Summer is here and it is hot!  I can hear the screams of joy by some and the sighs of disgust by others.  For many this is the time of year that their electricity bills soar as they run their air conditioner units almost 24/7 in an attempt to keep their Madison homes cool.  Unfortunately, as the fuel prices rise so does the electricity costs, making it even more costly to stay cool.   Between the oil, gas and electricity expense, many Madison homeowners are feeling a bit pinched financially.  I therefore wanted to share some ways to keep your home cooler while saving some money and minimizing your impact on the earth's atmosphere. (Yeah a chance to be green!)

Some passive cooling techniques for your Madison home:

1. Try to prevent the heat from entering your home.  On very sunny days, keep the blinds closed.  You can also plant bushes and trees in strategic places so they provide extra shade for your home and direct breezes towards your Madison home and windows.

2. Look into some heat reflective film for your windows where the sun shines the strongest.  This will help keep the temperature down in a big way.

3. Keep in mind that the accent pieces on your home should be lighter in color so they will reflect the sun rays.  Examples of this are shutters and roof shingles for the next time they need to be replaced.

4. Utilize fans to circulate incoming breezes.  This is much less expensive than running an AC.  (Also when done in conjunction with an AC for those days that an AC is a must for you, it can minimize the amount of time it has to run.

5. If the heat is really getting you down, just remember you own a home in Madison.  Chances are it will be snowing again before you know it!

Summer is the time of year that so many people in Madison plan their annual vacations.  They pack up the car and drive to those sought after destinations that seems to be offering the most fun or relaxation.  As you probably know, the fourth of July is usually one of the biggest vacation weekends and weeks of the year. 

Things are going to be different for many Madison homeowners and residents this year as they take a closer look at their gas expenditures and look for some fun and relaxtion a little closer to Madison.  Luckily, we live in a fantastic city, that really knows how to throw an AMAZING fourth of July celebration!  So feel good about staying home, saving money on gas, being green and having a WONDERFUL time right here in your hometown.  

Take a quick look at some of the upcoming events happening this week and weekend right here in the Madison area.

July 2nd - Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra kicks off its summer concert series on the square with some great music followed up by fireworks.

July 3rd -  Live Reggae at the Edgewater with no cover.  The band Gibraltar Rockets will play from 5 to 7 PM.

July 3rd and 4th - Deforest 4th of July Celebration with beer tents, the Freedom Run, live music and fireworks.

July 3rd and 4th - Monona Community 4th of July Festival with an Art Fair, Carnival, Food and Beer Tent, Hole in One Contest, Live Music, Crafts, The "Wife Carry Race" (HOW CAN YOU MISS THAT!!) and fireworks.

July 4th - Elver Park Fireworks in Madison, they start around 9:30 PM.

July 6th - Visit the Theatre in the Woodsto see Ah, Wildnerness.  it will be the 4th of July in 1906 in a small Connecticut town right here in Wisconsin! 

Also, for a more detailed listing of other area fireworks visit nbc15 for the 2008 schedule

Happy Fourth of July!!

This is a beatuiful remote home meant for realaxing. Located on a 6.8 wonderul acres. It is just minutes away from Lake Wisconsion, Madison, and Wisconsion Dells. You can watch wildlife from you 3 tier deck or from the comfort of your family room with a double-sided brick fireplace. It has 3 beds and 3 baths, with a lovely 2 car garage. It is being offered at $284,900.

Save your gas and Save Your Money, Get There Green in Madison!

There is no question that gas prices both nationally, and here in Madison, are through the roof!  Everyone I know is relying a little more heavily these days on public transportation.  I am therefore providing a great link which is a complete reference map for alternative transportation in Madison.  This site is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Madison Environmental Group.  It has an interactive map with all your public transportation options in Madison.

Utilizing public transportation is a great way for Madison homeowners and residents to save money on gas as well as live a little green!  The fact that Madison has such great alternative transportation options is also a great reason to consider Madison and its surrounding towns as your next place to live.  If you are interested in learning a litte bit more about the Madison real estate market, just send me an email and I will gladly send you a link with some great real estate buys in the Madison area.

Since it is Spring, and there seems to be many people buying Madison real estate and moving to new homes these days, I thought I would share another green decorating tip. This one is about painting.

We all know that paint is not the most environmental friendly to produce and that it needs to be discarded of properly to avoid causing environmental contamination. With that being said though, we all still need paint so that we can make our Madison real estate investments look and feel like home!

The last post included a link to the mod green pod, which offers some great green paint products. But on top of that it is also important to ensure that we don't buy more paint than needed. HGTV has this great paint calculator you can use before you start your next project. Check it out before you start painting the next room in your Madison home.

So the weather is great, everyone is a bit happier and without a winter coat (FINALLY!!)!  Another highlight, the Madison real estate market is picking up. 

All the signs are pointing to the start of the spring/summer season.  With this season, comes the yard clean ups that are so very important in protecting your Madison real estate investment, your home! 

