Renovating your home can elevate it to new levels of style, convenience, and even value—that is, if you handle it correctly. Enter Dennis and Teresa Walsh, who provide an essential tool for those tackling renovations: real estate know-how. Together, they teach people how to unlock hidden equity in their homes, make strategic improvements, and ultimately maximize their ROI potential.
The Walshes are no strangers to this industry. “I’ve worked in construction, remodeling, real estate, and architectural design and have been a professional trainer and speaker for over thirty-five years,” Dennis says. “I even started my first remodeling business at just fourteen.” Teresa, who has worked in real estate since age nineteen, inspired their current venture by wanting to create a helpful resource for real estate agents. Their efforts have led them to counsel approximately 200,000 business professionals, holding nationwide seminars and courses to share industry wisdom.
Today, the Walshes’ work is centered around two key websites, including a consumer-focused site, yourhome.academy, which offers courses like Residential Construction Mastery, a magnifying glass on how homes are built, including common methods, technology, and components from foundations to windows. “We walk you through the process from the ground up,” Dennis explains. Meanwhile, their Residential Remodeling Mastery class provides a detailed renovation road map, guiding homeowners, renters, and real estate investors through such topics as finding reputable contractors, exploring financing options, and avoiding common mistakes. (The couple also has a second site for real estate professionals, sellnewhomes.com, which teaches agents how to work more effectively with builders, developers, and new homebuyers.)
When homeowners hop onto yourhome.academy, they can utilize the self-study training courses at their own pace; each totals about seven hours of instruction. Upon registration, users can download worksheets and interactive forms to better apply and retain knowledge. The construction course, for instance, teaches students how to read blueprints and scale rulers, complemented by printable examples they can follow. “It’s a one-on-one coaching set, but I say that we take people on a little journey,” Dennis says. Subscribers also receive lifetime access to revisit the materials.
The core concept behind the Walshes’ homeowner courses is to help people “sell retail not wholesale.” Dennis breaks down the difference as “cleaning it up a bit, staging it, and then putting it on the market versus finding untapped equity in the home, making improvements to generate a profit.” He also offers a compelling example for homeowners explaining why they should pursue selling retail: investing $40,000 in strategic improvements could yield an additional $40,000–$50,000 or more in profit upon sale—a return of up to 125 percent.
The lessons to be gained can benefit house hunters as well. For instance, Dennis highlights a significant real-estate trend: “60 percent of home shoppers say they want a brand-new home. However, about 38 percent of those are open to comparing new homes with existing ones to find the best financial fit.”
This is where their residential remodeling course becomes invaluable. He urges homeowners to find an older home with good bones that is yet to be updated, secure it at a better price, then take on the improvements themselves, ultimately creating a like-new structure. “As an added benefit, homeowners get to choose their preferred flooring, cabinets, appliances, and paint, personalizing the space to their exact taste—something not always possible with new builds,” Dennis notes.
Granted, this isn’t a novel concept. Well-known TV shows and social media influencers have popularized home renovations and house flipping. But the Walshes’ courses go further, offering homeowners practical steps for making these dreams come to life.
A 2025 Houzz survey indicated that 52 percent of homeowners planned on undertaking major home improvements last year. To address such demand, Dennis teaches real estate agents to create a remodeling value analysis (RVA). Unlike a typical comparative market analysis (CMA), which just compares similar sold homes in a property’s area, an RVA helps homeowners understand exactly how strategic improvements can impact their home’s value—and which ones to pursue. This analytical process helps homeowners decide whether remodeling makes sense or if they’d be better off selling their current home and finding one closer to their ideal. “You don’t want to be the most expensive home on the street because then the value of the other homes brings it down,” he cautions.
Dennis Walsh states that more resources are ahead for both of their platforms, and he’s dedicated to keep making a difference for homeowners and agents across America. “We are in the process of recording several YouTube videos to help consumers of all kinds,” he says. “Whether you’re an owner or an agent, these courses could change your life.”
For more info, visit yourhome.academy
Windows deserve more attention than they normally seem to get. Though these essential home features grant us beautiful outdoor views, permit pleasant sunlight into our homes, and break the monotony of exterior siding with their stylish panels, we often overlook them—or, rather, look right through them. But if you invest a little effort and money into yours, you can upgrade them from plain and practical to utterly attention stealing.
A sweeping movement in home architecture, these windows balance expansive panes with simple, sophisticated frames. Black-steel window frames are practically a shortcut to contemporary design, so trading out builder-quality versions, such as simple, white vinyl ones, for them can elevate any home with in-vogue elegance. Likewise, replacing bulkier doors with black steel-framed glass versions can breezily blend indoor and outdoor spaces.
