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 Small Businesses are Key to the Survival of Corporate America

Without customers employed by small businesses, Corporate America is up a creek with no paddle. Big corporations and small businesses have an uneasy relationship. We’ve all heard the stories about Wal-Mart pushing mom and pop stores out of business, or the local bookshops that have been forced to close because they can’t compete with the prices on Amazon. ... Read More »

Sound Smarter With This One Trick

New research sheds light on the small step that could immediately improve your chances of selling others on your abilities. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but it’s your voice that’s your real secret weapon. New research suggests that spoken word (a.k.a., your voice) may well be what sells people on your abilities, not your eloquent way with words. ... Read More »

9 Things Only City Kids Would Understand About Trick-Or-Treating

Thirty floors times 15 apartments per floor = optimum candy zone. Let’s face it: trick-or-treating is pretty much the best thing about Halloween. If you live in a city, that sentiment rings even truer. “But I love trick-or-treating in the suburbs!” you might say. “The houses are always decorated so nicely and the neighborhood turns into one big haunted pla ... Read More »

Why You Shouldn’t Hate Your Homeowners Association Dues

If you buy a house in a planned development, a subdivision or a gated community, you’ll likely have to join a homeowners association (HOA). Which means you’ll be faced with the prospect of paying annual dues, whether you like it or not. Condo owners often face these fees, too. No one expects you to be happy about these payments, especially when they often c ... Read More »

5 Biggest Home-Buying Fears (and How to Face Them)

It’s natural to feel a little apprehensive when making a major purchase, but home buying shouldn’t scare you out of your wits. Buyers’ biggest real estate fears sometimes hold them back from buying — not just around Halloween, but throughout the year. The scary thing is, these fears are sometimes well-founded. Here are some of the issues that commonly keep ... Read More »

Do You Really Need to Rake?

Your fall chore list might be lighter than you think. Check out these 8 steps for autumn yard cleanup. Bad news: It’s time to get your act together and clean up your garden before winter makes the task more difficult. But the good news is, fall garden chores don’t have to be a pain. You might find you enjoy picking up branches or raking leaves in the brisk ... Read More »

How to Your Make Travel Time Count

Why being frugal could be bad for your business. You only have to stand in any hotel lobby for a few minutes to hear exhausting andmiserable travel stories. It happened to me last week. I had just arrived at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach to attend Alan Weiss’s Thought Leadership Conference when it was all around me: “I took the red eye,” “I haven’t slept m ... Read More »

4 Words or Phrases to Avoid in Your Brand Promise

Avoid these techniques at all costs when explaining the purpose behind your brand. From Apple’s “Think Different” to BMW’s “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” there are plentiful examples of successful brand promises in the marketplace. They’re straightforward, message oriented and exude aspiration at its best. Essentially, your brand promise sets the tone for ... Read More »

8 Things NOT Covered By Homeowners’ Insurance

If you snooze soundly at night knowing your beloved house is 110 percent covered by homeowners’ insurance, better get out the melatonin: There are probably some gaps in that coverage. Two of the biggest doozies are flooding and earthquakes — and just because you’re not searching through homes for sale in San Francisco, CA or another high-risk area doesn’t me ... Read More »

How to Clutter Bust Workspace Paper

oday we’re focusing on your papers in your home or work office. Papers have a way of collecting and stagnating a space. If we get overwhelmed by the papers in our office space, we lose our inspiration and productivity. Let’s bring this space back to life! Files. We tend to put paper into our files, but rarely take them out or toss them. Most of the papers a ... Read More »

Make your home entryway presentable for buyers

If you are trying to sell your home, or even if you are looking for a change and improvement to your home, start with your entryway. When homebuyers and guests enter your house, they want to be amazed and be able to picture themselves in that home. Below are some helpful tips that will help you open up your entryway to not only potential homebuyers but to a ... Read More »