Special offer

Middleton, WI Real Estate News

By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Random acts of culture have always delighted me because I consider it "Art In Your Face".  If you never go to an art museum, never considered attending a symphony but you are just going along doing those things you normally do, when all of a sudden, without warning, your are confronted with CULTURE -that is so exciting to me. Whether you are pleasantly surprised or not, does not matter because, too late!- you have experienced it.  It is ovious in this video that not everyone at Macy's was surprised that day.  But, take a look. Does this touch you as much as it does me?
Comments 0
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
We have not had our first snowfall yet here in Middleton Wisconsin. Minneapolis experienced an actual blizzard last weekend and we know we are not too far behind.  Right now, the leaves are off the trees.  We mention the unmentionable here by starting out whispering, "did you hear they are predicting the "S" word ?"  No one can actually say the word out loud.  But the first snowfall brings such beauty, unless you are totally trapped from traveling from point A to point B, you cannot help but admire the blanketed white landscape. I do not have pictures of the first snowfall yet in the 2010-2011 season.  But I took this picture of a brightly colored leaf against the snow last year in Marshall Park.   I love the contrast of the colors but it is also a symbol of transition: fall into winter...
Comments 9
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
  Merry Middleton Wisconsin Holiday Happenings and Festivities    Mark your calendars for some festive events all around Middleton Wisconsin this Holiday Season!          ONE WARM COAT DRIVE AT GREENWAY STATION NOVEMBER 29 THROUGH DECEMBER 19, 2010 Warm some hearts this holiday season by donating new or gently used coats for your neighbors in need. The coats may be dropped of at a number of Greenway Station participating stores at the One Warm Coat Drive donation bins:  Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Chico's, Justice, Maurices, Michael's, Orvis and World Market or the Greenway Station Customer Service office (located next to Cold Stone Creamery) by December 19, and the Salvation Army will distribute them to deserving families. For each coat you donate you are entered to win a $500 Greenway...
Comments 4
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
 Brrrrr, It Gets Darn Cold Here in Middleton Wisconsin; How to Keep Your Laptop Safe When it is Freezing When I am driving around from Hither to Yon, or even with  Middleton Wisconsin Real Estate missions or moving myLake Mendota Property  towards closing, I am in and out of the car pretty often. We have been enjoying unseasonably good weather around these parts lately but before we know it, Old Man Winter will be nipping our noses and, yes, freezing our toes-es. With the temperatures dropping, don't you dare leave your cell phones and laptops in the car!  I have done this!  It is risky!   Dire consequences could befall me and I have a new laptop, too!  If you do not want that to happen, keep these tips in mind during the freezing weather .  I was alerted to thes tips by Jessica Nellen,...
Comments 5
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Things were amazingly different for us baby Boomers than they are for kids growing up today. No video games, no computers, no cell phoning Moms  to check up on us.  We were gone entire days in the summer until dinner time.  My sister and neighbors and I played in the woods on an old dead tree covered with poison ivy.  We followed our whims-going on long bike rides and no one knew where we were half the time.  I had very strict parents but we were even allowed most of these freedoms too. It's just the way it was in the late 50's. The boys in the neighborhood!  What they did! I am sharing a story was written by my friend, Kim Tschudy. His theory was that the launching of the Russian Sputnikin 1957 was what got boys  going on this kind of stuff-that is, blowing up things or "science experi...
Comments 0
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
This is a close to time travel as I will ever get! The end of DayLight Savings! But if does feel different to me. Where did that extra hour come from? This is a gift-one extra hour in our busy lives. Somehow I always feel a little altered. But I have always been intrigued by this topic. I enjoyed the Time Traveler's Wife (the book was better!).  But less that two weeks ago, a much more famous movie celebrated it's most captivating time travel story: 'Back to the Future' 25th Anniversary: The Cast and Crew Look Back  By Eric Larnick (Subscribe to Eric Larnick's posts) Posted Oct 26th 2010 5:10PMOctober 26 is an important historical date for many reasons. In 1985, on that date, the time-space continuum was permanently altered by its first successful temporal displacement, when a re-modifi...
Comments 7
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Summit Credit Union Haunted Hustle Marathon, Middleton Wisconsin, October 30, 2010 Middleton is getting ready for the Haunted Hustle.  Flashing street signs announce it and let you know traffic will be restricted during this pefectly haunted  marathon hustle. It's this Saturday, October 30, 2010 and it starts and ends at Greenway Station, 1701 Deming Way. Start TimesThe full and half marathon begin at 7:45AM, The 10K will begin at 8:15AM End Times: 2:00PM Summit Credit Union Haunted Hustle Marathon Ghost Tour is a thrilling marathon, half marathon and 10-K experience. The race is held in fabulous Middleton, Wisconsin voted by Money Magazine as best place to live in America (2007). The scenic course takes runners on a tour of historical haunting sites throughout Middleton, Wisconsin. Don...
