Madison WI Real Estate: Winter Update

As I'm sure many of you know, the Madison WI real estate market is still going strong, despite the bitter cold! According to Property Trax, active listing inventory in Dane County hasn't been this low since 2006 (when comparing inventory on the 31st day of December, from 2006-2013):

http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/real-estate/property-trax-home-sellers-benefit-as-dane-county-inventory-hits/article_eed273b0-78a8-11e3-a70c-0019bb2963f4.html

Since we've been talking to a lot of home sellers on the near west side of Madison lately, I decided to pull a few quick numbers to share with them. The data is encouraging, and based on my experience, I assume this trend does not stop at the borders of the near west side. It's exciting to see the numbers holding strong, during what's known to be the slowest season in the year.

Sub Areas W13 & W14 http://www.scwmls.com/pdf/MLSmap.pdf

Accepted Offers since Jan. 1st= 15 and counting

Homes sold in 2013= 217

Current Active= 37

Months supply of inventory continues to dwindle in January, and is down to 2.46 , meaning it's still a seller's market. Months of inventory= # of homes currently active divided by the number of homes selling each month, based on a 12 month average.

If you're interested in obtaining more in depth market information about your neighborhood, or you're considering selling your home this year, give us a call--this is the time to start strategizing for your 2014 sale.

Mid-Century Modern Homes in Madison

We get a lot of calls from home buyers who are looking for unique or mid-century modern homes in Madison. And we understand why! We love unique properties -- homes with extra charm, mid-century modern lines, and other special details that make them truly stand out.

Often, homes like this don't regularly show up in the MLS property search. But we're not deterred! We take matters into our own hands, turning into Madison real estate sleuths, working hard to track down the unique, mid-century modern homes in Madison that meet our buyers' needs.

Part of this involves turning to you. If you, or someone you know, owns a unique, mid-century modern home, and you're contemplating a move, we'd love to talk. We know you need a listing agent who understands your home's uniqueness, and who knows how to market its features properly to secure the best possible offer. That's where we come in. We know the Madison real estate market inside and out -- and our passion for vintage, unique, and mid-century modern homes means we're perfectly suited to help.

Here are a few tips for selling your unique or mid century modern home for the highest dollar possible:

1. 1950s and 60s home decor trends are back in a big way. We can work with you to turn your home’s “dated” features into today's trends that appeal to the buyers who are looking for something unique and vintage. (Here's an example of how to do that with dated bathroom tiles.)

2. Leverage your color palette! Let's identify the colors that work best with your home’s original features, then use that color palette to determine complementary wall and accessory colors that buyers will love.

3. For an instant facelift, consider painting your brick or stone fireplace.

4. Wood paneling can date a home and make a space feel heavy and dark. Refresh your space with paint and/or punchy wall art.

5. Vintage wallpaper can be beautiful! But it's very taste-specific. Consider toning it down with the neutral drapes and contemporary accessories.

6. Educate your buyers. If your home is unique, tell them how and why! From the type of materials used, to the history of your home’s design, or the credentials of it’s architect -- don’t leave anything out when selling buyers on your home's charm. 

7. Make sure that your Realtor “gets it”, too. Your ideal Realtor will not only appreciate all that your home has to offer, but will be able to articulate its value to potential buyers. While it’s unlikely that every original feature in your home will be a mid-century gem worth saving, your Realtor should have an eye for vintage chic, and be able to help your home for sale reach the appropriate audience.

Just remember -- buyers are craving unique and mid-century modern homes. But not only do you need to know how to market your home to them, you need to show them why your home is special.