COMMUNITY INFORMATION Whether you are relocating, deciding which real estate markets you are interested in, or would like to find out what is unique and fun about the area you already live in, click below for information on the many wonderful communities & attractions in the Greater Madison area.  For Properties Available in these Areas:  you can fill out my Property Finder form, or email me a request, and I will send you a personalized list of available properties matching your criteria.  You can also search for MLS listings yourself. Mount Horeb Real Estate:    My business is located in the beautiful Village of Mt. Horeb, located 20 miles southwest of Madison. Madison Real Estate:  The City of Madison is the largest community in the area.  It is the hub of the real estate market, with prices generally decreasing the further away one gets from the city. Dane County Real Estate:  Madison is at the center of Dane County.  It has the largest job market in the area, and many people commute into Madison from these smaller communities: Dane County Real Estate Southwest:  Blue Mounds, Belleville, Fitchburg, Mt. Horeb (see above), Verona, Oregon Dane County Real Estate Northwest:   Black Earth, Cross Plains, Mazomanie, Middleton, Waunakee Dane County Real Estate Northeast:   DeForest, Sun Prairie Dane County Real Estate Southeast:  Cambridge, Cottage Grove, Deerfield, McFarland, Stoughton I also work in the following counties and communities, which are to the western side of Dane County.  Many of these communities are within commuting distance of Madison: Iowa County Real Estate:  Arena, Barneveld, Blanchardville, Dodgeville, Mineral Point, Ridgeway, Spring Green Area  Northeast LaFayette County Real Estate:  Blanchardville, Argyle Northern Green County Real Estate:  Belleville, New Glarus, Monroe Southeast Sauk County Real Estate:  Baraboo, Reedsburg, Sauk City/Prairie Du Sac, Spring Green Area OTHER HELPFUL AREA INFORMATION State Wide and Regional Sites Dane County Sites County Land Parcel Information News & Media  Restaurant Guides    STATE WIDE & REGIONAL SITES   Wisconsin's Home Page-  a comprehensive state wide site with local information, attractions, climate, and maps, all easily searchable by date, location, or subject.   Portal Wisconsin-  a website sponsored by the Cultural Coalition of Wisconsin, with comprehensive listings of current events, attractions, and opportunities to participate in the areas of culture, art, history, and humanities.  A great place to discover weekend getaways and activities.  Wisconsin State Parks-  Official website for Wisconsin's 95 State Parks, trails, and recreation areas that receive around 14 million visitors a year.  In southcentral Wisconsin, check out Blue Mound State Park (Blue Mounds), Governor Dodge State Park (Dodgeville), Tower Hill State Park (Spring Green), Yellowstone Lake State Park (Blanchardville), Governor Nelson State Park (North Madison), Capital Springs State Park (South Madison), Lake Kegonsa State Park (Stoughton), and the New Glarus Woods State Park (New Glarus).  The Ice Age Trail- A thousand mile trail located completely within Wisconsin that runs along the edge of where the last glacier stopped.  Along the hiking trail you can view geological features caused by the glacier that can be seen here better than any place else on the Earth.  In the South Central part of the state, the trail runs through Green, Dane and Sauk Counties.  Beyond the trail, in the Southwest corner of the state is the Driftless Area, which was untouched and unflattened by the glaciers- and was instead cut by streams into narrow and twisting valleys and hills.  If you are looking for property in the Driftless Area, the trail maps on the Ice Age Trail site offer good detail of the demarcation between the glaciated and driftless areas of the state.   The Uplands- a travel guide for Southwestern Wisconsin, including Iowa County, Mt. Horeb, and Spring Green, with information on events, attractions, lodging, restaurants, and more.   Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation-  Information on Wisconsin driver's licenses, license plates, and vehicle registration, how to get them, and how to change your address when you move.  Also maps and other information about traveling by bike, by foot, by rail, by road, by truck, by public transport, and by water in Wisconsin.   Travel Wisconsin-  The official site of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, with information on destinations, accomodations, entertainment & attractions, events, and the great outdoors.   