u... 05/15/2013

  Even if Friday was a little cool, the Ala Cart event was busy. Isthmus sold over 750 tickets and it seemed that most people showed up to enjoy the samples from Madison's food carts. Kolaches were the way to go and they were delicious. Some other favorites were the Egg Rolls, Beer Jelly & Fancy Cupcakes. If someone stopped to see us they could get a cake pop, a cupcake & sign up for the chance to win a dinner for 2. Plus we had balloons! Over all we had about 100 people sign up for the change to win a free dinner, gave away all the balloons & most of the cake pops. For more information on the event click: Ala Cart 05/13/2013

Madison has so much to offer especially in Spring & Summer. Once the weather starts to warm up people need to get out side & clear their lungs from being inside all winter. Events like the outdoor farmers market draws thousands of people every Wednesday & Saturday. Fresh produce, plants & other items from local farmers are just a few of the favorites. There are also bread-pastries from local bakers & restaurants to enjoy. Flowers are everywhere so there is always something beautiful to look at. The crystal clear lakes that are located right in the middle of the city offer wonderful water activities. If you don't have a boat there are several rental options available for you. Motor boating not your thing? What about Kayaking? Kayaking on any of the 4 lakes makes you feel like you're on ... 05/02/2013

      The essence of elegance! This meticulous Sauk Creek custom 4 bedroom Colonial features  9-foot ceilings, crown molding and stunning herringbone wood floors in living and dining rooms.  No telling what you’ll cook up in this chef's kitchen with cathedral ceiling, granite countertops,  SubZero refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, & Thermador dual-fuel range. The family room, highlighted by a cherry fireplace, opens to a four-season sunroom overlooking  a unique brick patio  and walkway with professional landscaping, and a fully fenced in back yard for peace and privacy.  Newly upgraded master bath, neutral-colored newer carpets in most rooms. Escape to the lower level rec room to watch the big game or just chill out.  Full bath and hobby room or office, workbench, extra refrigerator, alo... 04/05/2013

We've added an awesome property search tool to our real estate search menu at DaneCountyMarket.com. Now you can search for sold home and condo listings at the click of a button. Our sold listings search tool gives you a great way to track the latest price trends in your target neighborhood. Just click SOLD! Check it out!     Dan Miller, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty, www.MadCityDreamHomes.com and www.DaneCountyMarket.com www.HowWeHelpYouSell.com www.HowWeHelpYouBuy.com www.OurRecentSales.com www.DaneCountyMarketSnapshot.com www.SearchDaneCounty.com www.DaneCountyForeclosureSearch.com   03/31/2013

We now have six foreclosure search tools on our property search page at DaneCountyMarket.com. Our newest tool is our Dane County foreclosure map. You can use our map to view all Dane County REO/bank owned and short sale real estate listings. Check it out at DaneCountyMarket.com, or click the map below to get started right now.     Have a great Monday.   Dan Miller, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty, www.MadCityDreamHomes.com and www.DaneCountyMarket.com www.HowWeHelpYouSell.com www.HowWeHelpYouBuy.com www.OurRecentSales.com www.DaneCountyMarketSnapshot.com www.SearchDaneCounty.com www.DaneCountyForeclosureSearch.com 02/24/2013

  I'm thrilled to be part of Homes for Heroes. The ability to help those that serve our community is very much appealing to me. I'm so thankful for all of you who serve my community in such rolls as firefighters & police to doctors & nurses, and the military. You are all strong brave souls and it's an honor to be able to help you when buying or selling your homes. Another reason I have joined is to also thank all the doctors & nurses who helped my Dad who was in the ICU for six weeks. They were tireless soldiers who worked around the clock to help my Dad and comfort my family during a difficult time.  I produce results that my clients are looking for and treat each client with integrity, honesty and understanding. I love my job and can't think of anything I'd rather do! It keeps me moti... 02/18/2013

Our data points to many positive trends in the Dane County real estate market: Home sales were up big in January. Pending home sales were up significantly, too.  Inventory is running lower. Home prices are poised to move higher.  Housing starts are rising. Foreclosures are decreasing. This year is shaping up to be a good year for the Dane County home seller. Do you have questions about selling a home in today's market? Contact us for a no-hassle consultation. Have a great Monday.   Dan Miller, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty, www.MadCityDreamHomes.com and www.DaneCountyMarket.com www.HowWeHelpYouSell.com www.HowWeHelpYouBuy.com www.OurRecentSales.com www.DaneCountyMarketSnapshot.com www.SearchDaneCounty.com www.DaneCountyForeclosureSearch.com 02/17/2013