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®.

A Dozen DIY Projects for Old Discarded Dishes

I got rid of all my old dishes on the day after I got back from my honeymoon. We’d gotten this lovely modern set – our first real grown up dishes! And they actually matched! It was pretty exciting. That was four years ago, and nowadays when I open my cupboard, it no longer looks so shiny and tidy. How is it that dishes manage to multiply so efficiently? Oth ... Read More »

Repairing Heat-Damaged Countertops

It is rarely a good idea to put hot pans directly on a countertop. Even though a manufacturer may claim a countertop is totally heatproof, this is often untrue. Extreme heat may cause everything from minor, easily repaired surface burns to virtually irreparable cracks or melting. Here is a quick guide to dealing with heat damage for various countertop materi ... Read More »

Start Cleaning Tile Grout More Easily

You can clean tile grout without scrubbing, but the products you'd need to use contain some pretty harsh chemicals. If a simple and non-toxic method were available, it would be the best thing since sliced bread. In reality, a combined regime is needed to keep your grout ship shape. Water, food and temperature Since grout is a porous and rough surface, it ... Read More »

Spring Home Maintenance Check List

Winter weather can damage a house in big ways and in small ways. From animals nesting in vents, to leaves that have accumulated in the gutter, to moisture that can accumulate around a house's foundation, there is a lot to check for when the weather turns warm. This list of home maintenance tasks to perform in spring is not exhaustive, but it hits the places ... Read More »

What to Do When There is a Bathroom Ceiling Leak

If the ceiling's going to leak in any finished room of the house, it might as well be the bathroom. After all, this is one area that's used to water. But enough of this foolish positive thinking. Your ceiling has sprung a leak and that's never a good thing. So now what do you do? First, you identify what's causing the leak, including confirming that it reall ... Read More »

The Advantages of Buying a Used Laundry Dryer

My old clothes dryer was a GE and it lasted close to 18 years. So when it came time to get a replacement I was looking for another GE model or one of the big name brands. I stopped by our local big box store and saw models from about $450 up to over $1200 or so. All of the lower priced units were of off model brands. One on the things that did catch my ey ... Read More »

Indoor and Outdoor Decor That Adds Home Value

Did you know that when purchasing and selecting décor for your home there are some purchases that increase the appraisal value and help to make your home more marketable? Here are some items to consider. LIGHTING: One category that is a good investment is light fixtures. Replacing the outdated shiny brass and “builder grade” lights is money well spent. Not ... Read More »

Ten Questions to Ask Before Signing a Lease

Everyone has heard horror stories of apartment rentals gone bad. Whether it’s from a barking pit bull next door or a termite invasion that won’t go away, finding the right apartment can be a gruesome, tiring search. Don’t let yourself get wowed with a pleasant facade- before you sign a lease, there are some essential questions you must ask your landlord. Her ... Read More »

Should You Renovate or Rebuild an Old House?

remodeling issues. Deciding to renovate an existing home or rebuild from scratch is not an easy or clear-cut choice in some cases. If you have a severely damaged or “handyman special” property, here are factors to consider. 1. Structural Weakness: Older homes are prone to structural weaknesses for a number of reasons. Over the years, changes in structure ma ... Read More »

7 Ways to Unclog a Bathtub

How do I love to unclog a bathtub, let me count the ways…Yep, seven seems to be the magic number. (If you can think of more of them, please feel free to enlighten us.) In my experience, bathtub drains usually don't clog completely. They gradually slow down, day after day, until it gets to a trickle. You know you really have to do something when you're taking ... Read More »