Hippity hoppity!  It may be a holiday weekend, but there is still plenty to do around Monroe in the upcoming week.  Whether you live here or have just come home to visit, here is a sampling of local events: ~ If you need dessert for Easter dinner, the Senior Center is having a pie sale at Amcore bank on Friday starting at 8 am. ~ Easter Egg Hunts! Monticello has theirs in the community park on Saturday at 10:30 am for infants through fifth graders. Krape Parks in Freeport has theirs at 10 am on Saturday. Monroe's will be on Saturday at 1 pm at Twining Park (High School M if weather in case of inclement weather). The Basket Benefit begins at noon. ~ "Godspell" is running again this weekend. These final shows will be on April 9 and 10 at 7:30 PM and April 11 at 2 pm in the Monroe High Sch... 04/08/2009

Between the tax credit, incredibly low interest rates, and the lower prices in the current home inventories, this is a fantastic time to buy a home.  A great deal of press has been given lately to the first time home buyer's tax credit passed as part of the economic stimulus package back in February. With all of the media attention the previous versions of the tax credit received, it is no wonder that there is a great deal of incorrect information and rumor out there. Here are the basics: In order to take advantage of the credit, you cannot have owned a home or had an interest in a home in the three years prior to buying this home. If you are married and file jointly, neither spouse can have owned a home during the last three years. The tax credit is for up to $8,000. Other figures were... 04/07/2009

Whether you are a tourist visiting the area or a long time resident, take a little vacation and sample some of our goods. Try a day trip to the area with a Tasting Tour*. Tasting Tour #1 will focus on beverages, alcoholic and non. Start your day in New Glarus. Here is where you will find New Glarus Brewing Company, a quickly growing upstart in the craft brewing world. Fat Squirrel, Spotted Cow, Organic Revolution, Crack'd Wheat - these are names known to beer aficionados in the Midwest. Dan and Deb Carey are the founders. This company is unique because it is the first brewery in the US founded and operated by a woman. Deb runs the company, Dan is the brewmaster, and an incredible local product is the result. Self guided audio tours are available from 10 am until 5 pm Monday through Sund... 04/06/2009

Is it any wonder I laugh when people say there this nothing to do around here?  There is so much happening in the upcoming weeks that I know we won't be able to get everything we want to. ~ A new exhibit is opening in Frehner Gallery at the Monroe Arts Center. Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made Of..." is the exhibit title, and it features acrylic and watercolor media by Beki Borman, and sculpture by Darlene Wesenberg Rzezotarski. The opening reception is Thursday evening from 5 until 7 pm in Frehner Gallery, and the artists will be speaking at 5 pm. You can also preview the art that will be available during the MAC spring silent auction. These pieces will be on display, and you can also pick up tickets to the Taste of Spring event taking place on May 4. ~ Young Professionals of Green County ... 04/01/2009

You can tell when spring has arrived.  When the Robins are seen all about. With spring here, so to is the heating up of the real estate market. In Green county we have seen the gloom and dismal winter market give way to the guarded optimism for a great second quarter in home sales. The supply of value priced homes is good and the tax incentives coupled with low intrest rates has created a buy now or get left out. If you are interested in living in the land of awesome Robins, contact me Scott Larson at 608-214-9844 or check out my website at www.greencountyhomeguide.com 04/01/2009

Over on our website, Monroe Area Real Estate, we proudly display two balloon logos. One is the Re/Max balloon, naturally. The other is one that we are especially honored to display. The Children's Miracle Network is a very worthy charity. It is one that we support, along with the rest of our office here in Monroe. Re/Max Towne Square has earned the designation of "Miracle Network Office". If you have ever bought or sold a home, chances are your realtor gave you a small gift at the closing table. A plant, a bottle of wine, magazine subscription, food goods. Luis and I tend to avoid these goods. Instead, we give something that has a more lasting impact. We take part of our commission and give a generous donation to Children's Miracle Network in our buyer or seller's name. Thank you to all... 03/27/2009

I like to sell Commercial Real estate, and I believe credit has to be given where it is due. I have a commercial property that was referred to me and it is in Monticello, Wisconsin. Upon finding this wonderful area on the map in Green County I ventured out of Waukesha County to list it. It is a multi family, which also has a large commercial part to it as well. When I wrote the offer and starting working with the bank I started to wonder who in the World I would call for title, a contact, and was looking for a some guidance. I immediately thought of my activerain contact Brenda Carus, which works for Re/Max Towne Square Realty in Monroe. I found her number and called her. I knew that Brenda and Luis were great from the minute I made contact. How is that? I called Brenda and she said "I ... 03/26/2009

