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Painting a room is one of the quickest and most impactful ways to give your home new life. The problem? Most homeowners who hire professional painters can pay upwards of $500 for a single room. Ouch! Going for a whole house refresh? That could cost an average of $2,000 or more, according to HomeAdvisor.

Painting a room yourself

You’ll slash those costs by doing it yourself, but beware: A bad job could launch you into a vicious cycle of painting again and again (and again) to cover up mistakes. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you learn how to properly wield a brush and roller.

Buy the right materials

Set yourself up for success by buying the right equipment. Aside from paint, of course, you’ll need paintbrushes, rollers, trays, tarps, and painters tape (no, the edger tool won’t cut it). Don’t skimp on what you buy.

“Really cheap paintbrushes do not work. These cause more problems by not applying the paint properly,” says Dwayne Siever, founder of the Real Milk Paint Co. “Buy a higher-quality brush or foam brush, and you’ll save yourself a lot of aggravation.”

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If you own a rental property and want help, a property manager can relieve you of a whole bunch of headaches.

A property manager works for landlords, handling the day-to-day details of running a building. If you dream of collecting income from rental property but cringe at the idea of collecting rent or getting calls from tenants about burst pipes, a property manager could be well worth the money.

“Property management isn’t a glamorous business,” says Dana Anderson, president at Bay Management Group, a property management company in Philadelphia. “Tenants can be difficult, landlord-tenant laws are complicated, and property maintenance can be stressful. Having someone handling those problems for you gives you peace of mind.”

Let’s explore what property managers do, how much they cost, and how you can find a reputable one.

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If you’ve ever wanted to host a rodeo, dine under a waterfall, or perfect your two-step on a dance floor from the comfort of your own property, this entertainer’s ranch on the market for $1.65 million in Queen Creek, AZ, is calling your name.

Built in 2016, the dreamy 3,350-square-foot residence features all of the above—along with some very cool secret rooms. Outside, there’s a custom infinity pool with a waterfall, a hot tub, a volleyball court, a built-in barbecue area, and a fire pit.

“The original owners owned a shotcrete company and used the outbuilding as office space and lived in the main house,” says listing agent Madison Spaid, of DPR Realty. “The current owners use the outbuilding to store RVs and dirt bikes and have hosted wedding events here as well. They have really enjoyed the property.”

The current owners bought the property only two years ago for $815,000. They’re now hoping to more than double their money—if they can get close to their asking price.

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We know all about homes, and one maxim that holds true is the value of a smart makeover. But the merits of a makeover aren’t limited to the realm of real estate. Just ask the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Mired in mediocrity nearly one-third of the way through the season, the Phils opted for a somewhat extreme makeover and fired manager Joe Girardi. It was akin to removing an unnecessary wall and flooding the dugout with gorgeous, natural light.

Right after the managerial makeover, the Phils reeled off an eight-game winning streak, caught fire over the summer, and rode the good vibes all the way to a wild-card playoff berth.

But even new skipper Rob Thomson couldn’t have predicted the team’s amazing post-season success. The Phils knocked off favored foes and made an amazing march all the way to the World Series. Now facing the biggest mismatch in the Fall Classic since 1906 (seriously!), the Phils are looking to knock off the widely despised Houston Astros.

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With Powerball’s jaw-dropping jackpot hitting an estimated $1.6 billion for Saturday’s drawing, it’s time to start thinking about what you would do if you’re that one lucky winner.

While the odds of winning the largest Powerball jackpot in history are about 1 in 292 million, there’s still a (tiny) chance you could come away with it all—or at least a massive portion of it if there are multiple winning tickets. As of now, one winner is estimated to haul away an eye-popping cash value of $782.4 million, according to Powerball.

With that amount of money in your pocket, you could have your pick of one, or several, ultraluxe homes across the country.

Here’s a look at five top splurge-worthy homes to consider:

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TV stars Jonathan and Drew Scott love a romantic storyline, and the latest “Property Brothers: Forever Home” has one that makes their hearts melt.

In the episode “Full Circle,” they aim to help Marlon and Katrina, who met during their high school years—in the very Cerritos, CA, house they’re living in now. Marlon grew up in this home, and when his parents died, he and Katrina moved in.

“We would like this to be our forever house,” says Marlon. “Our daughter, Maddie, will be able to live in the same house that I grew up in, and go to the same high school.”

“I love that this is already a home that’s been passed through the generations,” says Jonathan. “And their hope is that Maddie will take it over and keep that tradition alive.

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Mortgage rates are double where they were a year ago, making home buying a much more costly endeavor. Home sellers are trying to help them out.

Buyers are not feeling the market, depressing mortgage demand. Rates are hovering at around 7%, which adds hundreds of dollars in additional monthly payments for prospective buyers’ budgets.

Even though the number of for-sale homes is growing, they’re still expensive, creating affordability issues for buyers.

Some builders and sellers are getting more creative, and offering ways for potential home buyers to lower their mortgage rate and monthly payments.

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Imagine the pickup games! Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook recently scored a $33.5 million Brentwood trophy mansion directly across the street from teammate LeBron James, Dirt reported.

Westbrook bought the luxe estate from heiress, model, designer, and socialite Petra Ecclestone, daughter of Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One racing billionaire.

But she is perhaps best known for previously purchasing the iconic Holmby Hills residence The Manor from Candy Spelling for $85 million in 2011.

Ecclestone sold The Manor for a record-breaking $119.7 million in 2019. That same year, she downsized into this 8,600-square-foot piece of paradise.

