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®.

5 Sweeping Statements about Brooms

Much as we might want to deny it, housework is a basic fact of adult life. And because everyone needs at least a rudimentary path to their doorway, you can’t get much more basic than cleaning the floor. Brooms have been doing faithful floor duty for centuries and you most likely have one in your home right now. But how much do you know about this humble hous ... Read More »

Should You Swap Your Tub for a Shower?

Showers are big bathroom news right now. Up-to-the-minute features such as stone wall tiles, pebble floors, rain showerheads, body sprayers or no-threshold showers are making this often-neglected little room into an exciting décor statement. Decorators recommend imbuing the bathroom with a relaxing spa-like feeling. As part of the process, switching out the ... Read More »

What’s Your Ironing Personality? A Quiz

Ironing is a subject that brings up an enormous split in attitudes. Some folks achieve a Zen-like state of tranquility at the ironing board steaming their wrinkles away. Others would rather crouch on hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor with a toothbrush. How do you relate to this household chore? Take our tongue-in-cheek Ironing Personality Quiz and ... Read More »

Natural Sources of Nitrogen for Your Garden

Recently, the leaves of my beautiful geranium plants started to look a lot less beautiful. In fact they were downright yellow at the edges. And with the dry spell we’ve been having, the “off” color definitely was not due to overwatering. When I checked the Internet for answers, it seemed the problem with my posies might be lack of nitrogen. This mineral is o ... Read More »

Stop Wasting Time on Things that Dont Have a Purpose in Your Life

The above record player was designed by Dieter Rams, whose style of minimalism has become iconic (not to mention, a style that heavily influenced Apple). The concept behind this brand of minimalism applies not only to making hardware, but to our lives: if something doesn't have a purpose, get rid of it.We only have so much time in our lives. Wasting it on po ... Read More »

Youll Never Admit It, But Youre Only Pretending To Like These 23 Things

One of the most popular and often-quoted mantras is "Honesty is the best policy." But what if you get so busy trying to be nice and cordial that you're not even honest with yourself? It happens. All your life, you've been nodding your head in agreement and saying you like to do things or go places, when you really just don't. A recent Quora thread h ... Read More »

Keep Your Home Child-Safe with This Room-by-Room Infographic

Whether you have kids living at home or just the occasional child visitor, you should know about your home's danger zones. This infographic takes you room by room in the house to identify hazards.The tips are cross-referenced by the age of the child and the particular room in the house, so you'll know some of the new hazards to watch out for as children get ... Read More »

9 DIY Accent Wall Updates

Back in that misty time between the era of avocado refrigerators and Corian countertops, the accent wall was born. When showing up at work wearing mismatched earrings was trendy rather than a sign that you’d overslept and gotten dressed in a tearing hurry, it was considered the height of style to paint one wall of a room an intense, dramatic color like rust ... Read More »

Beautiful Built-In Benches for Your Deck

Whether your home already features an exterior deck or you are planning to build one, a built-in bench or two will add immensely to its beauty and usefulness. A built-in bench is a décor focal point that encourages family and guests to gather round. It gives off the message: “Sit down, relax and enjoy the summertime.” Here's the lowdown on built-in benches f ... 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 plan ... Read More »