Matchmaking — in matters of the heart or the home — isn’t always easy, which is why C&M Real Estate relies on its team’s experience and extensive relationships in the Chippewa Valley to help with every step of the process. “I don’t think there are too many other people in town who can offer what we can,” says Laura Andrews, another of C&M’s Realtors.

Because of C&M Real Estate’s relationship with C&M Home Builders, sometimes people assume that the team’s Realtors only buy and sell C&M-built homes. That’s simply not true, explains Conaway: C&M Real Estate is a full-service agency that can help folks buying or selling any kind of home in the Chippewa Valley.

While being part of the C&M family is an asset — from giving the Realtors in-depth knowledge of the local homebuilding industry to giving them a bigger social media audience for the properties they are listing — it doesn’t mean they are only selling C&M-built homes. As Andrews notes, “We’re Realtors, not sales associates.”

However, because of the company’s strengths in both real estate and construction, many customers stick with C&M through multiple home purchases. For instance, Conaway says, some customers step into homeownership by buying a twin home, build some equity, and then step up into a larger C&M-built home.

People buying C&M-built houses can access an in-house design team that can help them make decisions to customize their homes just right, while also keeping within a set budget. And whether customers are buying or selling, C&M-built homes or not, the company’s size and expertise allows them to help match the timelines of buyers and sellers and to even help folks find temporary housing if they’re between homes.

C&M Realtor Leslie Ische adds that C&M’s depth of experience in the Chippewa Valley real estate market means they know the professionals at banks, title companies, and other real-estate firms, which can help the process work more smoothly.

“Trustworthiness is a big thing in real estate,” says Ische, noting that C&M focuses on transparency and responsiveness.

“Interest rates are still very good right now, so now is a good time to build.”

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home — or both — chances are you’ve heard about fast sales and tight inventories lately.

“The last year or so is the hottest market that I’ve seen,” says C&M Realtor Brian Vitale. He cautions homebuyers against making rash decisions when the market heats up: Don’t buy a home based on emotion, Vitale advises, and make sure you’re truly happy with what you’re buying. Some house hunters — especially those who are also selling homes — rush their decisions, falling in love with the first or second house they look at, even if it doesn’t have all the features they are seeking.

“We really put the time and effort into identifying what they really need,” Vitale says.

And while the temperature may be high, there are still good financial reasons to step into the market.

“Interest rates are still very good right now, so now is a good time to build,” Conaway says. She believes the Valley’s real estate market will continue to stay active: The community is beautiful, there’s available land, and many people are moving here as part of an exodus from larger urban areas, to get jobs in the medical sector, or to be closer to grandparents as they start their own families.

Whatever their reason for buying or selling, the members of C&M Real Estate’s team want their customers’ transactions to be as enjoyable as possible.

“I think when people go with us, it’s going to be fun,” Conaway says. “We all have moxie. Our job is to put them at ease and make them smile along the way.”