Author: Jon Nelson

Many Madison, WI homeowners are interested in making home improvements like renovations and updates but would like to do so without breaking the bank. Here are 10 ways to keep your home improvements on track and most importantly—on budget!

When you accepted the Offer To Purchase you agreed to deliver your home in substantially the same condition it was in when your buyer wrote the offer, excluding normal wear and tear, and in what’s called broom swept condition. But what does “broom swept” actually mean? Here’s a list…

If you are planning to finance your Madison home or any home for that matter and you want to know a little more (or a whole lot more) about what to expect, then this primer may help you out. Find out the difference between a Pre-Qual letter and a Pre-Approval letter and how both are quite different than a Commitment Letter…the thing that can remove your financing contingency. Understanding what these things are and what they mean to you, your bank or credit union and your seller is a good first step. Questions? Read on…

It is a common practice for buyers and sellers to equate the assessed value of a home to its likely market value, but these two numbers are very different from each other. Assessed values have to do with tax collection while market values reflect a selling price to which a buyer and a seller have agreed. There is, however, a way to use assessed values to your strategic benefit. Madison Broker Jon Nelson discusses how.

An Agent refused my offer to purchase. Can they do that? The answer to that question like so many other real estate questions is, “Maybe.”  Why a Seller might instruct their Agent to refuse certain offers and whether or not that’s a particularly good strategy is discussed here.

Buyer Agency is what puts you as the Buyer on an equal footing with the Seller. The Seller is represented by the listing broker, but without your Buyer’s Agent, the agent working with you is also working for and representing the Seller. Seem a little lopsided? It is. So the good news is you too can have professional real estate representation. And the better news is the listing broker almost always picks up your agent’s commission costs. Here’s the scoop…

Building a home in and around Madison, WI is an exciting time, but your interests and the builder’s interests may not be the same. Your buyer agent is the perfect intermediary between you and the builder. Find out why…

If you want to finish the “race” to buy your new home, you need to start at the starting line. That your preapproval, which you can get shortly after meeting with you loan officer. Find out exactly what you can spend and then spend your time finding exactly what you want!

What is and “as-is” sale? What does it mean to a buyer and what effect does it have on the Seller’s responsibility to fill out a real estate condition report? Find out…