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®.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Mortgage

Love and marriage is the traditional pairing, but now there's a step in between for many couples: a mortgage. While marriage may come eventually for unmarried couples who buy a home together, for many millennials (those aged 18-34), down payments have taken precedence over heading down the aisle. In a recent Redfin survey, 38 percent of American millennials ... Read More »

Experts: Unaffordable rents here to stay

Unaffordable rents are making it hard for people to save for down payments, and they aren’t likely to ease up for at least two years, according to the latest Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey sponsored by Zillow and conducted quarterly by Pulsenomics. More than half (52%) of the respondents with an opinion on this issue said the market will correct the ... Read More »

Could High-End Amenities Make Your Home Harder to Sell?

When it comes to luxurious living, location is the crown jewel of home ownership. But which high-end amenities offer a return on investment — and should therefore be considered — and which don’t? Strong curb appeal Everyone wants a nicely manicured lawn and attractive landscaping, but going overboard with extras such as complex water features, animal-shape ... Read More »

Harvard study shows Dodd-Frank just made everything worse

So earlier this week I was in Las Vegas for the IMN/Structured Finance Industry Group’s ABS Vegas convention. And I want this on the record – nothing happened. Nothing. Any security guard at the Bellagio, left shark imitator, or street magician with one leg who says otherwise is a dirty liar. Also, she didn’t have an Adam’s apple. Also my Twitter was hacke ... Read More »

7 signs you arent ready to buy a home

House hunting can be exciting, but don't let that excitement sweep you up into making a decision you'll end up regretting — especially if you're a first-time homebuyer and might not know what lies ahead. Before you commit to one of the largest purchases in your life, you'd better be sure you're ready for it. Here are 7 big warning signs that you might not ... Read More »

Perfectly Accurate Video Shows Why Moms Get Nothing Done

Parents know that taking care of little ones and keeping the house clean is a truly Sisyphean endeavor. No matter how long you clean, feed, wash and dry, new messes always appear, and you have to start all over again. Blogger Esther Anderson's video "Why Moms Get Nothing Done" is a spot-on illustration of the never-ending buildup of laundry, dirt, food spil ... Read More »

Take 3 factors into account to figure out if your home is a good investment

The housing market is making a comeback in many parts of the country. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, sales of new houses increased by nearly 12% overall during 2014 — the most since 2008 — as interest rates remain at historic lows. RealtyTrac, a company that analyzes national housing data, also notes that 2015 marks the first wave of boomera ... Read More »

6 Things Everyone Should Do When Moving Into a New House

Moving into your first home is exciting! But it also means you’ve got work to do. Courtney's new lock on the front door of her house Change the locks when you move into a new house — that way, you control who has access to your home. Image: Courtney Craig for HouseLogic When I bought my first house, my timing couldn’t have been better: The house closing ... Read More »

Freddie Mac CEO: Don’t expect low down payment mortgage craze

Donald Layton, the chief executive of Freddie Mac, is feeling positive about the new 3% down payment mortgage option the government-sponsored enterprise is launching next month. But, it’s not the type of positivity one might expect. Speaking in an interview with HousingWire after today's earnings call with investors, Layton said the 97% loan-to-value optio ... Read More »

4 Simple Strategies to Shave Years Off Your Mortgage

No one wants to spend longer making mortgage payments than they have to. The obvious way to pay off a mortgage faster is to get a shorter-term loan, like a 15-year instead of a 30-year. But on a $300,000 home purchase with 10 percent down, you’ll pay about $620 more per month on a 15-year loan than on a 30-year loan (including mortgage insurance), which migh ... Read More »

What is RESPA and CFPB?

Have you heard about RESPA or CFPB in a conversation with a realtor, title company, or lender? If you have not, you definitely need to know about it. RESPA, or Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, ensures that consumers across the nation are provided with protection from high settlement charges caused by certain abusive practices and offers useful informat ... Read More »