Finding Your Forever Home in Dane County Real Estate Starts Here

Forever Home Real Estate is a Cottage Grove–based brokerage
helping buyers and sellers across Madison, Sun Prairie,
Middleton, Verona, Waunakee, DeForest, Stoughton, and
the rest of Dane County. We rank in the top 5% of the
South Central Wisconsin MLS by sales volume — and we
bring that local market knowledge to every offer, every
listing, and every valuation.

5.0 on Google
Top 5% of the SCWI MLS by sales volume
330+ Dane County families served
Locally owned in Cottage Grove, WI

Whatever stage you're at, we're built for it.

Buy or Sell a Home Anywhere in Dane County

Buying and selling in Dane County moves fast. Inventory turns over quickly in Madison's close-in neighborhoods, new construction is reshaping Verona and Sun Prairie, and pricing varies street to street across the outlying villages. Whichever side of the transaction you're on, you get an agent who works this market every week — not a call center and not a national portal.

What's Your Dane County Home Worth?

Home values across Madison and the surrounding communities have moved unevenly over the past few years — a Verona new build and a 1950s Monona ranch don't follow the same curve. We'd love to learn about your real estate goals and give you a straight answer on where your home sits today.

Prefer to talk? Give us a Call!

Get Your Free Home Valuation

A local comparative market analysis — not an online estimate.

No obligation. Anne will reach out within one business day.

Find Your Neighborhood

Every Dane County Community, One Home Base

Dane County isn't one market — it's a couple dozen of them. Madison's isthmus, lake-access, and near-west neighborhoods each price differently. Middleton and Waunakee trade on schools and established character. Verona, Sun Prairie, and Windsor are absorbing most of the county's new construction. Cottage Grove, McFarland, and Oregon offer commuter access without Madison price points. Pick a community below to see current homes for sale, recent sales activity, and what it's actually like to live there.

Madison

Downtown condos, lake-access homes, and near-west classics

Sun Prairie

New construction and growing family neighborhoods

Middleton

Established suburban character and top-rated schools

Verona

New builds, Epic-area commutes, and strong schools

Cottage Grove

Quiet neighborhoods, easy Madison commute — and our home base

Windsor

Fast-growing village with newer inventory

DeForest

Commuter-friendly value north of Madison

Fitchburg

Parks, trails, and quick access to Madison's south side

Waunakee

Small-town feel, big-school district, minutes from Madison

Oregon

Welcoming village with room to grow

McFarland

Lake Waubesa living and a 15-minute Madison commute

Stoughton

Historic downtown charm and Norwegian community pride

Why Forever Home Real Estate?

A Dane County Track Record Built on Local Trust

Forever Home Real Estate is owned and operated by Anne Baranski out of Cottage Grove. Every agent on the team lives and works in the Madison area — which means when we tell you what a neighborhood is like, it's because we've shown homes there, not because we read a data sheet. That local footprint is what puts us in the top 5% of the South Central Wisconsin MLS by sales volume.

Top 5%

South Central WI MLS by sales volume

12+

Years serving Dane County

Anne Baranski, owner of Forever Home Real Estate in Cottage Grove, WI, at home with her dog — Anne Baranski, Forever Home Real Estate Owner

100%

Madison-area based team

330+

Dane County families served

What It's Like to Work With a Dane County Agent Who Lives Here

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 41 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Dave Schmidt 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne provided thorough professional service in the sale of our home. Great communications, pics/vids inc. drone shots were excellent. Quick sale.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Randy Rodgerson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne was wonderful to work with throughout the process of selling my home. Always keeping me updated. Anne also helped with the purchase of our new home...on a holiday weekend. We love our new forever home. Would recommend Anne to anyone for selling your house or looking for your forever dream home!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Kaitlyn Twing 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very helpful
High attention to detail
Super knowledgeable
Cares about what she does and what you're looking for!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   I Dig your Style 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne was fantastic! I'm a first time home buyer, and she made the process so easy. Super responsive pretty much anytime, day or night, weekends, etc. Met me for showings all around the state (including some pretty early mornings and later in the evening). She understood what I was looking for and found it within my budget; then worked with me to submit a competitive offer. The 2nd offer I put in got accepted and now I own a house!

I'd definitely work with Anne again in the future!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Zachary Niemann 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne was the most amazing realtor. She was on top of listings, she understood what we where looking for and got us the most beautiful and amazing home! 10/10 would recommend Anne.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Michael Rudie 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne and her team were amazing to work with. Buying and selling a house was made easy and we felt we got great value for the house we bought and sold our old house for a premium. This was all due Anne’s knowledge and her extremely high level of detail and passion. You are not just a client, she will work for you like you are family.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Greg Koeller 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne Baranski is absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond to make sure we got the house of our dreams and we couldn’t be happier!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   M.O. 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne was incredibly helpful during our house search process-- as first time home buyers we really appreciated the knowledge of the industry that that she provided! Thank you!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Brian Amidei 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Anne is great. The house is great. The process was like zippety boom bah, you got a house! Coming into a place from out of state cold did not know nuthing, she was funny, informative, intuitive smart and efficient.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sean H 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Whether you are buying or selling Anne is the agent you want to work with. She was professional as professional can be. Yet she was very personable making sure all our wants and needs were taken care of. Even with the crazy real estate storm she made it a smooth trip.
  