Comments 1
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
GreenWay Station Fall Festival October 30 from noon to 4 pm     Bring your little ghouls and goblins to the  Greenway Station inaugural Fall Festival, co-sponsored by TDS. Enjoy free activities like hay rides, face painting, caricatures and make and take workshop to design your own Trick-or-Treat bag, live musical enterainment as well as a shopping center wide trick-or-treat. Also be sure and choose a pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Tree and participate in Middleton's largest pumpkin carving contest.  Now, how are you going to get to the very top of the Tree?  I am sure Moms and Dads can help.  Will you have a sweet or scary jack-O-lantern? One with missing teeth?  The judges will not have an easy time judging so many.  I wonder if there is a category for most sincere?  Maybe that was ju...
Comments 0
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Silly Sunday: That Irreverant Humorist Dave Barry on "How to Argue Effectively" In researching tips for effective argueing, I found that Thesaurus.com offers this definition: Main Entry: argue Part of Speech: verb Definition: try to convince; present support Synonyms: appeal, assert, attest, claim, contend, controvert, defend, demonstrate, denote, display, elucidate, establish, evince, exhibit, explain, hold, imply, indicate, justify, maintain, manifest, persuade, plead, present, prevail upon, reason, show, suggest, talk into, testify, vindicate, warrant, witness Antonyms: agree, comply While researching a bit more, wouldn't you know,  it, my Attention Deficit Disorder kicked in as I uncovered a column by one of my favorite humorists, Dave Barry.  and I knew that I would save the seriou...
Comments 11
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
The  National Mustard Museum, Parmenter Street, MiddletonWisconsin 53562. One of the newest attractions  on Parmenter Street  in the the Good Neighbor City is the  National Mustard Museum and store. Both of these two images were taken  while I stood outside the front door of the Stark Company office.  My Broker/Manager,  Jennifer Utter, was pleased that her son, Ryan and girlfriend, Adrienna were visiting from Colorado.   They wanted to take it all in and I followed them with my camera. Arianna's favorite flavor was the whole grain mustard with Guinness Stout. They carry 5,000 varieties of mustards, the larget collection of mustards on the planet, as they are proud to point out. So, how to choose? The number of samples given out at the front counter is rather amazing, I must have seen ...
Comments 15
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Bloom Bake Shop: European Bake Shop on Parmenter Street in Middleton Wisconsin OPEN HOUSE! Bloom Bake Shop,  a European Style cupcakery right in the heart of downtown MiddletonWisconsin held a very successful open house Friday last.  A delightful event!  I wish you had been there!  Annemarie had a vision.  She used to walk up and down Parmenter Street, trying to find the very best location for her bakery. Here is the beginnng of her story from her website: Welcome to Bloom.This bake shop is my little dream come true. It has resided in many places - swimming in my head, written on paper, stuffed under my mattress, in candid discussions with family and friends - and has finally settled on the corner of Parmenter St and Elmwood Ave in Middleton, WI.      Many would agree that this place i...
Comments 15
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
    Now, there are not one, but TWO Farmer's Markets in Middleton Wisconsin. GreenwayStation  has it's Thursday market. It is a delightful place and well established for Middleton residents and shoppers from all over the greater Madison area.  This Saturday, pumpkins will be given away to the first 100 kids who stop by.  And now for your veggie shopping pleasurer, a new  and  "very sincere" pumpkin patch, er, I mean Farmer's market tucked away on Terrace Avenue beside the Middleton Depot Museum and stretched out behind the   Middleton Libraryand St. Luke's Lutheran Church on the other side of the railroad tracks.   If you don't know exactly where that is, the city of Middleton leads you to it with flashing neon signs,  "Farmer's Market, Tuesdays 1:30-6:30."  You are familiar with  Capit...
Comments 2
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
When you are in business, you want to refer business to people whom you trust and who conduct themselves in a professional manner and deliver exceptional service.  Harry Andruss,  of Pillar to Post, is a home inspector I have referred and used numbers of times in my years as a Realtor and I have referred him to many other  Realtors, as well.  I do keep to recommending a list of Home Inspectors to Clients but I am always happy to see when Harry is going to perform the home inspection for my  Middleton Wisconsin buyers or my Madison area buyers.  He is very thorough, takes lots of pictures documenting issues along the way and carries his printer with him so that he can prepare his report as he goes along and print it out for the buyers at the end of the inspection.   He labels shut off va...
