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®.

6 renovations that can hurt your homes resale value, according to HGTVs Property Brothers

According to Jonathan and Drew Scott, stars of the HGTV show "Property Brothers," you'll want to be careful how you renovate or remodel your home. "Just as there are features you want in a house, and that also increase the value of the space, there are changes you should not make to a house," they write in their book, "Dream Home: The Property Brothers' Ult ... Read More »

Are You Ready for a Hot Seller Season?

April 1st isn’t just April Fools’ Day, it’s also the start of seller season in the real estate business. Take a tip from a house flipper: If you’re thinking of selling your house, now is the time to get it ready and get it listed. Homes show better in the spring — and you’re more likely to sell your house quickly and at a good market value. ... Read More »

Mortgage interest rates fall to lowest level in nearly three years

Mortgage interest rates continued their downward trend in the last week, falling again to the lowest level of the year and the lowest level in nearly three years, Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed. This marks the second week in a row that mortgage rates dipped to a new yearly low. Last week, Freddie Mac’s report showed that the 30-y ... Read More »

These 15 features sell homes the fastest and at the best price

It turns out homebuyers are really into barn doors. When Zillow looked at design features that sell homes at the best price and with the shortest listing time, that feature topped the list. Anything craftsman-style, like rectangular farmhouse sinks, also got homes off the market at a premium. ... Read More »

Top Updates for Traditional Homes

We’re defenseless against the charm that older homes exude. From quirky design details and the elegance of original fixtures and flooring, there’s just nothing quite like finding a home with a little bit of history. While the sophistication of a traditional home is hard to pass up, it can present obstacles, such as updating it to fit your modern lifestyle. ... Read More »

The Secret Of Not Being Stressed At Work May Lie In A Four-Letter Word

Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. How often do you admit to yourself that work is really getting to you? How many times do you wish it could all be different? How rarely do you sit back and forget work -- when you're at work, that is? ... Read More »

How To Cut Down On Housework And Live Your Actual Life

When it comes to housework, most of us are severely overworked. The typical American spends an average 14 hours per week on household chores and tasks, but only four hours relaxing at home, according to a recent survey from online marketplace TaskRabbit. And many of us spend twice as long on chores as we do with family and friends. Woof. Clearly, it’s ti ... Read More »

Home prices see highest increase since 2007

Home sellers in March sold their homes for an average 17% gain, or $30,500 more than the purchase price, making it the highest average monthly price gain for home sellers since December of 2007, according to RealtyTrac’s March and Q1 U.S. Home Sales report. ... Read More »

Youre Telling Your Boss the Wrong Thing...Heres What They Want to Know

Most people think they have to show their boss great results in order to make them happy. At face value that makes sense....Except that is not the only thing your boss wants. Let's look at a few key departments for example: sales and finance. What does a VP of Sales want to know? Sales people think their leader wants to know one of two things: 1. What busi ... Read More »

Heres why seasonality matters in the housing market

Seasonality plays an important role in the housing market. Home buying and selling activities swell during the spring and summer months of the year, and trail off during the fall and winter. The concept of seasonality is not well understood or appreciated today. ... Read More »