Archive - Realty Check

Your new house has an adjustment period

We all have habits and routines and ways of living in our space. The popular couch cushion sits a little low. The preferred vanity sink shows a little…

Mar 6 •

January 2024

Salting sidewalks: is it worth it?

The short answer: not always! Realtor.com asked me recently whether pre-salting a driveway before a storm is a good call. They had questions about…

Jan 17 •

Remnants of our Housing History

I love houses, the grand and the “good bones,” and I love their mysteries and idiosyncrasies. I really, truly love real estate. When a journalist asked…

Jan 8 •

December 2023

Home prices are falling! (And it's completely normal.)

Buyers can take advantage of declining rates during a housing market valley

Dec 18, 2023 •

November 2023

Low Inventory, High Expectations

The case for a mid-winter house hunt

Nov 20, 2023 •

August 2023

The Intangibles

Home buying beyond the bounds of the database

Aug 27, 2023 •

July 2023

3 quick and easy bathroom upgrades, for anyone 🛠

When our last tenants bought a house and moved out, Jack took this rental bathroom down to the studs; it was overdue, but a gut renovation isn’t always…

Jul 24, 2023 •

A blank slate 🏡

Anonymize your house to help buyers feel at home

Jul 20, 2023 •

Low inventory 🏠 and the crash that hasn't come

Despite the Fed’s best efforts, prices have been remarkably sticky

Jul 15, 2023 •

January 2022

Avoid a freeze (and a flood)

If you’re in New England, keep an eye on your plumbing this week! Pipes on exterior walls - commonly kitchen sinks, and sometimes bathrooms or even hot…

Jan 11, 2022 •

Flip Sleuth (and other news)

Including fix-or-flip before-and-afters and products to perfect your painting, these are five of my favorite features from 2021.

Jan 4, 2022 •

November 2021

Getting winter-ready, indoors and out

Our household has enjoyed the extended Miata season, but there's also a lot of winter prep happening for our properties right now. (After stacking wood…

Nov 16, 2021 •

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts