You are here: Home / Blog

374 6th Street, Prairie Du Sac, WI

April 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A HOME WITH HEART! This beautiful home greets you with a welcoming living room, vaulted ceilings  and a flowing floor plan!  Enjoy cooking in the cheery kitchen with plenty of cabinets, breakfast bar and dinette.  Relax in the finished lower level or on your screen porch overlooking a nicely landscaped yard. Home has been lovingly cared for.  Some updates include newer roof, furnace, water softener, gas range, carpet, garage door, blinds and more. Wonderfully located within walking distance to schools, pool, library, downtown, Wisconsin River. Make this home yours today and enjoy the years to come!

View Property Web Site:  www.3746thStreet.com

Virtual Tour:  http://www.whirligighd.com/vtour/vtour_new.php?action=listingtour&listingID=1752&show=video 

Yes, I’d like to know more about this property!

Filed Under: Featured Properties

3034 Manchester Road, Madison, WI

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Find yourself wanting to spend endless hours at home in this beautiful ranch home!  Enjoy the spacious vaulted living room and flowing floor plan. Nicely updated kitchen boasts new granite counter tops, appliances, sink, lighting, back splash and flooring.  Main level bath updates include a full tiled tub surround, new fixtures, and tile floor.  Relax in the lower level family/rec room with walk-out or sit on the deck overlooking a large yard.  New roof in 2011.  Conveniently located to shopping restaurants and more!  Call today for a private showing!

View Property Web Site:  www.3034manchester.com

Virtual Tour:  http://www.whirligighd.com/vtour/vtour_new.php?action=listingtour&listingID=1733&show=video

Yes, I’d like to know more about this property!

Filed Under: Featured Properties

So Much To Do Around The House….And So Little Time!

February 29, 2012 By


Every homeowner knows that there are things that simply have to be done, either every three months, every six months or yearly, to keep your biggest investment in tip-top shape. Here is a tidy little check-list to keep on hand to make sure you are staying on track:

Yearly:

  • Inspect those gutters to make sure they are securely attached and free of leaves and debris
  • Inspect your chimney to determine if a professional cleaning is needed
  • Furnace must be inspected and cleaned by a professional
  • Hot water tank inspection…by a professional
  • Clean and seal your wood deck and its railings
  • Vacuum all that lint from your clothes dryer duct and vent
  • Check your septic tank’s level
  • Re-caulk your exterior windows, doors, siding base and trim
  • Re-caulk along the fronts of tubs and showers
  • Inspect for worn fittings and connection on all plumbing fixtures in your home
  • Have your carpets cleaned by a professional
  • Garage Doors: oil the track, roller, hinges, pulleys and springs with a light gauge oil
  • Have your sprinkler system inspected and winterized
  • Drain and remove all hoses from the exterior of your house
  • Shut off all of your outside faucets before freezing temperatures
  • Prune trees

Every Six Months:

  • Vacuum vents and coils at the back of your refrigerator
  • Clean your stove’s vent and fan
  • Check the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors

Every Three Months:

  • Clean or replace your furnace filter and air-conditioner filter
  • Fertilize your lawn

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

412 Vista Circle, Columbus, WI

December 19, 2011 By

Fall in love with the stunningly beautiful new ranch home built in ’09 and overlooking the golf course! Impressive curb-appeal, lg front porch & a flowing open floor plan welcome you in. The beautifully designed interior features arched architecture, lovely master suite, spacious living room w/beautiful views & lg windows to let the sunshine in. The home’s crowning glory is its huge chef’s kitchen w/tons of cabinetry, hardwood floors & top of the line stainless steel appliances.


View Property Web Site:  www.412VistaCircle.com

Virtual Tour:  http://www.whirligighd.com/vtour/vtour_new.php?action=listingtour&listingID=1522&show=video

Yes, I’d like to know more about this property!

Filed Under: SOLD!

Buying the Right Home

October 28, 2011 By

Here are some things to consider when looking for a home.

The Market

  • All markets are Local

Affordability

  • Mortgage Payment, Insurance & Taxes
  • Utility Costs, Association Fees, Garbage, Special Assessments, etc…
  • Repairs, Updates, Upgrades, Ongoing Maintenance (now or in the near future)

Location & Neighborhood

  • City, Suburbs or Country
  • High Traffic Areas
  • Public Transportation
  • Cul de sac
  • Corner lot
  • Zoning

Type of Home

  • Single Family, Duplex, Condo
  • 2 Story, Ranch, Multi-level
  • Older, Newer, Fixer-Upper

Interior / Exterior

  • # of Bedrooms & Bathrooms
  • Size
  • Extra Rooms
  • Lot Size
  • Fences Allowed
  • Garage / Parking

Other Considerations

  • School District
  • Crime Rate
  • Features
  • Amenities
  • Surrounding Homes / Improvement Potential
Filed Under: Buyers, Misc.

Home Sales Update For Wisconsin, September, 2011

October 3, 2011 By

According to the Wisconsin Realtor’s Association, low interest rates and lower prices make this a good time for people prepared to buy to get the kind of deal on a home that most could not visualize just a few short years ago!

