August 28 already. Back to school time is here. Labor Day is just around the corner. How quickly this year has flown. Four more months left in the year. Three more months before the $8000 first time home buyers tax credit expires. Three months. That is about 90 days. 95 days including today to be specific. Are you or someone you know hoping to take advantage of this tax credit? Time is running out. You must close on a home on or before November 30, 2009 in order to claim this credit. Considering that the average closing happens about 30-45 days after an offer is accepted, there is not a lot of time left to find the perfect first home. If you are writing an offer on a short sale home, it can easily take 60-90 days to close, sometimes more. Now is the time to be looking for your home if y... 08/28/2009

Here is a look ahead at area happenings in the upcoming week: ~ If your children are attending a Monticello school this year, remember that the open house night is on Friday at 6 pm. ~ Also in Monticello this weekend, Habitat for Humanity is working on this year's home. Come out to the site on Summet Avenue to help out or call Cathy at 513-1626 for more details. ~ There is a concert at the Piazza on Saturday evening. This is a private party concert, but the hosts love meeting new friends so gate crashers and new people are always welcome. Andrew Calhoun and Campground are performing folk music spanning spirituals to prison ballads. The potluck theme is 'Tis a Gift to be Simple. Call Terry or Nancy for details at 608-328-4023 ~ Stef at Goose Chaser Farm between New Glarus and Blanchardvi... 08/28/2009

The Monroe Theatre Guild officially announced plans to conduct a major $750,000 capital campaign for the purchase and renovations of the Stage Building located in downtown Monroe. Earlier The Swiss Colony announced a challenge grant of up to $100,000 if the community pledges reach certain levels during the effort. The announcement of the community campaign and plans for the building were revealed at a dinner for the Guild’s Inner Family. The “Inner Family” includes members of the Theatre Guild’s board of directors, committee members and campaign leaders. The campaign is divided into four phases: Inner Family Gifts, Pacesetting Gifts, Major Gifts and Community Teams Gifts. Rick Maliszewski, owner of Ekum Abstact is the Chair of the campaign. The goal of the Inner Family campaign was to r... 08/28/2009

Careful the first step is a doozy!!! Because of Monroe's StreetScaping construction in front of the Re/Max office I suggest that you call me first before venturing to the office. We do have an alternate entrance in the rear of our office. It is best accessed by parking in the city parking ramp and then look for the door with the Re/Max balloon on it for entry. call me at 608-214-9844 for the latest . Thank You for your patience.       From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct   08/24/2009

Hey scavenger hunt fans! Come to Downtown Monroe during the rest of the construction process and do some searching. Monroe Main Street and the Downtown Businesses are sponsoring Truck'in Downtown, a contest starting now that will run through the end of the construction time. Every day, a different Downtown business will have a yellow dump truck on display around the Square. Find the truck and you can fill out an entry for the prize basket of the week donated by Downtown businesses. The drawings will start on Friday, August 28 and happen every Friday until the construction is finished. At the end, all entries will be eligible for a grand prize drawing as well. Happy hunting! 08/24/2009

  This Storm dropped over 3" at my home on Sunday the 9th   From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct   08/12/2009

    When walking through the home you are thinking of buying for the first time, whether it's brand new or used, here are a few things to check. Drywall - Make sure you check this well. Look for uneven bumps and texture; tape joints should not be visible. Look for marks made by doors Paint - When checking the paint look for uneven coloring and chips caused during construction. Make sure your baseboard does not have and wall paint on it as well as wood handrails, counter tops, tubs, cabinets... etc. Look for any stains in the paint, especially on ceilings – this can be an indication of water damage. Baseboard - Baseboard is located at the bottom on the walls and surface of the floors. Check for damage such as scrapes or cuts in the baseboard that is often caused during carpet installati... 08/04/2009

Buying a home can be a frightening process, even if you have done it before.  The National Association of Realtors has assembled the following list of tips to help ease the process:1. Remember, there’s no “right” time to buy, any more than there’s a right time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess the interest rates or the housing market by waiting. Changes don’t usually occur fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a good home won’t stay on the market long.2. Don’t try to be a killer negotiator. Negotiation is definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying to “win” by getting an extra-low price may lose you the home you love.3. Accept that no house is ever perfect. Focus in on the things that are most important to you and let the minor ones... 07/30/2009

It is even more important than ever right now to take the little bit of extra time necessary to get to the Downtown businesses. The construction on Monroe's Downtown Square is in full swing. Yes, it is more difficult to get where you want to go in the Downtown area these days. The local, independent cafes, stores, salons, restaurants, offices, and pubs need our business to stay alive. Pretty much every business is still operating under standard business hours even if the sidewalk is missing and the street is torn up. Many have alternate entrances through the alleys to the rear of the buildings during the times that the fronts are inaccessible. If you are unsure of the best way to get into a business, call ahead and ask.Some businesses will even offer curbside service right now. Call ahe... 07/27/2009

