@laurenbradshawdesign / @josephgbradshaw / @home_decor_daily via Instagram

If there’s one decor trend that seems wholly appropriate for the winter months, it’s “cottagecore.” Nailing cottagecore decor in your home is all about embracing the comfort and coziness of rustic, handmade designs that harken back to a slower way of living.

“It’s countryside living viewed through rose-colored spectacles and evokes the feeling of a simple life with home-baked bread, herb gardens, and freshly made lemonade,” says Jen Stark, home improvement expert and founder of Happy DIY Home.

Since many consider the kitchen the heart of the home, it’s one of the best places to live out your cottagecore fantasy. The best part? The stakes are low for achieving this aesthetic as many cottage-inspired looks cost next to nothing and can even be done by yourself if you’re the crafty type.

Here are five of our favorite decor ideas from Instagram at the moment. Keep reading to learn how you can re-create these cozy vibes in your own kitchen.

Realtor.com

A former religious retreat in Battle Creek, MI, in need of salvation has ascended to the top of this week’s most popular home listings on Realtor.com®.

Built in 1938, the dwelling once served as a spiritual sanctuary for the Sisters of Mercy, an institute of Catholic women. The 8,480-square-foot estate fell into foreclosure a few months ago and does need work, which is why it is being offered for just $799,000.

Other homes that made the popularity list include a tropical Florida retreat, a cabin in the Ohio woods, and a storybook home in Illinois.

For a full look at this week’s 10 most popular homes, keep on scrolling.

The four-legged pets are welcome, but not welcome everywhere. Their owners must carry them or use a service elevator.

Stephen M. Ross, the real estate developer and principal owner of the Miami Dolphins, sold his penthouse atop 25 Columbus Circle for $40 million, down from the $75 million list price in 2019.

We live in an amazing time with unprecedented tools and technology, writes Jimmy Burgess. By tapping into the leverage these tools provide, your business can’t help but grow.

Today, putting together a seamless smart home setup doesn't have to be expensive. Find out how to create one on a budget.

Fello centers itself around a series of lead-capture website add-ons that can be easily customized, turned on and off, and fed into any number of integrated CRM solutions used by the brokerage, team or agent.

Your real estate website is your window to the world, writes luxury expert Laura Stace. It allows potential clients to see your experience in the real estate industry, your business acumen and also to connect with you should they wish to take the next steps.

The world is changing. Consultant Chris Pollinger believes that those who embrace the coming wave of AI will outpace their competition exponentially.

The struggling lender's pivot to reverse mortgages creates an opportunity for the big private mortgage insurer to acquire Agents National Title and Boston National Title.

Realtor.com

In an area where farmhouse-style homes reign, a mostly glass mansion really stands out.

The contemporary creation in West Chester, PA, sits on 21 acres and looks like something more at home in Southern California than Pennsylvania. The house clocks in at 23,000 square feet of finished living space.

“The entire home is built with steel, concrete, and glass,” says listing agent Rory Burkhart, with Keller Williams Realty–Kennett Square. “There’s nothing in it that’s wood. It’s completely unique.”

The modern home is listed for $8.8 million, the most expensive home listing in the area. The property is located outside of Philadelphia and originally hit the market in 2020 for $8.6 million.

The independent brokerage has hired Diyanna Ahuja to lead its team of more than 500 agents, who brings 2 decades of experience in luxury retail operations and real estate to the role.

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As a first-time homeowner, I hadn’t really considered the potential downsides of living in a homeowners association. At first, it seemed nice to live somewhere with a few rules. After all, they kept everyone’s properties tidy and meant that our road was well-maintained.

But the red flags quickly started piling up once I moved in. And living in an HOA these past few years has felt a lot like getting stuck working on a group project with the most incompetent people in the class: high stakes, low rewards, and lots of frustrating interactions.

Because of this overwhelmingly negative experience, I’m here to spill the tea and share a cautionary tale for would-be homeowners considering making the move to an HOA.

Here are my four reasons I’ll absolutely never buy in an HOA again.

A fraud lawsuit filed by Davis against Keller, Keller Williams and Josh Team will continue separately from a sexual misconduct suit filed by Inga Dow against Davis, Keller, and KW.

Realtor.com

Outer-space orbs? “Flintstones” home? Hobbit house?

The otherworldly Bonita Domes in Joshua Tree, CA, seem to pop out of the desert landscape.

The compound with a large adobe dome and several smaller domes, totaling 1,339 square feet of living space, sits on almost 2 acres.

“I thought it was the most unique property I’ve ever seen. Literally, I’ve never seen anything like it,” says listing agent James Bianco, with Coldwell Banker Realty. “The first thing that came to mind was Star Wars Land from Disney or some extraterrestrial place.”

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There are many reasons you might be a homeowner wondering if you’d be better off renting out your home.

Perhaps you’ve tried to sell your home but the market’s too sluggish and you’re tired of paying the mortgage. Or maybe you’re moving to a new area but want to hold on to your old real estate property and rake in some income on the side. Or you might think it’s a savvy idea to hold rental property in a rising market as a real estate investor.

Whatever the reason, it’s a good time for you as a homeowner to consider becoming a landlord.

The real estate rental market is hot: A 2022 study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University found that the rental market roared back in the second year of the pandemic. The number of rental households across the country soared to 44 million. Depending on your real estate market, the desirability of your house, and your monthly mortgage and other expenses, you may be able to at least cover your mortgage, if not make a small profit.

The struggling iBuyer confirms the company has laid off an unspecified number of employees, with more details coming on the Feb. 22 fourth-quarter earnings call.

U.K.-based Purplebricks remains one of the best examples in the world of a real estate disruptor going from zero to one, according to Mike DelPrete. Here's what we can learn from its journey.

HGTV

Property brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott know that guest suites are more valuable than garages—particularly in places like California where cars can park in a driveway without enduring much inclement weather. So it’s no surprise, then, that a garage conversion is the next renovation challenge on the latest “Brother vs. Brother.”

In the episode “Garages to Guest Suites,” they’re both starting with detached garages roughly 400 square feet in size, and they’re converting them into accessory dwelling units perfect for housing visitors or making short-term rental income on Airbnb.

The judges for this challenge are the indomitable Trixie Mattel, of “Trixie Motel” fame, and Breegan Jane, one of California’s top interior designers and the woman behind “HGTV Dream Home.”

Both brothers work hard to impress the judges and come up with a bunch of fun features—including one we’ll bet you’ve never seen before. Read on to get a gander, as well as plenty of tips you might be inspired to try around your own abode.

The motivation for Shemesh's termination was not immediately known and came just over one year after Shemesh and his four-person team moved to SERHANT. from Douglas Elliman.