Fortunately for  Wisconsin, the huge bubble other states experienced did not happen, this kept the state from seeing the monstrous drops of as high as fifty eight percent.  According to a federal agency, the median price for homes in Wisconsin dropped 4.5 percent from the previous year.

The different regions of the state had rises in the number of sales last year, some as high as double digits. A forty one percent rise in the western region, and about a thirty eight percent increase in the southeastern region led the state; with a twenty six percent increase in the northeast and a twenty one percent increase in the north. These rises were in the existing home market and are encouraging considering the economy has not recovered.

Filed Under: Market Information, Real Estate

SOLD!

June 22, 2011 By

This charming cape cod has been lovingly cherished by one family over the years and and is now looking for a new owner!  Enjoy cooking in the eat-in kitchen & relax in the cozy living room that features a beautiful Philippine mahogany wall and oak hardwood floor.  Features 2 main floor and 2 upper bedrooms all with hardwood flooring & Philippine mahogany shelving.  New washer & dryer currently located in the second bedroom for greater convenience, but could be relocated to lower level if desired.  Spacious basement offers built-in shelving and a handy work space that includes work bench, vices and a bench grinder, as well as updated electrical, new water heater & new water softener.  Lovely yard with mature trees, storage unit & new carport.  All this in a great west side location near Brennan’s on University Avenue.   Only minutes to downtown and numerous conveniences!

Filed Under: SOLD!

Improve The Air Quality In Your Home With These Ideas

June 22, 2011 By

 Many homeowners today are concerned about the quality of air in their homes, since we spend so much time indoors. Here are some ways that you can achieve superior air quality while improving your family’s respiratory health. This is what you can do, moving from room to room.

  • Basement: Since the furnace is in this space, you must have it inspected and cleaned yearly to avoid leakage of dangerous gases. Also, many basements can be damp and therefore may grow mold. You must make sure your gutters are doing their job of keeping water runoff away from your home. Installing a dehumidifier or air conditioner can keep even the most moist basement dry.
  • Garage: Install a weatherproof door between this room and the rest of your home. It will keep gasoline odors where they belong. Your lungs will thank you.
  • Kitchen: If you have a gas range, you should have a hood fan that exhausts outdoor air. Turning on that fan, or simply opening a window while cooking will remove gas fumes. All fuel burning appliances must be professionally inspected yearly to prevent possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Family/Living Room: Dust accumulation can be simply eliminated with the reduction of clutter. Keeping toys, books and other items nicely stored away in closets is the way to go.
  • Bedrooms: Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Dust mites and allergens are also greatly reduced by washing bedding in hot water. Choose area rugs that are easy to wash.
  • Bathrooms: Ventilation is so important in this well-used room. Exhaust fans work to remove moisture and chemicals that you clean with. Change your cleaning products to ones that have no pesticides or toxic ingredients. See www.grist.org for a list of green bathroom cleaners.
  • Attic: Have your duct work inspected if it runs through an uninsulated attic. Why? Because humid air condenses and can cause mold and rust. Consider having your attic insulated.

Throughout your home always leave doors between rooms open for better air circulation Opening windows from time to time is a no-brain er, but some forget to do it.

Filed Under: Home Maintenance, Misc.

SOLD!

June 7, 2011 By

Fall in love with this wonderfully welcoming 3 bedroom, 3 bath home that feels like new, with updates too numerous to mention!  Entertain groups of all sizes in the spacious living room that graciously flows into the dining area.  Enjoy cooking in the large kitchen with new stainless steel appliances and more!  Relax in the master bedroom with private bath.  Lower level features a cozy family room with wood burning fireplace, small rec room and half bath.  Spend endless hours relaxing on the deck overlooking a lovely yard with mature trees and the privacy that comes with having no back yard neighbors.  Some of the many updates include all new flooring, lighting, fixtures, a water heater, freshly painted interior & more! $178,000.

Filed Under: SOLD!

Considering Gifting Property To Your Children?

May 28, 2011 By

The time is ripe to consider a “QPRT” or Qualified Personal Residence Trust. Real estate values have come way down and with this trust, lower property values could save you significant money on gift and estate taxes.  QPRT’s offer the opportunity for people to move a home out of their estate, while still allowing them to live in it for a time.Timing could not be better to consider this, as you would be removing the home from your estate at a time when property values are low. You will not pay estate taxes on it, and down the road you and yours will enjoy the benefits when it’s value increases, instead of paying a giant estate tax bill on a home that has increased in value over the same time period. In other words, you are guaranteeing yourself a lower gift-tax amount.

Here’s what happens: You move the asset out of your estate and put it into a QPRT for say, ten years. Those ten years can be spent living in the home exactly as you always have. You will file a gift-tax return the first year, which though a very intricate IRS formula could even prove to be profitable from a discount. After ten years has passed, the home transfers to your children or beneficiaries, and they legally own the home. It will not be subject to estate taxes! If your desire is to continue living in the home after this period you must pay your beneficiaries fair-market rent, or risk trouble with the IRS. When you die, your beneficiaries do not have to pay inheritance taxes on the home. Something to consider.

Learn more about Qualified Personal Residence Trusts

Filed Under: Misc., Real Estate Tagged With:
« Older Posts