When markets get tough, and 2023 is certainly shaping up that way, it's the professionals who come out in the winner’s circle while the amateurs are left standing on the sidelines.

You've got 365 days to work with in 2023. Whatever your circumstances, writes Teresa Boardman, it all comes down to what you decide to do with them.

From the ability to control their own income and flexibility of work hours to making a positive impact in the lives of others — there are many reasons why real estate professionals do what they do.

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This shapely, free-standing bathtub is true to its name: One side is higher than the other, much like a heeled shoe.

The slipper tub was all the rage in Victorian times and were first installed in public bathhouses and washrooms, according to Sara Chiarilli, an interior designer with Artful Conceptions. The higher end of the tub allowed the bather more privacy.

As people began adding them to their homes, they became a status symbol.

“This tub was considered a luxury item, not a necessity, because only the wealthy took baths,” says Drew Henry of Design Dudes.

Blend also announced the resignations of President Timothy Mayopoulos, Head of Finance Marc Greenberg and Head of Legal Crystal Summer amid a round of cuts impacting about 340 workers.

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“Exotic” and “Pennsylvania” aren’t usually two words that go together, but that’s just what you’ll get in this 3,870-square-foot hybrid home in Macungie, PA.

Originally built as a barn in 1805, the property was later converted into a farmhouse—with a big design twist.

“The most recent owner is an artist passionate about ‘broken style,’ which means antique plus modern design combined with modern appliances,” explains listing agent Marina Gabunia.

“Old statues, antiques from an old pharmacy, and pieces from old churches, all contributed to designing this house,” Gabunia adds.

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The weather outside may still be frightful; but for wine drinkers, it’s prime sipping-reds-by-the-fire (or television) season. And frankly, what weather isn’t perfect for a glass of white, rosé, or even the newly-popular orange wine? No matter the current temperature in your locale, things could always be a little warmer with your favorite vino on tap.

Enter the wine dispenser—a wine lover’s answer to the beer-lover’s kegerator. This kitchen gadget is guaranteed to keep your wine fresh and at the perfect drinking temperature. And a wine dispenser also offers a surprisingly trendy way to pour and store your favorite bottles—and finally ditch the half-empty, corks-everywhere look.

Sick of spending $20 on a bottle only to have it morph into vinegar? We hear you. Keep reading if you’re ready to preserve your wine and learn more about your next sommelier-worthy spend.

What’s a wine dispenser?

For the true wine connoisseur, the most important benefit of a dispenser is taste. Most wines tend to lose their flavor relatively quickly when stored in an open bottle. A wine dispenser eliminates this issue.

The nation's highest court will not be weighing in on whether the real estate trade group's Clear Cooperation Policy violates antitrust laws. The case proceeds in a lower court.

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Starting a family is a huge undertaking, and would-be parents have tons of things to stress out over—everything from schools to extracurriculars for their kids, to finding the best possible home for their family to grow into. It’s hardly surprising that some places are far more family-friendly than others. But which state checks the most boxes?

Personal finance website WalletHub has crowned Massachusetts the best state to raise a family, according to a recent report. The Bay State was followed by Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, and Vermont.

These aren’t states that normally top real estate “best of” lists—they’re not necessarily the cheapest, and they might not have the sunniest weather. But as WalletHub puts it, what’s more important is a place that’s “affordable to live in during this time of high inflation but also offers quality schools, health care, and entertainment.”

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If you’re pondering this question, you are probably faced with a house full of stuff that was once owned by a recently deceased family member. And, as much as you’d love to keep all of grandma’s antiques or Uncle Joe’s fly-fishing pole collection, there just isn’t enough room for it, all—especially if you plan to sell the house (here’s how to find a real estate agent in your area) these things are sitting in, too. What to do?

Enter the estate sale—which is similar to a garage sale but to the tenth degree, where you sell off most of the contents of a home in one fell swoop.

The process of an estate sale

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you must own a fancy-schmancy estate to make it worthwhile.

The only requirement for holding an estate sale is “a significant amount of items of value,” says Marie Dietrich, an appraiser and marketing manager of Gary Germer & Associates, a personal property liquidation company in Portland, OR.