Comments 6
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
It's Football season!  Middleton High School has some of the best athletic facilities in the state.                All MHS sports schedules are posted at Big8Conference.net.. This site will give you the most current information  as well as any last minute changes. Driving directions to the venue may also be available. Another feature of the site is the ability to sign up to receive text or emails should a schedule change be made made, so you never have to miss a game! DIRECTIONS TO BIG 8 SCHOOLS/FACILITIES from their website:Beloit Memorial Purple KnightsJanesville Craig CougarsJanesville Parker VikingsMadison East PurgoldersMadison LaFollette LancersMadison Memorial SpartansMadison West RegentsMiddleton CardinalsSun Prairie CardinalsVerona Wildcats      How did  these two schools get ...
Comments 4
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
What??  You mean that is all you think I can get for my house?   But it has the special imported tile back-splash in the kitchen and a much bigger yard and the landscaping is so professional and artistic and it is far better that the house that sold down the street. And besides, I NEED more out of it. Mr. Seller, let me show you some detailed statistics and months of inventory reports and how and where your house falls in the big scheme of things, what's been happening in the neighborhood, how many days on the market we see with houses that are priced over and above where  they should be. Let me share the expired listings and where those sellers thought their house should be priced, yet these did not did not sell at all.  I can even show you homes that have had a bidding war on them and...
Comments 6
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
Villa Dolce  is just a few hops away from  my office at The Stark Company on Parmenter St. and the corner of Hubbard Ave in Downtown Middleton. How lucky is that!  Being a fun funky food lover, I have enjoyed the pear and gorgonzola pizza and interesting salads.   There is still time to dine outside under the red and white umbrellaed (is that a word?) tables.   Villa Dolce prepares fresh gelato daily on the premises. OK, chicks and guys, this is the best part!  The great staff there will tell you that Gelato is Italy's version of ice cream with a few differences. Gelato has less butter fat than ice cream, and sinceit is served slightly warmer than ice cream you taste the full flavor of the gelato immediately. Gelato has a much higher density than ice cream which makes it richer and crea...
Comments 6
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
The Stark Company Middleton office is where I am based as a Middleton Realtor. Dave Stark, the President of the  Stark Company Realtors in the Greater Madison WI area, has been blogging about  changing the conversation about Real Estate to basically, counteract the "housing is no longer a good investment" stories ol late in the media and to point out why buying a house is one of the best investments a family can make. Leverage-using debt to increase your rate of return is the topic of this post.  This is dense but worth the time it takes to read it. Dave's Blog: Last week, we discussed the concept of imputed rent, emphasizing the fact everyone pays rent, either to their landlord, or to themselves. There are a number of reasons this is important, and they bear directly on why real estate...
Comments 3
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
 Not What I Was Planning is a book based on the online Smith Magazine's compilation of 6 word memoirs.  The link is here is a YouTube video with some of them from famous people and not so famous. NPR did a series on this, too. There are so many variations on this because of its enormous poularity.  My Life in 6 words, as an example.  I even saw a blog when I was researching this topic.   Here are a couple off the top of my head that I would use:  Not Plan A.  Q much better!  Late bloomer. Lush garden now. Chronological age unimportant. Feel younger daily. Here are a few others, with no names attached, which I found entertaining or touching: The psychic said I'd be richer. Now I blog and drink wine. Scarred by 9/11. Helped by penguins. Wolf she cried. No one listened. Semicolons; I use t...
Comments 4
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
  I wanted to share some valuable information which  is being sent out for the world to hear by the President of the Stark Company, Dave Stark on imputed rent; the concept that no matter whether you rent or own, you pay rent. If you rent, you pay rent to the landlord. If you own, you pay rent to yourself.  that as a tenant, your rent will increase steadily over time, while an owner's payment is fixed. And that some of  your payment is principal reduction, which is like your own special savings account every month. If you eventually pay off your mortgage, your "rent," or direct cost of ownership, will be drastically reduced, while the tenant continues to pay, and without equity.  Here are some edited excerpts from a blog post of Dave's,  based on a New York Times Op-Ed piece by Karl Case...
Comments 5
By Barbara Chatterton, Greater Madison Wisconsin Area Realtor
(The Stark Company Realtors, Madison WI)
  Remember playing Hide and Seek as a child?  You call, "Come out, come out wherever you are!" at the end. I want to be "It" and shout that out!  This is an amazingly good time to buy a house, yet buyers are not taking advantage of this marvelously opportune time.  There is a lot of inventory, and it is a buyer's market where you, just by the virtue of being the potential buyer, have the stronger negotiating postion. Several years ago, in the seller's market atmosphere, I would urgently call up one of my buyers and tell them,  "You had better get over here on your lunch hour and look at this house, or it will be gone!"    Let's just look at this for a moment: you are a first time home-buyer  on a budget.  Let's say you want to keep your monthly payment just under $10000 per month on a 3...
Comments 8