In fact, black frames are so popular now that many homeowners are employing a handy tactic for imitating them: painting window and door frames black. Darkening the trim around your glass can simultaneously modernize your interiors and lend sophisticated touches to your exterior facade. Best of all, this cost-effective option doesn’t require you to invest in brand-new windows to get that fresh new feel.
Ornate woodwork frames, such as those emblematic of Craftsman homes, are now generally less popular than simplistic steel options, but there are other methods for modernizing your windows. Try updating classic features with eccentric, statement-making colors instead.
These window upgrades offer stunning possibilities. Painting the frames in your home office gray-blue could lend the room a smart, sophisticated look, while brightening up a kitchen with vibrant matte-gold frames can make your backyard views resemble pieces of framed art.
Good home design is about balance, though, so if you wish to embrace colorful window frames, use neutrals to ground them. For example, if you paint your bathroom windows a soothing-yet-elegant seafoam green, pair them with white walls and tan-stone finishings. And don’t leave the windows hanging; incorporate your quirky color choice into your interior decor and exterior garden for a cohesive palette.
Tinting your windows slips a pair of sunglasses on your home, filtering sunlight and adding essential privacy. There are various types of tinted films to consider, including shatter-preventing security film and highly stylized decorative film, but your key priority should be minimizing UV sunlight. Temperature-control film, for example, can block as much as 99 percent of the sun’s radiation and 80 percent of its heat, both of which can help drastically reduce your monthly energy costs—making it an investment that can pay for itself.
In terms of style, dark and reflective tints that obscure the view from the outside in are on trend, especially those with deep-blue hues, which add sophisticated color to exterior glass without discoloring your views from indoors. Window-tinting specialists can apply these treatments to virtually any style of pane for everyday practicality and a modern appearance, though you can install them yourself if you really trust your handiwork.
However, note that installing tint can void an existing window’s warranty since the manufacturer may see this as tinkering with their product—generally a no-no when it comes to purchase protection. You should be in the clear if you’re upgrading older windows with expired warranties though. To save money, prioritize tinting common-room or south-facing ones that may get more sun.
If contemporary design has it out for any window feature in particular, it’s muntins: strips of material that create grids on panes of glass. Rather than settling for cross-hatched, obscured views, upgrade your windows to floor-to-ceiling picture ones—these practically invisible options will grant you expansive sights and a minimalistic look. “Floor-to-ceiling windows flood your home with light, make a modern interior/exterior statement, and help break down the barrier between indoors and out,” says Andersen Windows & Doors on its website. Pair them with matching sliding-glass doors for a clean, consistent look that will feel current.
Muntin-free picture panes don’t necessarily offer practical benefits, especially for those with nosy neighbors, so they will definitely need a tint—otherwise, they will eliminate all privacy and bake your home with unobstructed sunlight. The right combination of UV-filtering and privacy film can patch up these features nicely. You should also work with a contractor to make such upgrades. A dramatic project like this will only be possible after some serious renovations, and swapping sturdy walls for non-load-bearing windows can spell engineering trouble. For a DIY alternative, you can cut the muntins off your windows, then replace the panes yourself for an affordable picture-window look.
You may have other principal concerns as you rethink your windows, including their storm-resistant strength and airtight efficiency. Thankfully, updated technology and materials mean you have more upgrade options than ever. Fiberglass windows, for example, provide both excellent durability and insulation for ongoing benefits. Consider your priorities, from practicality to aesthetics, as you shop. Having a clear intention in mind is essential for making smart window enhancements that ensure pleasing results.
These warm and comforting days invite us to relax and make great memories with the people we love. Why not unite everyone around a delicious dinner? The enclosed recipes are packed with flavor, are simple to make, feature seasonal ingredients, and are healthy too. How much better could mealtime get?
Begin your meal with a mix of hearty and flavorful veggies, plus herbs and Parmesan cheese.
Fresh and crisp without the grease, this fried fish recipe is the perfect main course.
Recipes excerpted from The Hamptons: Food, Family, and History by Ricky Lauren. Rizzoli New York, 2025. Photography by Anne Stratton.
For this recipe I always use the freshest, youngest, and most tender vegetables that are available in season. Growing them yourself or picking them up at a local farmstand is the most fun. I enjoy gathering baby peas bursting from their pods, sweet baby carrots, ripe tomatoes, and young, proud green-and-white asparagus spears, to which I add tender zucchini. I always marvel at the colorful selection in my basket. Generally, I combine the fresh vegetables with a delicate pasta like angel hair (capellini). Everybody likes this light spring/summer meal. Add a simple salad and a crusty breadstick and enjoy!
