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®.

Trulia: 3 predictions for housing in 2016

Buying still beats renting With 2016 less than a month away, Trulia published ablog on what it predicts will happen in the housing market over the next year. Looking back at the past, Trulia said that by the end of 2013, bargain buys were harder to come by, and investors started retreating. Then, 2014 and 2015 brought solid job growth to many metros, which ... Read More »

House members try end run for TRID grace period bill

Tying it to appropriations bill to avoid veto The Homebuyers Assistance Act, H.R. 3192, which passed the House in October by a vote of 303-121, has yet to make its way to the Senate and the president has threatened to veto it if it gets to his desk. The bill provides a four-month grace period for businesses that are working in good faith to comply with the ... Read More »

Here are 7 tips to secure a home when inventory is low

This low inventory environment isn’t going anywhere While there is strong buyer demand, a giant lack of inventory in the housing market is creating a roadblock. This leaves home shoppers in a tight spot. The most recent pending home sales report from theNational Association of Realtors said that sales have plateaued this fall as buyers struggle to overcome ... Read More »

4 ways to jump-start a real housing recovery in 2016

Here’s the foundation for recovery I am sometimes told by well-meaning (I think) people that I am a pessimist about the health of the housing industry. That is because I hold firm to the belief that much of the pervasive information being disseminated through various industry-related organizations, trade associations, and individuals with a vested interest ... Read More »

5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Make Your Own Luck

You can make all the luck you’ll ever need — and maybe even a little more. We’re often encouraged to “make our own luck,” but how do you actually do that? Now science has the answer. Says Dr. Stephann Makri at University College London, one of a team who researched this very issue, lucky people have two things in common: “First, they realized that an opport ... Read More »

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: Will Fed raise interest rates in December?

Fed meeting two days away Monday Morning Cup of Coffee takes a look at news coming across HousingWire’s weekend desk, with more coverage to come on bigger issues. It’s finally here. It’s the week of the December Federal Open Market Committee meeting, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 15 and 16. The question up for debate: Will the Federal Reserveinterest ra ... Read More »

These 10 Phrases Are An Insult To Everyone’s Intelligence

People always find new ways to say nothing. Here are some of the most vacuous. Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. Words and phrases don’t necessarily explode into our language. Some creep in like accountants sneaking into brothels and seat themselves in the corners of our brains from wh ... Read More »

How much is too much for a closing gift from a real estate agent?

What about 30K on an all-expense paid weekend in Las Vegas Closing gifts are almost as important in the real estate world as securing a home, at least it is if you want your clients to come back. Are you thinking about buying a simple welcome mat and flowers for the family’s new home? You better think again. And a lot bigger. Plus, the lavishness of the g ... Read More »

Some Experts Think the Housing Bubble Is Back

It partly depends on how the term bubble is defined. No one wants a return to the grim days of the housing crisis, when home values plunged until 31.4 percent of mortgage holders owed more on their homes than the dwellings were worth. In some parts of the country, such as Las Vegas, many people are still recovering from that spiral. It’s harrowing to imag ... Read More »

5 Surprising Home Buyer Incentives

Having trouble unloading your home? Consider offering buyers an unexpected treat to sweeten the deal. In up markets and down, there are always motivated sellers — those who want a quick or painless close, or just want to move the home. Incentives are common in buyers’ markets to make a seller’s home more desirable than their competition, but sellers also ha ... Read More »