How to research a home's utility costs

Many buyers want to know a home's utility costs before they make an offer. Madison Gas & Electric has a website that will provide this info to you:

• Go to http://www.mge.com/myaccount/averagecost/.
• Then enter the property addess.

The site will return the average, low and high electricity bill over the last 12 months. It will also return the average, low and high gas bill over the same time period.

We've posted these instructions along with links to local utilities on the utilities page under buying real estate at DaneCountyMarket.com.

Co-authored by Dan Miller and Pete Macho, Keller Williams Realty and DaneCountyMarket.com