Serves 4 to 6
Here is a simple way to make fried fish lighter and more healthful—and perhaps even to sell it to the children at the table. Bread the fish on one side only! It’s crispy and delightful, and has fewer calories and a more delicate taste. Begin the meal with a soufflé and serve the fish with steamed chopped spinach.
Serves 4
Real estate fraud comes in various forms, which can make it challenging to identify. Hackers employ diverse database systems, enabling them to target different groups, especially unsuspecting first-time homebuyers and financially struggling homeowners who are behind on their loan payments. Utilize this guide to help you or your loved ones recognize and safeguard against these common crimes.
Predatory mortgage lenders use this deceptive tactic to entice customers with low-interest-rate programs and attractive terms and then replace them with more profitable ones for the lender.
Tactics
After you submit your applications, the lender states that the initially advertised loan is no longer an option or that you no longer qualify for the previously quoted rate. This usually results in you paying additional unexpected fees.
Prevention
Ask your lender to offer a rate-lock option for your loan and provide a comprehensive breakdown of all associated fees and terms. Carefully read all the details in the loan document, make sure you understand what it says, and demand answers to anything that’s unclear before putting your signature on it. In addition, you should seek and compare quotes from different lenders in your local real estate market to ensure you’re getting the best offer possible.
Wire fraud occurs when scammers deceive homebuyers into transferring their closing costs and final down payment to a fraudulent account. This often happens in the late stages of a home purchase, when buyers are preoccupied with last-minute tasks, making them more susceptible to falling victim to a scammer’s schemes.
Tactics
The fraudster may impersonate your real estate agent, lender, or title company and send you an email marked as “urgent” and containing updated wiring instructions.
Prevention
Never rely on an email alone for confirmation; it may appear legitimate but very well could be sent from a fake account. Be sure to always call your agent directly to verify any changes. Also beware of grammatical or spelling errors, which could indicate that the letter or email is a scam.
This underhanded scheme is designed to steal your money and sell your identity by obtaining your birth date and Social Security number.
Tactics
The scammer poses as a third-party lender and will send you a letter, text, or email informing you that you must refinance your loan. Much like the escrow wiring communication, this may seem on the up-and-up as it usually includes the name of your lending institution, loan number, and amount you owe, along with a phone number to call.
Prevention
Legitimate lenders may advertise through many channels, but they will not pressure you to provide sensitive information without verification. Be cautious of unsolicited refinance offers that do so. Verify the company independently using a phone number from your lender’s official website or your mortgage statement.
Scammers excel at infiltrating systems to acquire homeowner data, which they subsequently utilize to target individuals facing financial difficulties, those behind on their mortgage payments, or those in pre-foreclosure. They exploit these vulnerable homeowners through strategies like foreclosure rescue and relief scams.
Tactics
Such people may try contacting you through various means, such as emails, letters, texts, or phone calls, pretending to be government officials or attorneys. They offer to negotiate your mortgage terms on your behalf to prevent foreclosure but demand exorbitant up-front fees for their services. Unsurprisingly, these scammers often don’t follow up on their promises, ultimately leading to your home’s foreclosure.
Prevention
Before engaging with a third-party service, it’s essential to first consult with your lender or mortgage service provider. Additionally, validate the credentials of any mortgage-relief service providers by checking with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before deciding to use their services.
Similar to bait-and-switch schemes with mortgages, some movers give lowball estimates compared to other movers but then don’t honor the quoted price.
Tactics
After the moving company arrives and loads your belongings onto the truck, they increase the price, claiming that the weight is greater than initially estimated. (Though this can be legitimate, a scammer will knowingly underestimate the cost when you are furnished with the original quote.) Unless you agree to pay the new, higher price, they may refuse to unload your belongings or transport them to your new residence.
Prevention
Extremely low estimates should sound an alarm. Always obtain at least two or three quotes with a “not-to-exceed-price” clause, and get everything in writing before giving a deposit. Also, be sure they provide you with a bill with all the charges at least two days before your move date. Never feel under pressure to work with a mover you have concerns about.
It can be easy to get sucked into a home-related scam unwittingly, so a good rule of thumb is to only give out your personal information to people you know and trust. Always consult with your real estate agent, who can help verify the legitimacy of lenders, movers, and any other outside agencies.
