Dear Jay, my husband and I are hoping to sell our home this spring and would love for it to move quickly and at a strong price. We keep hearing that spring listings are competitive, so we are wondering where to start and how early we should be preparing. What should we be doing right now to set ourselves up for the best result? – Lauren M. Dear Lauren, Great question! Spring is the busiest season for real estate, and homeowners who prepare early are usually the ones who sell faster and with fewer surprises. If your goal is to […]

Q. Dear Jay, I’m looking at the Spring 2026 calendar and starting to panic. My house currently looks like a lived-in home, but the internet says it needs to look like a museum before I list it. Is all this deep-cleaning and decluttering actually necessary, or can I just hide my mess in the garage and hope for the best? – Lucy W. – Sedona, AZ A .Dear Lucy, I feel you. Between work, kids, and trying to have a life, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend a Saturday detail cleaning their baseboards with a toothbrush. But […]

Q. Dear Jay, I’ve always heard that winter is a slow season for real estate. With the holidays coming up, I’m wondering if it’s better to wait until spring to list my home. Is there any benefit to selling now or should I hold off until 2026? — Shana B. A. Dear Shana, this is one of the most common questions homeowners ask each year and it’s a great one. While spring is traditionally known as the “busy season” for real estate, selling during the holidays can offer unique advantages, especially in today’s changing market. It is key to understand […]

INVESTORS THWART MANY FIRST-TIME BUYERS Q: Dear Jay, I am a single woman, not independently wealthy but doing pretty well for myself. I live within my means and save religiously; I still owe on my student loan but the debt is not unmanageable. My five-plus years in the same, well-paying job has paid off in […]

DOES A ‘BUYER’S MARKET’ MEAN WE SHOULD WAIT TO SELL? Q: Dear Jay, My wife and I live in what is often called (and continues to be) “a nice neighborhood with good schools.” Despite having accumulated 30 years of happy memories, we’re not attached to staying in this particular piece of real estate until we […]

What’s Your Home Worth? Q: Dear Jay, I’ve decided to sell my home and upgrade outside of my metro-area. The thought of listing makes me ask the question—what is my home worth? Over the past few years I’ve upgraded the appliances, re-modeled various rooms and landscaped, so I believe my home is worth much more […]

REMODEL NOW, SELL LATER? Q: Dear Jay, My husband and I and our two children live in a home that was built over 30 years ago and have never updated or remodeled. We’re planning on selling our home in three years when both of the kids are in college but, until then, we would like […]