Performing your yard clean up is important for all homeowners, but especially important if you are trying to sell your Madison home.  I would encourage all Madison homeowners to take advantage of the Spring Leaf and Garden Waste Collection that is being provided by the city of Madison.  It will continue until May 2 and pick up times are dependent upon your Madison property address.  Take a look at Madison's site for more details.

If you happen to miss the pick ups or have a need to drop off the waste yourself you can do that as well.  There are 3 locations available to Madison city homeowners;

• EAST: 4602 Sycamore Ave.
• SOUTH: 1501 W. Badger Rd.
• WEST: 402 South Point Rd. (Brush will not be accepted)

All three locations accept the following;

• Leaves,
• Grass clippings,
• Garden debris,
• Flowers and other plant waste. The sites will also accept
• Shrub trimmings shorter that 18". Tree and shrub trimmings longer than 18" are considered brush. Brush is accepted at the 1501 W. Badger Rd. and 4602 Sycamore Ave. sites only. Do not bring brush to 402 South Point Rd.

Good Luck and Enjoy the Warm weather while performing your Madison yard clean up!  And for all the home sellers in the Madison real estate market right now, don't forget the importance of curb appeal!

What I have come to learn as a Madison realtor is that most prospective buyers are not shopping for a house, they are shopping for a place to live, a place to call home. And there is quite a difference.

Although the number of bedrooms, the square footage, and the condition of the hardwood floors may mean a lot when trying to sell Madison real estate, so is the surrounding community. Lucky for us living here in the Madison area, we have a community that would appeal to most. The Madison area community is unique, I find it to be filled with wonderfully creative and nurturing people, and the location itself is just a gem. It is one of the few places where can you be in a country atmosphere one moment and then in the city the next. Right here in the Madison area, we have great parks, museums, restaurants, theaters, and events!

I am bringing all this up because I believe the Madison area should be celebrated and preserved in all of its wonderfulness. Just as we all will celebrate the Earth on Earth Day. Thankfully, the Habitat for Humanity Restore program, who has already done so much for the Madison community and Madison real estate, has planned a great event at their location on Grove St. It will be held on April 19th from noon to 4 and will include a number of auctions, festivities, and educational booths. So come and visit the Habitat for Humanity Restore and celebrate the earth, celebrate our Madison area community, the place we all live and call home.

Isn’t it funny how as homeowners and local residents living in a community for years upon years, we often never realize all that our community has to offer.  We look at other areas, like coastal resorts, historic settings, or even other state parks, and think we would love to explore them.  Yet we often forget that when living in Madison we have some of the most interesting activities and areas to explore right in our backyard.  I am always searching on-line and in our local Madison publications so that I can stay on top of all the local events and activities in our community.  I think it is important as a realtor to be a community expert especially when working with prospective Madison buyers.  This week, while doing my research, I came across a really neat activity that combines two of my favorite things.  Films and music!

Yesterday began the start of the 10^th annual Wisconsin Film Festival.  It will run through this Sunday, April 6^th.  There will be many local Madison establishments involved in the film festival for movie showings, release parties, and receptions.  The movies are shown at 10 different Madison theaters all within walking distance to one another downtown.  Entering and exiting the movies you will find areas to sit and enjoy the music of some of the movies.  You can also go to one of the many parties to see live music including some great local Madison talent.  So if you are looking for some fun this weekend or interested in seeing a great side of Madison, check out the Wisconsin Film Festival this weekend.

In an earlier post this week we discussed home maintenance/improvement items that would be most likely to attract Madison area buyers in this competitive real estate market.  One of the items on the list, and probably the most important, was to keep your Madison property clean, uncluttered, and constantly in show ready condition.  This is crucial on the exterior of your home because it will be the first impression of your curb appeal that may prompt prospective buyers to want to view your Madison property.  It is therefore essential that attention has been made to your landscape and yard clean-up.

I therefore wanted to let you know that Spring Leaf and Garden Waste Collection will begin in the city of Madison on April 7^th and run through May2, 2008.  If you take a look at the cities site, you will be able to find specific collection pick up dates and times for your neighborhood, as well as directions on how to prepare the leaf piles.  So take advantage of this great Madison city offering and get your property show ready.  Give yourself the best possible advantage to effectively compete in this Madison real estate market. 

We are having an open house at this great new listing in Metropolitan Place.  It is luxury living within walking distance of downtown Madison with a water view. City Views and natural light filter into this corner unit. Double-Pocket Doors incorporate the living space into the den. A 40″ stainless steel double-oven stove is perfect for cooking treats from the Farmer’s Market. This condo boasts an open floor plan, hardwood floors, tile floors, solid surface counters, 1460 square feet of living space, extra parking, private laundry, and much, much more.  Call Heidi for Details.  Open House is Saturday, March 29th from 1 to 3 PM.