Madison Area Real Estate News

RIS Media, Top Trends in Real Estate for 2014,  by Jeff Collins, January 11, 2014 Economists predict 2014 will see more buyers putting roofs over their heads, home prices are expected to stabilize, and homebuilding will be more frenetic. "The housing market has staged a spectacular recovery over the past year," Cal State Fullerton economists Anil Puri and Mira Farka wrote in their 2014 economic forecast. "More recent data, however, point to a softening of these trends." 1. More Inventory: You can expect to see more people putting their homes up for sale this year, as rising prices bring new equity to underwater homeowners. Other property owners also may take the opportunity to get their lives off hold and take advantage of higher home prices. "I'm hoping that, since interest rates are still low, it's a better opportunity not only to sell, but to rebuy," said homeowner Donald McCray. Another factor: New home construction is expected to incre...

RIS Media, Today's eNews,  October 15, 2013 Increasingly, homeowners around the nation are investing in their outdoor living space. Investing in outdoor living provides a good return on investment for most people, making it an ideal home improvement project. 1. Resale value  HGTV claims that homeowners recoup 65 – 90 percent just by adding a deck. Experts agree that investing in outdoor living space will add to the value of your home and a lot of the cost will come back to you when it is time to sell your home. 2. Personal enjoyment  Having a relaxing outdoor living space will create an environment where the family can relax together and enjoy each other's company. 3. Save money  Create the environment you are seeking in your own backyard, and save the gas and fees of taking your recreation elsewhere. 4. Entertaining opportunities  Having an ideal outdoor living space creates an oasis for entertaining. Whether hosting a holiday gathering, Friday night s'...

Statewide, year long sales were up almost 11% over last year and median prices increased 7.2% over last year.  ”Strong sales dominated 2013, which is remarkable given that this is compared to 2012, which was also a very good year for the housing market”, said Steve Lane, chairman of the WRA Board of Directors. Lane noted that housing sales were strong despite rising interest rates and prices. “Mortgage rates have increased a full percentage point since January, and median prices have grown consistently throughout the year,” Lane said.  While they have risen lately, rates remain affordable historically. Wisconsin Home Affordability index is currently at 227. This is a big decrease in affordability since an index of 274 seen last December. HOWEVER, to put things into perspective, the National Home Affordability index is 170. Regionally, here the real estate sales recap comparing 2013 to 2012: (Source WRA) Southeast Wisconsin/Metro Milwaukee real estate statistics ...

Wisconsin REALTORS® Association, 2013 October Home Sales Report,  November 18, 2013 Wisconsin's red-hot real estate market cooled in October, with sales of existing homes nearly identical to October of last year, according to the most recent housing report issued by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association. October sales were just 0.1 percent lower than last October, representing the first time since July of 2011 that monthly sales did not increase over the previous year. The median sales price however continued to rise, increasing 5.6 percent to $142,500 in October relative to October 2012. On a year-to-date basis, median prices increased 7.5 percent compared to the first 10 months of 2012. "While somewhat surprising, these numbers are not totally unexpected," said Steve Lane, Chairman of the WRA board of directors. "We are comparing sales between two very strong years and two very healthy markets," said Lane. Year-to-date sales in the state are 12.4 percent h...

Identity theft is a growing crime in America and can do much damage to your credit as well as take much effort on your part to undo the damage. Here are some quick tips to follow to protect your identity: Always check your bills and bank statements for unauthorized charges Check your browser security settings and make sure they are not too low Be sure to have a virus protection program installed on your devices Opt-out of preapproved credit card offers by calling 888-567-8688 or visit www.optoutprescreen.com SHRED anything with personal financial info on it Never give out your personal information via phone or internet unless YOU initiated the contact Make your passwords strong – a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. Home Inventory If disaster strikes, how can you recover your possessions through an insurance company? A home inventory is the answer. It can be anything from a spreadsheet with pictures or one made with an app.   It is suggested you go room by room to organize your i...

RIS Media, Today's eNews,  by Kathleen Lynn, October 12, 2013 After riding a swift updraft earlier this year, mortgage rates have steadied. But there's a good chance they'll resume their upward path. That's one of a number of things borrowers need to know now to get the best loan. 1. Do your homework a.  Check your credit report with the three credit reporting agencies. You can do it for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If there are any errors, correct them. Then do what you can to improve your credit rating by paying down your debt. b.  Avoid borrowing to buy a car or other big-ticket item in the months before you apply for a mortgage—and, for that matter, up to the date you finally close on your new home. c.  Then shop around among several lenders for the best rate. 2. Get preapproved Even before you start looking for a house, you should get preapproved for a mortgage. This will make you a stronger buyer, because sellers will know you have the financing in p...

Allow us to provide you with our professional services to help you move on, move up, move out and reach your real estate goals. Studies show that homes sold using a Realtor sell for a higher price. That and having the hassle, negotiation, marketing and legalities handled by your Realtor while you go about your business… well worth it. Less FSBOS, even with internet Real estate has changed dramatically since the internet came about, with much  property info available on sites such as firstweber.com.  Yet, studies also show that people are using Realtors more, not less.  The information on a house is now readily available and just the very tip of the iceberg in terms of a real estate transaction.  It is our job to interpret data and guide you through a complicated series of deadlines and events that lead to a home sale. First Weber is the Human Side of Real Estate. Your guide and trusted advisor. The See Team is the premiere real estate team in the g...