 
  
  
 
    Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on Forever Home Real Estate's Google Business Profile. Learn more

A Network You Can Trust

Dane County Real Estate Services That Go Further

Buying or selling touches a lot more than the sale itself. Financing, inspection, repairs, and coverage all have to line up — and in a market this fast, a slow lender or a booked-out inspector can cost you the house. Our vetted local network keeps the whole process moving.

Lending Partners

Local Dane County lenders who know this market's pace and can turn around a pre-approval fast enough to keep your offer competitive.

Inspectors

Thorough, trusted inspectors across Madison and the surrounding communities, so there are no surprises after closing.

Contractors

A vetted network of Dane County contractors for repairs, pre-listing updates, or move-in renovations.

Insurance

Local insurance partners who understand Wisconsin homeowner coverage — including the wind, hail, and ice-dam claims this climate actually produces.

Frequently Asked

Common Questions, Local Answers.

What areas does Forever Home Real Estate serve?

We’re a Dane County real estate brokerage based in Cottage Grove, serving Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Verona, Waunakee, DeForest, Windsor, Fitchburg, McFarland, Oregon, Stoughton, Cottage Grove, and the surrounding communities. We also work with buyers and sellers in the neighboring counties — Columbia, Rock, Sauk, Jefferson, Green, and Iowa — including Edgerton, Lodi, Sauk City, Mount Horeb, and Watertown.

How do I find out what my home is worth in Dane County?

Request a free, no-obligation home valuation and we’ll build a comparative market analysis from actual recent sales in your neighborhood — not an automated national estimate. Dane County values vary sharply between municipalities and even between blocks, so a local CMA will nearly always be closer to reality than an online algorithm.

Is Forever Home Real Estate a good fit for first-time home buyers?

Yes. First-time buyers are a large part of what we do. We walk you through financing connections, the Dane County offer process, inspection contingencies, and closing — and we’re candid about what your budget realistically buys in each community, which is usually the most useful conversation a first-time buyer can have.

What makes Forever Home different from other Madison-area brokerages?

Two things: we rank in the top 5% of the South Central Wisconsin MLS by sales volume, and we’re locally owned and locally staffed out of Cottage Grove. That’s paired with a vetted partner network of Dane County lenders, inspectors, contractors, and insurance agents, so the pieces around the transaction move as fast as the transaction does.

Do you help with commercial real estate?

Residential real estate across Dane County is our focus. Commercial inquiries are handled by our partner brand, Bulldog Commercial Real Estate.

How competitive is the Dane County housing market right now?

Dane County has run tighter than the state average for several years, driven by job growth in Madison, Verona, and Middleton and by limited inventory in established neighborhoods. Well-priced homes in the entry and mid tiers often see multiple offers, while higher price points and some outlying villages move more deliberately. We’ll give you the current numbers for your specific price band and community rather than a countywide generality.

What does it cost to sell a home in Dane County?

Seller costs typically include the commission, transfer fee, title work, prorated property taxes, and any negotiated repairs or credits. Dane County property taxes are relatively high, so the proration timing can meaningfully affect your net. We’ll walk you through a line-item net sheet before you list, so there are no surprises at the closing table.

Should I buy or sell first?

It depends on your equity position, your financing, and how tight your target community’s inventory is. In faster Dane County submarkets, selling first and negotiating a rent-back is often cleaner than carrying two mortgages. In slower price bands, buying first can be the safer play. This is exactly the kind of question worth a 20-minute conversation before you commit to a timeline.

Do you work with relocating buyers moving to Madison?

Regularly. Madison draws people in for the university, the health systems, Epic, and state government, and most relocating buyers don’t yet know how different the county’s communities are from one another. We’ll do virtual tours, neighborhood walkthroughs, and honest commute-time math before you ever fly in.

Dane County Real Estate News & Local Living

A Baker’s Dozen of Holiday Events to Put You in the Seasonal Spirit

Michael Popke November 6, 2026

Selling Your Home? How the Capital Gains Exclusion Works

Austin Simonis October 29, 2026

Aerial view of downtown Madison, Wisconsin with the Wisconsin State Capitol and Monona Terrace overlooking Lake Monona.

How to Buy and Sell a Home at the Same Time

Austin Simonis October 15, 2026

Dane County Buyer and Seller Guides

Practical, Wisconsin-specific answers for every stage of your move, whether you are buying your first home, moving up, or getting ready to sell.

The Wisconsin home buying process, step by step

Mortgage pre-approval vs. pre-qualification

Buyer closing costs in Wisconsin

WHEDA programs for first-time homebuyers

How to price your home to sell in Dane County

Getting your home ready to list

The Wisconsin Real Estate Condition Report

How to buy and sell a home at the same time

Let's Connect

Free consultations for buyers and sellers across Madison, Dane County, and the surrounding South Central Wisconsin communities. No pressure, no obligation — just a straight conversation about where you are and what makes sense next.

1609 Landmark Dr, Ste 104, Cottage Grove, WI 53527

Give us a Call!

Start the Conversation

Tell us where you are and we'll take it from there.