Wisconsin Census Data-  Complete 2000 census results from the US Census Bureau.   Local Harvest- a directory of local farmer's markets, U-pick farms, and CSA farms that sell produce shares.  A nationwide site that is searchable by location. DANE COUNTY SITES   Dane County Map     About Dane County - A good place to get a feel for the County's character, this site includes quick facts, township maps and links to city, village and township websites, multimedia presentations on the county, a helpful overview of Dane County government and special county wide enhancement programs, and further resources.     Dane County Goverment -  official county site with details on all government run services.  It includes the Dane County Directory, which lists contact information for all county government officials and all county municipalities (cities, villages, and townships.)   Dane County Parks-  official site with an overview of county parks, lakes & recreational opportunities.   Dane County Lakes- The Office of Lakes & Watersheds website has a general overview of the Madison Lakes, as well as information on lake levels and lake maps.  The Dane County Parks website has boating information, including lake access sites, fees, how to get a boating permit, and details about using the Tenney Park Lock between Lakes Mendota and Monona.  See the City of Madison Beaches website for information on swimming beaches in Madison.  See the Dept. of Natural Resources website if you need a  fishing license or information on fishing locations, regulations, and tips.  The Dept. of Land and Water Resources website has recent updates and alerts on water conditions, and links to other pertinent information.   Explore Dane County-  Brief listings of area attractions, businesses, services, etc. COUNTY LAND PARCEL INFORMATION Websites These public county  websites provide varying information on land parcels in that county, which may include plat maps, aerial maps, assessment and property tax information, and property owner information.  They are usually searchable via street address, owner's name, and/or parcel identification number (PN).  These sites can provide information about a property you own or a property you are interested in purchasing.   Dane County (Access Dane)   Iowa, Grant & Lafayette Counties   Green County   Sauk County Land Atlas & Plat Books These books are especially useful for those who are purchasing land.  Commonly called plat books, these books map the townships of each county, as well as the (usually) 36 sections of one square mile each that make up each township.   Within each section, the plat book shows the boundaries and owner names of each parcel of land over 5 acres.  Because vacant land does not usually have a street number, just a street name, it can be difficult to locate it if you'd like to drive by the property.  MLS listings include the township and section number of the vacant land for sale, in addition to the street name, thus making it easier to locate the parcel if you have a plat book.  Each county has its own plat book, which is updated regularly.  Plat books can be purchased directly from the publisher, Rockford Map Publishers, which develops the plat books in South Central Wisconsin Counties. Dane County plat books can also be purchased from the Dane Co. Clerk's Office.  Public libraries also usually carry them. NEWS and MEDIA         Wisconsin State Journal-  The main daily newspaper in the area, published out of Madison.  Each Sunday's paper has a special Home section for real estate ads.   The Capital Times-  Wisconsin's progressive newspaper,  the other daily newspaper from Madison.   Isthmus-  A free weekly Madison paper, published on Thursdays.  The best source of information for weekend happenings.   Madison Magazine-  Monthly glossy magazine of lifestyles and business.  Includes ads for luxury homes.   News Publishing Inc.-  Publishes small town weekly newspapers in western Dane County (Mt. Horeb, Cross Plains, Black Earth, Mazomanie, Middleton), Sauk Prairie, and New Glarus.  Each has a real estate ads section.   Homes and Land Magazine-  a free glossy magazine, published monthly, with real estate listings in Madison and the surrounding areas.  Available at newsstands. Local Television Stations:   WKOW 27-  ABC   WMTV 15-  NBC   WISC 3-  CBS   Wisconsin Public Television   WMSN 47-  Fox   WBUW 57- Madison's CW   RESTAURANT GUIDES  Madison Online Dining Guide- This site includes a section where you can read reviews by regular customers, or ad your own.  Isthmus Dining Guide-  Search by cuisine, town, keywords, or alphabetically.