Hold on to your hats, it is a busy weekend in the area! ~ Artisan Gallery in Paoli is having an opening reception for Joel Wish: New Work in Pastel & Digital Photographs & Five by Seven: Five works by seven artist. The reception will be on Friday evening startimg at 5 pm. ~ The 39th Annual Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 9am - 5pm at Monroe High School. Come explore earth sciences in a fun and festive way. There will be cool demonstrations, interesting displays, fun stuff for the kids. ~ The Monroe City Band is having their annual Cabaret Show on Saturday evening at Turner Hall starting at 8 pm. Admission is free. ~ Winneshiek Playhouse in Freeport will have a concert by solo acoustic guitarist Michael Gulezian on Saturday beginning at 7:30. ~ A... 03/25/2009

I am a huge fan of older homes, but they are different from newer construction. By going in with eyes wide open, buyers can save themselves headache and heartache later down the road.  If you are looking at an older home, pay attention not just to the stunning woodwork or charming quirks, but also look for some of the things that will make your modern life in the home easier. Are the outlets in each room? How many? Many older homes tend to only have a few outlets run to some rooms, especially bedrooms. This can limit your ability to arrange furniture as well as limiting the types of electronic systems that can go into the rooms. Does the home have light switches? This sounds silly, but do look. There are a fair number of homes in the area that do not have light switches in the bedrooms.... 03/24/2009

  Why should we use a Realtor? We know there are many reasons to use a Realtor. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the facts •  Nationwide only 2% of homes are sold by homeowners. 98% are sold by Realtors. we need to ask our clients do they want a 2% chance of selling their home?   •  Average home sold by a homeowner is sold for 21% less than a Realtor would have sold it for. If your client is considering this, are they really saving the commission??   I hope you are haveing a great year, remember the glass is half full Scott Larson, Re/Max Towne Square Realty www.greencountyhomeguide.com   03/24/2009

    Yesterday I was walking down a beautiful township road and I spotted this fellow. Was he dead or playing opossum?  This made me think about the real estate market and all the conflicting news that swirls through the media’s talking heads. Is the housing market dead or playing opossum? I believe that there are pockets of truth around our nation when it comes to over building and over speculation in real estate. In our market we have seen our share of repossessions and house price value drops.  I believe that fear is holding back a real estate boom across this nation. I’ve always been impressed with the optimistic perseverance of the settlers of the American west. How they risked it all for the opportunity for a piece of the dream in this land of freedom. How they often lost it all, ... 03/19/2009

Make your weekend plans now! ~ The Dining Room at 209 Main in Monticello is having an Indian Cooking Class on Sunday, March 22 and Tuesday March 24. Learn to make mild and hot homemade curry powder. There will also be carrot chutney, cucumber mint raita, chick pea salad, and rice and lentils. $60 for the class and food. Space is still available according to the website. Contact them at 938-2200 for more information. ~ Moonspinners of Northern Illinois is having their monthly meeting tonight, Wednesday, March 18, from 7 until 9 pm at the Orangeville Methodist Church. Spinners of all skill level from complete novice to expert are welcome to attend. ~ Calling all kids! The Monroe Lego Club will be meeting on Saturday, March 21 from noon until 3 pm in the community room of the Monroe Public... 03/18/2009

If spending a couple days working on your house and a couple of hundred dollars could help your home sell in under two months and for more money, would you do it? Pretty much everyone would say yes, right?  Then why don't more people consider staging a home? If you can, hire a professional staging service. The costs to modernize window treatments, paint colors and art work can be minimal, and the payback in higher selling price and quicker selling time can be enormous. Some people also consider furniture rental for vacant homes; this can turn vast empty spaces into a home the buyers can see themselves living in. The cost of professional staging services is often less than you think. One nearby company lists costs as $195 for a do it yourself guide filled with suggestions of things like ... 03/17/2009

