Dane County Market Update: Still Strong, Just More Selective

March brought 504 closed sales, a median price of $465,900, and just 7 days on market. Buyers are being more intentional about where they spend.

If you've been wondering what the Dane County housing market is actually doing right now, March gave us a pretty clear picture. Homes are selling, prices are strong, and buyers are rewarding the homes that feel the most dialed in. The market is still moving, just a little more selectively than it was a year ago.

504 closed sales, and prices are still climbing. In Dane County, there were 504 closed sales last month, which was up about 6% from the same time last year. The median sale price came in at $465,900, also up about 7% year-over-year, and the average sales price came in over $515,000.

So when people ask me whether prices are still holding up, the answer right now is yes, very much so. We're still seeing solid pricing, and we're still seeing buyers willing to pay for homes that feel like a strong fit and a strong value.

Homes are still moving in 7 days. The median days on market was just 7 days, which is fast. That doesn't mean every home sells instantly, but it does mean that when a house is priced right, presented well, and checks the right boxes for buyers, they respond quickly. The market still feels active and competitive, just a little more thoughtful than it was.

Buyers didn’t disappear; they're just more intentional. A lot of people are misreading the market right now. The shift isn't that buyers disappeared, it's that they're being more intentional about what they say yes to.

If a home is clean, well-marketed, priced correctly, and still feels like a good value, it can still move really well. But if it's overpriced, dated, or doesn't show well, buyers are a little less likely to force it than they might have been a year ago. 

Inventory is still tight. Even with more homes hitting the market, inventory is still relatively tight. Dane County is sitting at about 1.4 months of supply right now, and a healthy, balanced market is about six months of supply, so we're still very much on the low side. If you factor in all the houses that are currently under contract but haven't gotten through their contingencies yet, we're sitting just below one month of available inventory.

Inventory matters because low supply helps explain why prices are still holding up and why homes are still moving quickly. In February, we saw 782 new listings hit the market, which was up about 7% from last year, so more sellers are stepping in. What's interesting is that new pending sales were actually down about 5.6%, which is one of the clearest signs that buyers are still active but not saying yes quite as automatically.

"Buyers haven't disappeared. They're just being more intentional, and the homes that feel dialed in are the ones getting the strongest response."

What this means for sellers. The current market is still strong; it's just a little more selective, and that's important to hear if you're thinking about listing. The opportunity is still there in a strong market to list in. It's also a market where pricing, presentation, and strategy matter more than they used to, and you can't rely on the market to do all the heavy lifting. The homes that are winning right now are the ones that feel like, "yes, this is the one worth acting on," not just, "well, it's available." That difference matters a lot more right now.

What this means for buyers. If you're a buyer, I'd actually say this market is a little more manageable than people assume. It's still competitive, and you still need to be prepared, but buyers right now are paying more attention to value, comparing options more carefully, and in some cases, pushing back when something feels overpriced. This is a market where preparation matters more than panic, and if you know your numbers, understand your comfort zone, and have a clear strategy, you can still make really solid decisions.

If we zoom out and look at the year-to-date trend, it supports all of this. The median sale price year-to-date is around $452,000, which is up about 5% from last year, and homes are still selling relatively quickly overall. So March isn't some random outlier. It fits the bigger picture: Dane County is still a strong market, just a little more rational and selective than in 2025. 

So, whether you're buying or selling, the part worth paying attention to is that buyers are rewarding the homes that feel the most dialed in. If you're thinking about listing, that means getting the pricing, presentation, and positioning right from day one is the difference between a quick sale at a strong number and a home that lingers. If you're buying, it means knowing how to spot real value and push back when something feels overpriced. 

Either way, I can help you put together a plan that fits the market we're actually in, not the one from a year ago. Call or text me at 608-212-5743, or send an email to shawnkriewaldt@kw.com. You can also visit MadisonNeighborhoods.com to browse what's currently on the market in Dane County. I look forward to hearing from you.