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 have 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. Instead of paying top dollar for a new home, 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
No matter where you live, bad weather can disrupt your life in an instant. However, taking steps now can help protect your home, your loved ones, and your peace of mind when nature turns unpredictable.
Power outages can happen anywhere at any time, but they’re more likely during big storms. For added peace of mind, consider investing in a backup generator to keep your refrigerator, sump pump, HVAC, and other essentials running. Make sure it’s properly sized for your home by adding up the wattage of the appliances and systems you may want to power (each of which can usually be found on the appliances themselves or their manuals); this will tell you the minimum capacity your generator needs to have. And depending on the type of generator and your local building codes, you may also need to have it professionally installed.
Having a designated area in your home for shelter can make all the difference in waiting out the storm with essentials, such as bottled water and nonperishable food, close at hand. For example, the best location during hurricanes and tornadoes is a small, windowless interior space on the lowest level of your home, like a basement, bathroom, bedroom closet, or interior hallway. Note, however, that if flooding is the concern, you should do the opposite: move to the highest floor of your home that’s still away from windows and exterior walls. And be sure to put an evacuation plan in place, especially for floods and wildfires, including having access to emergency alerts.
In areas prone to floods, prevention begins long before the first raindrop falls. During the next rainstorm, step outside and watch how water moves around your property. If it pools near the foundation, it may be time to regrade your yard so it slopes away from your house. You could also install a French drain along the perimeter to help redirect any water.
For basements below the water line, a sump pump can quickly remove water during heavy rains. Just be sure to test it monthly or seasonally, especially before any big storms, so you know it will work when you need it most. Also, make sure to seal any cracks in your basement walls with waterproof caulk to keep liquid from seeping in. And because not all storms come with a warning, keep a few sandbags or quick-deploy flood barriers on hand to protect doorways and low-lying entrances.
Taking proactive steps is also paramount with wildfires, which are often caused by lightning and dry conditions. Start by regularly trimming trees and bushes so they don’t touch the structure or hang over the roof and storing firewood far from the foundation. In addition, clear leaves, pine needles, and other debris from your roof and gutters, since a single wind-blown ember can ignite them in seconds. For even stronger protection, consider installing metal wire mesh screening over vents to block embers and treating exterior wood on your house with fire-retardant chemicals. If you want to go all in to protect your property, consider upgrading to fire-resistant siding and Class A-rated roofing.
You can’t control the weather, but you can control how ready you are for it. Investing a little time and money now could mean that you’ll face whatever may come next with more confidence.
For more info, visit ready.gov
Summertime is about fun, sunshine, beaches, and the enticing flavors that go along with it. If you’re ready to revamp your eats for these sunny days, try this set of recipes from the Hamptons: Food, Family, and History cookbook. From a twirl-on-your-fork veggie dish to a crisp, rich fish dish, they each perfectly capture the essence of the season.
You won’t believe how filling and flavorful this produce-based dish is.
Crisp panko breading and bright lemon elevate this fish to delectable heights.
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
When it comes to decorating your home, you’ll see all kinds of furniture and decor online that fit neatly into a certain style category. But what if you’re drawn to a little of this and a little of that? Your home doesn’t have to be confined to one style alone. To help you mix different aesthetics, either because you enjoy variety or share a space with someone with different preferences, here are a few recommendations you can follow.
The secret weapon for blending designs? The 80/20 rule, which suggests that 80 percent of the space reflects one dominant style and the remaining 20 percent showcases another. For instance, if you love a clean, minimalist look but want to bring in a few boho touches, most of your furniture should be sleek, but then you could layer in accents like a patterned pillow, rattan lamp, and colorful art piece for added flair.
Similarly, if you prefer farmhouse charm but want a splash of industrial edge, you’d keep most of your furnishings rustic and bring in other elements like black iron barstools or bronze light fixtures. This approach can help prevent the room from feeling disconnected, instead making the design seem intentional and cohesive. Of course, you don’t have to literally measure your decor for exactness—just make sure that one style clearly takes the lead while the other plays a supporting role.
When you’re shopping for items, look for ones with some kind of commonality through their colors, textures, or shapes. To make a vintage velvet armchair and a sleek modern coffee table work together in your living room, consider finding an area rug that reflects the colors within both pieces. But if the table has any wood tones, you could instead connect the texture by incorporating other vintage pieces like wooden picture frames and vases. Even items that seem wildly different at first glance can work together when they share a common thread, which can help your collection feel more anchored.
However, if you find old and new pieces that you love but can’t seem to connect, consider incorporating a transitional item, which can serve as a bridge between the two. Think of a midcentury-style console with rustic wood grain or a chandelier with both antique nickel and traditional crystal accents. Such a piece can help quietly pull the look together without demanding too much attention.
Even two items that are beautiful and cohesive can clash if they’re out of proportion with each other, so you need to consider the size of your pieces and check that they take up the same visual weight. For example, a dainty side table might get lost next to an oversized modern sectional and a massive antique armoire could overwhelm a set of slender midcentury chairs. That’s why it’s important to keep your items balanced while also ensuring that each one not only flows well with the others but also feels right in the space.
Ultimately, one of the best ways to make a mixed-style space feel intentional is to weave in personal touches that tell your story. A great way to start is by incorporating meaningful items, such as travel souvenirs, family heirlooms, framed photos, or handmade pieces, that speak to your experiences and interests. These details help your home feel warm and lived-in rather than stylish but uninviting.
And don’t shy away from mixing in a few unexpected elements, either! A quirky accent chair, bold art piece, or vintage find may seem out of place at first, but it can quickly become a key focal point that adds charm and originality. By blending your unique personality with thoughtful design choices, you’ll create a space that feels both cohesive and distinctly yours.
