Buyers at any price point, from a first Monona cape to a Mendota point lot
Buyer representation
Full buyer-side representation across the Madison lakes: search strategy, showings, shoreline due diligence, offer drafting and the walk from acceptance to keys.
The short version
Buying near water in Dane County involves a layer of questions that a standard home search never touches. Who owns the bed of the lake in front of the house. Whether that pier is permitted, grandfathered or neither. What the shoreland zoning ordinance lets you rebuild if a storm takes the boathouse. We answer those before you write, not after.
Practically, that means we tour with you, we pull the shoreland and zoning records for anything you are serious about, and we talk to the neighbors when a shared pier or an access easement is in play. Most of our buyers see between eight and fifteen homes before they write, and most write once.
Our buyers pay nothing directly in the common arrangement where the seller's brokerage offers compensation. Where that is not the case, we put the number in writing in the buyer agency agreement before we tour, so there are no surprises at the closing table.
Step by step
How it actually runs
Consultation
Ninety minutes, usually at our Monona Avenue office. We talk budget, lakes, timing and what you actually do on the water, which is what narrows the search fastest.
Search and tour
We set alerts and tour in batches. You see the good and the bad in one afternoon so the comparison is honest.
Due diligence
Once you have a favorite, we pull records: zoning, pier permits, flood determination, assessment history, and any recorded easements.
Offer and negotiate
We price the offer off comparable sales, set contingencies that protect you, and negotiate the inspection response.
To the closing table
We track the lender, appraiser and title company weekly, then walk the property with you the morning of closing.
Why it matters
Three things this prevents
Every one of these came out of a transaction where it nearly went the other way.
Shoreline questions answered first
Permits, frontage measurement and water depth checked before you fall in love with a pier.
Offers priced on real comparables
You see the same sold data we do, so the number makes sense to you before you sign it.
Referrals with no kickbacks
We do not take referral fees from inspectors or lenders, which keeps the recommendation clean.
What it costs
No packages, no surprises
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer consultation | No charge | Ninety minutes, no obligation, in person or by video |
| Buyer agency compensation | Typically seller-paid | Written into the buyer agency agreement before any tour |
| Shoreline due diligence | Included | Zoning, pier permit and flood checks on serious properties |
Sample figures for demonstration. Compensation arrangements vary by transaction and are always agreed in writing in advance.
Questions
About this service
Anything not covered here, call the office and ask.
In most Dane County transactions the seller's brokerage offers compensation that covers buyer agency. Where it does not, we agree the amount with you in writing before we tour, and it becomes part of your offer negotiation.
Our buyers average eight to fifteen showings. Waterfront buyers usually see fewer, because inventory is thinner and the right exposure narrows the list quickly.
Yes. About a third of our buyers start remote. We record walk-through videos, run live video tours and handle inspections when you cannot fly in.
Pier permitting. A pier that has been there for thirty years is not automatically permitted, and the rules differ between lakes and municipalities. We check it every time.
Related
Usually booked alongside
Book the first conversation
Ninety minutes, no charge, and you leave with a written plan whether or not you hire us.
Four agents, one office on Monona Avenue, replies within one business day.