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Looking for a blank slate? If you can cobble together millions of dollars, the home of Major League Baseball player David Segui could be yours.

Segui suited up for more than a half-dozen teams during his 15-year career and has decided to sell his half-done Phoenix mansion for $6,550,000.

The mansion has been on and off the market since 2020, though now it seems Segui isn’t waiting until the home is picture-perfect to sell. The place is available as is, and the new owner will need to finish the renovations he started.

On the bright side, the buyer has a golden opportunity to customize the massive property.

Nashville, Tennessee-based lender to serve entrepreneurs and gig workers nationwide is accepting alternative forms of income and assets including cryptocurrency.

Come on, brag a little. Don't be shy. Tell us all about your biggest win of 2022, and let us celebrate your success with you.

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Is your home crying out for some renovations, but you lack the time to get anything done? Then a new show on Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network could be just the inspiration you need to get moving.

On “Makeover by Monday,” DIY expert Jenni Yolo completes clients’ projects in one weekend, with minimal funds. As she explains, “I’ve learned you don’t have to have a huge budget or a ton of time to really bring a space to life.”

In the latest episode, “Making Space for Dining In,” she visits her friends Geoff and Ami in Milwaukee, where they recently bought a Prairie-style home. They hope Yolo can turn their formal dining room into a flex space that can work not just for eating, but also where they and their two young kids can do homework, crafts, board games, and more.

Once you see Yolo’s clever tips, you might find yourself running to the nearest thrift or home improvement store to take on some renovation projects of your own. Here’s what we learned.

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Renting out a house can be an option when you’ve got to move but you aren’t quite sure if it’s time to sell. Sure, many homeowners who need to move decide to sell their current home so they can have plenty of cash to buy their next digs.

Owning rental property, after all, brings in predictable, long-term income. But make no mistake, backing into a landlord role comes with some hefty responsibilities—and no small amount of headaches.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you decide which road is right for you.

Can you afford to own two homes?

“Financial wherewithal should be the No. 1 component as you weigh whether to hold on to the house,” says John Lazenby, president of the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association. Here’s what that means:

Ad marketplace is the first to implement Optimal Blue's new lead-quoting application programming interface, allowing ads to display rates from multiple lenders.

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Adjustable-rate mortgages, which offer homebuyers on a budget an initially low interest rate, are making a big comeback. But as financial markets churn and the economy remains shaky, some borrowers are regretting their decision to opt for what many see as a risky gamble.

About 43% of those who took out an ARM regretted it, according to a recent survey by U.S. News & World Report. ARMs work by offering a fixed mortgage interest rate, usually lower than a 30-year fixed-rate loan, for a period of several years. Then the rate resets, usually annually, according to what interest rates are doing at the time. The popular 5/1 ARM, for example, will have a fixed rate for five years that then resets every year thereafter based on the market.

That’s where folks can get themselves in trouble if they can’t afford their new mortgage payments when rates increase.

“ARMs can still be a great tool for the right buyer,” says Erika Giovanetti, a loans expert at U.S. News & World Report. “Especially now, they are a really good way for people to be able to afford those monthly payments, but people need to be aware of the exact terms they are agreeing to in the loan agreements. They also need to be able to have a plan in place to afford higher monthly payments.”

In the newly established role, Anne Colvin, formerly of Luxury Presence, will manage the brand's execution of its service offerings, such as its technology, marketing, coaching and training.

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Median sales prices in San Francisco fell 1% year over year to $1.78 million in 2022, the first decline in over a decade, according to a report Monday from Compass.

The tech hub’s property market peaked in the second quarter of last year, capping a 10-year upcycle supercharged at its end by the pandemic boom, said Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst at Compass San Francisco Bay Area.

At its height in the second quarter, the median sales price surpassed $2 million. But rising inflation and interest rates, combined with uncertainties in the financial markets, considerably cooled the market in the second half of the year.

In the fourth quarter, about 57% of homes sold for above their asking prices, compared to 81% in the same period of 2021. That number was 87% in the second quarter, when the market peaked, according to the report.

The company has slashed its workforce by 11 percent since last June, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The moves come following months of housing market declines.