Facing intense criticism that its "come-one, come-all" lending policies pumped up a housing bubble that was deflating in a big hurry, Fannie Mae decided to get tougher last December. More +

Last week I wrote about the Village of Manhattan's plan to rebate up to $5,000 to buyers who build homes in that south suburb. The offer is innovative because it comes from a municipality instead of from anxious, price-slashing builders. More +

On Thursday, the real estate brokerage that other brokerages love to hate quietly set up shop in Chicago. More +

Incentives offered by builders and homeowners may be tempting. But accepting them is not necessarily a good idea. Instead, buyers should look on them as an opportunity to start negotiating for something that might be more useful. More +

The woods are full of agents these days, and many are beginners. Here are the eight questions you can ask to separate the average agents from the experienced heavy hitters. More +

Buying and selling a home at the same time is a daunting task. More +

These high-performance, lower-cost improvements add to your fun now and improve your home's value down the road. More +

Getting your house ready to list? Here's what you'll want to include to make your home feel up-to-the-minute. Plus: 5 trends to avoid. More +

The right phrasing in real-estate listings can speed a sale and even boost the final price, a Canadian study says. And here's a tip: If you must sell, don't put "must sell" in your ad. More +