Award winning breweries.  CSAs.  Cheese factories.  Catalog classic The Swiss Colony.  Family farms.  Market gardeners.  Obviously, food plays a large role in our lives here in Green County. There is a new initiative beginning that has the goal of getting more of our local foods into local homes as well as helping people start the value-added food businesses they have always dreamed of, but never had the resources or support to begin. The group, sponsored by UW Extension, is currently doing a survey to assess demand for a community kitchen in order to secure funding. If you currently have a small local food business, from jelly making to cake decorating, or if you dream of a business, please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey. Green County Community Kitchen Survey  If you ... 03/16/2009

There is a window on the south side of Monroe's Downtown Square that often shows little hand prints and nose marks. The kids cannot help themselves; the toys and clothes in the window display at Kidz Kloset are so colorful and fun that getting closer is the natural thing to do. Kidz Kloset has a great selection of clothing and shoes for infants and toddlers, plus a selection of wonderful pieces for preschoolers and elementary age boys and girls. Once glance, one touch will let you know these are not big box store items. Finding durable children's clothing locally is a wonderful treat for those of us who call Green County home. The heavy cotton girls tights are brightly patterened, the boy's clothing are classic pieces, and I like knowing that I can find age appropriate clothing for our ... 03/14/2009

Have you made your weekend plans yet? Here is a sampling of the upcoming events in the Monroe area: ~ Young Professionals of Green County is having a speed networking event at Blackhawk Technical College on Thursday evening beginning at 5 pm. ~ The Monroe Public Library has their annual St Patrick's Day event on Saturday, March 14 from 11 until 2. Enjoy stories at 12 and 1 pm, and crafts throughout with Miss Kris and the Volunteens. ~ The Browntown Firemen's Dance is on Saturday evening starting at 7 pm at the Civic Center in Browntown. Support the small town fire department with a fun evening out. ~ Saturday evening is also the Green County Harmony Chorus annual show! Listen to sounds of All that Jazz, Skyline, Adamz Applez and more at the Monroe High School Performing Arts Center. Tic... 03/11/2009

Urban or rural? Subdivision, downtown or a home on ten acres? Look at your lifestyle, your wants and your needs, then narrow down the location that works best for you.  When you are buying a house, pay careful attention to your location. Where do you want to live? What lifestyle do you want? Do you want a larger lot in the country? Do you want to live close to work? Are school systems important to your family? These are all things that are important to think about as you begin looking at homes. Consider both what features you will look for in a home as well as what location features you want. Homes in town tend to have smaller lots than those in the country. The neighbors will be closer, and your taxes will likely be higher. You will be closer to schools and urban amenities. City servic... 03/10/2009

Look what we Realtors have to deal with in Monroe WI. As I was traveling to Hasse Surveying company in rural Monroe on Monday and I was attacked by a Tinosarus. Fortunately I was passing by after lunch and this man- eater was just chilling out by an old gravel quarry at the intersection of Abley and Iliff road. So if you find yourself in the fertile land of Green county beware, you just never know! Scott Larson on the web at www.greencountyhomeguide.com Your one stop realestate site 03/10/2009

The new travel trends are apparently shorter trips closer to home; wanting to see real communities, not just tourist venues; and focusing on food. Southwest Wisconsin fits this description beautifully, and area communities are featured in the section "Surprisingly Hip Small Towns"of "The New Vacation" in the latest issue of Midwest Living. Support independent businesses and artistic communities. Eat local. Go green. These are all things we have been doing in the area for a long time, and the article recognizes that travel tastes are catching up with us. Both Monroe and Monticello are mentioned in the article, along with area communities like Spring Green, Mount Horeb and Mineral Point. All of these towns are within about sixty to ninety minutes of Monroe, and I have to second Midwest Li... 03/07/2009

This is just a sampling of local events. Check out Green County Spotlight or Stephenson County CVB for more events. ~ The Monroe Public Library is hosting another Celebrando Storytime on Tuesday, March 1o. Bring the kids for stories in both English and Spanish along with games and a craft. Everything is presented in both languages, so you do not have to be bilingual to attend. Stories start at 6:30 pm in the community room at the library. ~ Monroe Theatre Guild is a happening place in the next week! Tons going on at the Stage Building in Monroe. Dancing with Marlene: This dance class is a bargain! The five week class started last week, but anyone interested can still register and join us this week. The class runs from 6:30 until 7:30 on Thursdays, and the prorated price is only $8 for m... 03/04/2009