Housing Chatter delivers the news you need to know about current events in the housing market in simple terms. We have no political or institutional affiliations so you can be confident that our content and commentary is unbiased. Housing Chatter is brought to you by your professional Realtor®.

Mixed Opinions on Painting Vintage Furnitures

There is a movement currently afoot to rescue vintage furniture. Old wooden dressers, vanities, chairs and the like are being bought at garage sales or retrieved from roadsides – in some cases, even pulled out of dumpsters – in an effort to keep usable items from ending up in landfills and burn piles. Because many of these pieces are understandably somewhat ... Read More »

Planting A Tree

Gardening in your backyard … and front yard, and indoors, and on your balcony … is enjoying a huge wave of popularity among Americans. Everyone seems to want to get their hands dirty sowing, weeding and tending crops of lovely flowers or healthy veggies. Among the plethora of information available online and in print, you’ll read a great deal about annuals a ... Read More »

4 Reasons to Choose Carpet

Wall-to-wall carpeting, once a home decor status symbol, has been overshadowed in recent years by the popularity of hardwood flooring. However, carpet can be a comfortable, affordable, green and attractive floor covering option. Find out why. Comfort There’s nothing like sinking your toes into the deep pile of a carpet when you first get out of bed on a ... Read More »

Convert Your Kitchen to Open Plan: Yea or Nay?

The trend toward open kitchens, which first began back in the 1980s, is still going strong. Decorators tend to love the style and often assume that when you update your home, of course you’ll want to convert your kitchen to open plan. But it’s worth your while to carefully weigh the pros and cons of an open kitchen before you let anyone start knocking down w ... Read More »

Furnishings for Frequent Movers

Some folks live in the same place all their lives, while others change residence every few months. If you fall into the latter category, you may move due to employment, education, finances or just plain itchy feet. Whatever your motivation, if you want your house, however short term, to feel like a home, you’ll need some furniture. While the idea of renting ... Read More »

Faux Wood for Real Homes

The handsome look of wood is enduringly popular as a building material or a décor accent. Features such as rustic ceiling beams are now coming back into style after a long hiatus. However, natural hardwood, charming as it may be, is not always the most practical or affordable option. Take a good long look at the new faux woods – they just might turn out to b ... Read More »

Building a Deck or a Patio?

Adding a deck or patio to your home is an appealing, relatively low-cost way to create extra living space. But which is the best and most eco-friendly choice for you? The answer is: “It depends … on your landscape, your needs and the type of construction material.” Let’s look at how the two options fit in with your needs and compare the green profiles of dec ... Read More »

Malfunctioning Appliances

When your oven starts to serve up dinner more charred than broiled or your washer begins making suspicious clunking sounds, you’ve got a problem appliance on your hands. If the trouble continues, orgets even worse, you'll need to take some action. But what? Is it worth your while to go through the hassle of having repair done, or should you just throw up you ... Read More »

Solar Shingles or Solar Panels?

Harnessing the sun’s rays produces a renewable, clean power source which can be converted to electricity by means of solar panels or roof shingles. Here’s a fact sheet on these two methods to help you choose the best one for your home. Solar Panels * Solar panels are the older of the two, first developed in the 1950s. There are some 40-year-old panels in e ... Read More »

The Greenest Ways to Dry Your Clothes

When you’re trying to live a greener lifestyle, it’s helpful to take a closer look at all your daily activities to evaluate their environmental impact. You may be surprised to learn that drying clothes in a standard electric clothes dryer accounts for a whopping 6 percent of the average household’s electricity use. Here is a round-up of ways to use less ener ... Read More »

5 Simple Solutions to De-Stink Your Towels

Do you ever take a load of just-washed towels out of the dryer, only to find that they have … well … an odor, and not a pleasant one? In fact, they may smell downright musty. It could well be that, instead of getting your towels really clean, laundering is leaving them less than fresh due to detergent and fabric softener buildup. Here are five inexpensive, g ... Read More »

Great Ways to Enjoy Your Garden in the Evening

Summer’s here, and hopefully your yard (or balcony) is abloom. Enjoy the colorful beauty of your flowers and plants in the sunshine, but don’t forget that evenings in the garden have a special charm all their own. Here are some suggestions to help you get the most out of your garden as the day draws to a close.Safety and ComfortWhat’s your backyard pleasure ... Read More »

Number of Homes Under Contract Soars in May 2014

Pending home sales rose sharply in May, with lower mortgage rates and increased inventory accelerating the market. All four regions of the country saw increases in pending sales, with the Northeast and West experiencing the largest gains, data from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® show.NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index shows home sale contract signings inc ... Read More »

Dazzling DIY Countertop Transformations

After cabinets, countertops are the main focal point of your kitchen. Besides serving as an essential work surface, your counters set a mood and express your character. Do you prefer the rustic country look of wood or go for sleek Los Angeles style tile? Whatever your countertop personality, you’ll enjoy taking a peek at these amazingly creative do-it-yourse ... Read More »

8 Top Home Renovation Planning Mistakes to Avoid

Folk wisdom says that remodeling your home is hell while it’s in progress and heaven when it’s done. To make sure you end up with that heavenly feeling at your project’s completion, plan ahead carefully and avoid these eight common home remodel planning mistakes. 1. Neglecting to do your homework. Another useful saying here is: “If you fail to plan, you pla ... Read More »

Cast Iron Cookware Questions and Answers

Cast iron cookware has long been appreciated by professional chefs and home cooks alike for its excellent heat retention properties. It’s also hard wearing and long lasting, with no fiddly bits to break or get lost. Add classic good looks to those qualities and you’ll see that there’s a lot to like about cast iron. It does come with a couple of problems and ... Read More »