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®.

How to Make Monday Morning a Little Less Annoying

Oh, Monday mornings. They are a necessary evil — but many people find themselves unmotivated or even mildly stressed when the workweek begins. This is understandable. After all, you just had a great, relaxing weekend and you don’t want it to end. However, the weekend can’t go on forever. Unless you’re on vacation or taking a sick day, you have to tough it o ... Read More »

5 Repairs You Might Encounter During the First 5 Years of Owning a Home

Routine inspections and maintenance can help keep these issues from becoming bigger problems. Fact: Things in your home can break. Faucets might leak, windows can stick and ceiling fan motors occasionally burn out. Whether your home is newly constructed or listed on the historic registry, repairs will be needed. Here are five common household problems you’ ... Read More »

4 Ways to Tell How Fast Your Home Will Sell

Data help demystify why some homes sell faster than others. It’s not just location, location, location — although location is certainly important. Lots of other factors make one house hot and another one not. Here are data-driven pointers from Zillow Research that help identify which homes are likely to fly off the market (in 60 days or less): Keep calm a ... Read More »

How Teamwork Can Help Overcome Great Obstacles

While there are many ways you can work together with your team, the benefits of collaboration are undeniable. How can teamwork play a role in the success of your business? What is the importance of working together and when is it best to do so? As members of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) begin to embrace “EO Together” this year, we asked some to desc ... Read More »

10 Open House Red Flags Before Buying a Home

Summer is the prime time for moving and new home purchases. Certain warning signs during an open house, however, should have you questioning a property. As you embark on your open house adventures this summer, watch out for these red flags to avoid buying a money pit. 1. Multiple Homes for Sale in the Same Area The house you are looking at might be a perfe ... Read More »

9 Sure Signs You’re Working Too Hard To Be Effective

There’s a limit to hard work. Know when yours becomes unproductive. Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. Admit it, self-control is not your finest quality. You charge hard because that’s what modern businesspeople are supposed to do. If you’re not visibly charging, you can hardly be re ... Read More »

12 Common Household Dangers Every Homeowner Should Know

You might want to stick this on the fridge. Homeownership is hard enough as it is, without worrying about all the things that can potentially go wrong. There are, however, some important dangers you should be aware of so you can prevent them from happening. A detailed description of these dangers can be found on this handy infographic by mold-removal compa ... Read More »

4 Misconceptions buyers have about down payments

Do you need 20% down? When consumers begin to consider homeownership, they often get stuck at the down payment. However, many buyers, especially first-timers, subscribe to some untruths about down payments and it may be keeping them on the sidelines for much longer than needed. 1. You need 20% down. It could take an average of 12.5 years to save up a 20% ... Read More »

3 Takeaways from the TRID trenches

When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published the 1,888-page TILA-RESPA Integrated Mortgage Disclosures rule (“TRID”) in November 2013, I had just taken on a national role responsible for escrow operations with First American Title Insurance Company. For better or worse, my professional life would now be inextricably tied to TRID. Like many of us ... Read More »

Staging Strategy: 5 Reasons Every Room Needs a Clear Purpose

When staging a house for sale, it’s crucial to consider every space with the buyer’s perspective in mind. Once you’ve accomplished the five basic staging steps, make sure every room in your house has one clear purpose. Defining how to use a room is incredibly important for buyers because it helps them connect to a home. Here are the top 5 reasons every room ... Read More »