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®.

Working With A Real Estate Agent: The Real Deal

A good real estate agent can save you time, headaches, and most importantly, money. He or she can help you focus your search or optimize your sale. To find the right agent for you, look for someone who’s doing it as a full-time job — not just to make a quick buck — and has a current license and a good record. Get recommendations from friends, family members, ... Read More »

33 Photos That Show Just How Awesomely Bad Little Kids Are At Hiding

Little kids love to play hide-and-go-seek, but as many parents have noticed, they’re not always the best hiding place strategists. We asked the HuffPost Parents Facebook community for photos of their kids “hiding,” and the results did not disappoint. Whether they’re playing hide-and-go-seek poorly or just trying in vain to avoid their parents, these kids’ ... Read More »

8 avoidable mistakes first-time homebuyers keep making

Stop doing these things The last thing a first-time homebuyer wants to do is mess up the entire homebuying process by doing one of these common mistakes. Yet, they continue to make them. Listen, buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions a person will make, and all it takes is one bad or misinformed decision to mess up the entire process. S ... Read More »

Do You Know the Right Way to Care for Natural Woodwork?

A Quiz The perfect decorating touch, natural wood accents are very much in style. Kitchen or bathroom cabinetry,wainscoting, chair rails, beadboard paneling, crown molding, and built-in shelving, add character and interest to your home. However, cabinets and trim crafted out of natural wood does require a certain amount of TLC to keep them at their lustrous ... Read More »

How to Enjoy Your Outdoor Space More

Hanging out in a backyard haven is a wonderful way to savor warm weather. But what about those less-than-pleasant aspects of outdoor time, like bugs, rain and blazing-hot sun? Here are 10 tips to help make the time you spend in your outdoor rooms more comfortable. Traditional Porch by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Mendelson Group 1. Define what ... Read More »

How to Bounce Back From a Mental Burnout

Avoiding a total breakdown starts with acknowledging where you went wrong. This story first appeared on The Muse, a Web destination with exciting job opportunities and expert career advice. Life is crazy. I’ve learned that much. One moment you’re working to make everything good in your life and career, then, before you know it, you’re flat on your back, ... Read More »

From New York Real Estate Experts: 5 Secret Ways to Make Money on Your Home

Summertime, and the living is easy. If only the same could be said about selling your New York home. Whatever your reason for selling — perhaps you want to downsize, or maybe your family has grown or you have a change in your personal life — applying some expert advice can entice buyers and help you gain the biggest return. GOBankingRates reached out to re ... Read More »

7 Habits That’ll Make You A Better Homeowner

Owning a home, while exciting, is no small feat. Between the unexpected costs that inevitably come from the seemingly endless job of keeping it clean, it’s a bit daunting at times. There are, however, some people who navigate the homeownership waters better than others. They’re the ones whose homes always look perfect — the ones you most likely resent but w ... Read More »

Home-Buying Incentives Gone Wrong: Why You Should Buy When the Time is Right for You, Not the Market

Sometimes a deal isn’t as sweet as it looks. When the economy was a shambles and the housing market was in disarray back in 2009 and 2010, the U.S. government offered a special tax credit for first-time home buyers. Turns out that from a purely financial standpoint, people who bought then would’ve been better off renting and putting their down payment and ... Read More »

4 Ways to Keep Your Closing Process Moving

There can be plenty of delays on the road to closing on a home. Here’s how to steer around them and stay in the fast lane. Buyers and sellers typically plan to meet the closing deadline in good faith. In some parts of the country, there are no consequences for closing delays, while in others, a few days’ delay is allowed without ill effects. However, delays ... Read More »

10 Ways to get that Mortgage Down Payment

Buying a house has always been a dream - to own your own home, decorate your own space, and call it home. Even with rising rents across the country, owning your own home is not far from reach and you would probably save money. Not to mention the tax write off and long term equity, but the down payment is what is stopping you. If you had that, you could ... Read More »