  A great way to start off your week     A client bought a new home and the broker wanted to send flowers for the occasion. They arrived at the home and the owner read the card; it said "Rest in Peace". The owner was angry and called the florist to complain. After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was, the florist said. "Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting angry you should imagine this: somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying, "Congratulations on your new home".   Have a great week   From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be s... 07/27/2009

I was walking back to my office and I noticed these traveling elves. They said they were the Christmas in July band. They played We wish You a Merry Christmas, and were gone. You just never know what going to happen in Monroe Wi.       From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct 07/24/2009

What is this guy doing?     From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct   07/22/2009

Re/Max front door access will be cut off for a while because of the construction being done on the square of Monroe. Please call me at 214-9844 to get the latest information of how to get to our office. We will be open throughout this temporary inconvenience.   From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct 07/16/2009

I should have posted some of these events a few days ago because there are some great things happening tonight! ~ The second Stirring the Pot picnic and discussion event takes place this evening on the lawn of the Monroe Arts Center. Chef demonstrations begin at 5:30. Bring your blanket, your dinner and enjoy watching Representative Brett Davis with his friends from Peppercorn Banquets as well as Chef Kate Thomas from BTC as they show us how to prepare some favorite dishes. Discussion will follow the cooking demonstrations, and stay for the live music. ~ Also this evening is the annual Pork Producers Dinner. This popular annual event moved to July this year, and it now takes place at SLICE. Tickets are $8 at the door, and serving starts at 5 pm. ~ The Young Professionals of Green County... 07/15/2009

Another month has closed, so it is time to take a look at the market statistics again. First, the number of single family homes that sold in Green County in June of 2009: 32 homes sold in June of 2009, The average sale price was $148,459, The median sale price was $140,957, The highest priced property sold was $765,000, Now, let us take a look at June of 2008: 32 homes sold in June of 2008, The average sale price was $147,003, The median sale price was $136,000, The highest priced property sold was $375,900, The lowest priced property sold was $43,000.This makes two months in a row that the median and average home price was higher in 2009 than in 2008. Approximately the same number of homes sold in both years for two months in a row as well. Days on the market is still higher, however. ... 07/13/2009

  This must be one of those economy airlines. Have a great weekend!!!!   From Scott Larson of Towne Square Realty in Monroe, Wisconsin “Your Realtor of the Region” E- Mail scott@greencountyhomeguide.com On the web at http://www.greencountyhomeguide.com I think you will be surprised how affordable the Dairyland is, so come to my land of cows and plows and visit for a day, but stay for a lifetime 608-2124-9844 Direct     07/10/2009

Asbestos in homes is more common than most often realized. It can hide in the insulating wraps around pipes, in the siding or in the insulation. The only way to know for sure that asbestos is in a home is to test for it. However, industry experts recommend only testing materials that are damaged or have been disturbed. Undisturbed asbestos in good condition will not normally release fibers into the air. New rules regarding asbestos went into effect in Wisconsin in May of this year. Vermiculite insulation, which is often found in older homes, now is assumed to contain asbestos unless it has been tested and proven otherwise. This is a bit of a catch-22 for some sellers. It is best to leave undamaged or undisturbed asbestos containing materials alone, yet in order to test, it must be distu... 07/09/2009

Are you looking for something to do in the Green County area this week? ~ Stef from Goose Chaser Farm is doing a workshop entitle Sustainable Styling from Thursday through Saturday. Photographers, come learn from an expert. Stef is a professional, and she teaches this workshop that blends photography, love of food and sustainability to help other professionals capture the essence of green styling. There is one day on location at our favorite herb farm, one day in the studio, and a workshop session on marketing. Contact Stef immediately to check on availability if you are interested. ~ The Monticello Homecoming Celebration takes place this week. From Thursday evening through Sunday, enjoy small town festivities with a carnival, softball tournaments, fish boil, beer stand, talent show, mo... 07/09/2009

This weekend is shaping up to be a full one here in Cheese Country, so I am giving a heads up on some of the Saturday activities. Spend a day vacationing here in your backyard or make a day trip to our area. I've often talked about Inn Serendipity here on this blog. Lisa and John are great friends of ours, wonderful people. If you have never met them or are curious about their eco-destination B&B and farm, this is the weekend for you. Every July, they have an open house day on their farm celebrating energy independence and the good life. You are invited to join them for an all-day feast of friendships, food, fun and renewable energy. From 10am to 5pm, Inn Serendipity will host a farm celebration, welcoming those who yearn for a bit of the good life in the country. Children's activities,... 07/06/2009

In the spirit of Independence Day, I present How to Declare Mortgage Independence. No, I'm not suggesting anything shady here. This isn't like how to stop paying taxes. This is how to plan ahead so that down the road you can be one of the people who own their American Dream outright, no mortgage, nothing owed to the bank.  The key here is planning ahead. This is a crucial thing to do when buying any home. Don't let yourself get house poor. Talk with the bank first and know your buying power. Then, decide if you want your house payment to be the maximum that it can be or if you want something lower. If you buy a house at a price that is under your maximum, you will be more able to cope with emergencies, save for luxuries or pay extra on your mortgage. Go for the shortest term mortgage yo... 07/03/2009