In order of popularity, here are the top 10 most viewed blog posts here at Lake & City Views for the year 2010:

  1. Parade of Homes 2010: Madison homes show
  2. Avoiding aggregators to get the freshest real estate listings
  3. Madison ranks 2nd healthiest U.S city for men in 2010
  4. When is it okay to walk away from your mortgage?
  5. Madison WI ranks most secure place to live
  6. How Much Home Can You Afford?
  7. Wisconsin Still Faring Better Than the Rest of the Country in Terms of Foreclosure Rates
  8. How to Choose Your Madison WI Realtor
  9. Madison Ranks 3rd Best City For Families
  10. New "walkable" homes quicksearch added

Noteworthy is the number of awards that Madison continues to rack up year in and year out. Overall, this list seems to be a…

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Is your heart set on a classic Cape Cod, a cool Contemporary, or a character-filled Victorian?  The beauty and diversity of Madison's diverse architecture is one of the most enjoyable aspects of shopping for a home in the Madison real estate market. But when buying a home it can also be confusing if you're unfamiliar what's available in our area or unsure which style will suite your lifestyle best. 

Whether or not you've decided what architectural style's for you, it's easy to familiarize yourself with Madison's housing styles with our Guide to Madison Architechtural Styles page. Here you'll find brief descriptions of popular architectural styles found in Madison along with one-click access to all the homes currently for sale in each category. 

What…

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holiday_greetings_450Seasons Greetings, from our home to yours!

We are grateful for your patronage and greatly value your feedback. If you enjoy our site and would like to show your appreciation, please "Like" our new Facebook fan page.

Did you know that with the exception of December 25th, we will be open for business throughout the holiday season? So, please don't hesitate to call on us if we can be of service.

Wishing you comfort and joy this holiday season and much success in the year ahead.

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Madison was just ranked the most secure place to live in the United States among large metropolitan areas (500,000 residents or more), according to the seventh annual Farmers Insurance study. The Wisconsin state capital was ranked 3rd last year. This is the 5th time out of 7 years that Madison has placed in the top 20. The rankings were compiled by BestPlaces. Factors used to determine how secure any given metro area is included the following:

  1. crime
  2. extreme weather
  3. risk of natural disaster
  4. housing depreciation
  5. foreclosures
  6. terrorist threats
  7. environmental hazards
  8. air quality
  9. life expectancy
  10. job losses

According to the news release from Farmers Insurance, Madison moved up to No. 1 due to a low unemployment rate, low…

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The twinkle of holiday lights is something that brings much joy to both children and adults alike. At the same time, while these lights and other decorations are beautiful and are the source of a great deal of excitement, they can also be a source of danger if they are not installed and maintained properly. To ensure that your holiday season is bright, but does not endanger you or the ones you love, be sure to keep these 5 tips in mind.

Tip #1: Inspect Lights Thoroughly

Before you hang your lights, make certain they are not frayed, cracked or damaged in any way. Also, inspect the sockets to ensure they are not broken. If you find anything wrong with the cord or socket, discard the lights and purchase new ones, as damaged holiday lights pose a…

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in madison wi average price for single family homes sinks in oct

 According to the SCWMLS (South Central Wisconsin Multiple Listing Service), in October 2010 the average sale price for single family homes sold in Madison Wisconsin fell to a new 5-year low of $219,014 for the month of October, just barely above the 2010 low of $217,874 which occurred in April 2010. November average price data will be out shortly and we'll keep you updated on whether this trend continues, slows, or changes direction.

For five year charts showing Madison WI single family home sales, as well as average days on market (average DOM), please visit our New! Madison real estate statistics page. Later in the week we'll also have some updated MLS statistics for the Madison WI condo market.

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These seemingly pretty flowers (or perhaps margarita glasses, as my son pointed out!) are actually huge water tanks. Sady, they remind me that, despite the typical seasonal slowdown for this time of year, sales of single family homes in Madison Wisconsin virtually tanked last month.

In October 2010, the number of units of Madison single family homes sold fell to a new 5-year low for the month of October. Only 84 units made it to closing. The average price was $219,014 and it took an average of 78 days for these properties to go to closing.  

Please check out the chart below which puts the sales slowdown for single family homes into historical perspective. You can see charts for average prices and average DOM (Days On Market) for Madison single…

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