Photo by @oakleycourt via @retrochicdesign via Instagram

Like fashion, makeup, or other forms of self-expression, home decor is often a reflection of your current mood. And lately, we’ve noticed dark maximalism has been a dominant living room design trend.

Perhaps we can blame it on the time of year—after all, Daylight Savings Time is ending and it will get darker sooner. Maybe you’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s new sultry, synth-driven album “Midnights” on a loop. Either way, if you’re set on revamping your living room and are looking for design inspiration, we encourage you to go to the dark side.

This week, we scoured Instagram and bookmarked five living room images that exemplify the perfect balance of moodiness and comfort. To help you replicate the looks, we gathered tips from interior designers as well as products that you can purchase right now.

1. Corduroy sofa

Who says corduroy is just a fabric for clothing? Above, @dennisvonnazareth showcases the ultimate lesson in corduroy home decor with a sofa upholstered in the soft fabric.

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A spectacular, 27,280-square-foot megamansion in St. Louis, MO, owned by FURminator founder David Porter is this week’s most popular listing on Realtor.com®.

Built in 2014, the opulent, French-inspired estate belonging to the creator of the popular pet shedding tool boasts a dramatic, two-story foyer, vaulted ceilings, exquisite millwork, and expansive windows. Some notable mentions include a wine cellar, a saloon, a theater, and a luxury car showroom.

Other digs that drew your clicks include a midcentury modern marvel in Beverly Hills, an English Tudor revival in Indiana, and a Texas home with a pool, sandy beach, and tiki bar.

For a full look at this week’s 10 most popular homes, keep scrolling.

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A magnificent hilltop compound with four separate residences listed for $28 million has become the most expensive listing in Santa Fe, NM.

Vida Encantada, which means “charmed life,” is the 3.7-acre property offering resort-style living in 18,000 square feet of space.

Situated on a hill north of downtown Santa Fe, the 14-bedroom compound offers many excuses to never have to leave.

“The design and construction of this home is as good as it gets anywhere,” says listing agent Tim Van Camp, of Sotheby’s International Realty Santa Fe–main downtown brokerage. “It’s five minutes from Santa Fe Plaza and has views of the city and three mountain ranges. It’s just spectacular.”

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For the past two years, homebuyers faced hoards of competition that was driving housing prices sky-high. Today, though, the pool of eligible buyers has ebbed, largely due to a whole new problem: Towering interest rates. 

Indeed, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage hovered at 6.95% for the week ending Nov. 3, according to Freddie Mac. That’s a bit lower than last week when it broke the 7% threshold, but still more than double what it was a year earlier. 

Given that a typical homebuyer’s mortgage costs have risen more than 77% compared to a year ago, it’s understandable that the housing market is in shock. And the latest real estate statistics for the week ending Oct. 29 show that the fallout continues. 

In this latest installment of our column “How’s the Housing Market This Week?” we’ll look at what the most recent numbers mean for both homebuyers and sellers. 

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A delightful domicile designed by architect Julia Morgan has quickly found a buyer. The home is pending sale after less than two months on the market, according to Realtor.com®.

The home in Berkeley, CA, was listed for $2,495,000 in September. The buyer might not have been able to resist the home’s vintage style and “high-level craftsmanship,” notes listing agent Mark Hardwicke, of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Reliance Partners.

The home is one of Morgan’s earliest residential designs. It was built in 1906 for Charles Atwood Kofoid, a University of California, Berkeley, zoology professor, and his wife, Carrie.

The asking price is much higher than the city’s still whopping, median home list price of $1,200,000. But it’s difficult to put a price on such a historical pedigree.

Magnolia Network

It’s easy to forget that Chip and Joanna Gaines of “Fixer Upper” fame were once rookies in the home renovation business. But now that they have their own network, they’re nurturing talented newbies who could become the next big thing.

On the new Magnolia Network show “The Home Team With Britt and Annie,” best friends and self-taught DIYers Annie Hawkins and Brittany Baker of Salt Lake City are building their home design business. And on the episode “Million Dollar Market Value,” they’re thrilled when they get a call from real estate agent Whitney, who might have a potentially profitable lead.

She’s working with a couple who want to list their home, but “to get top dollar, they’re going to have to have their living room, dining room, and kitchen renovated,” says Whitney. “The rest of their home has been remodeled very recently, but I was showing them some of your previous projects, and they want you!”

“This is only our second project as a full-time business,” Hawkins admits. “And even though this is only three rooms, it is 2,000 square feet of really expensive real estate.”

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For comedian and actress Carol Burnett, it’s time to say “so long” to some real estate.

The star of “The Carol Burnett Show” has listed her luxury condo in L.A.‘s prestigious Wilshire Corridor for $4.2 million.

The Wilshire Corridor, located between Brentwood and Beverly Hills and close to UCLA, top-rated medical facilities, and houses of worship, is one of L.A.’s chicest high-rise communities.

It’s favored by those who prefer a luxe life with low maintenance and high security.

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Buying a home over the past year has been a bit like competing in “The Hunger Games.” First-time buyers faced off against investors and fellow purchasers wielding all-cash offers well over the asking price for a dwindling number of properties to choose from.

As home prices soared to previously unimaginable heights, fewer have been able to gain a toehold into homeownership, according to the National Association of Realtors® 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. In fact, only about a quarter of all home sales (26%) were attributed to first-time buyers—the lowest percentage in the report’s 41-year history. It’s a big drop from the previous year, when this group represented about a third (34%) of all purchasers.

The report is based on an NAR survey of 4,854 buyers who purchased primary homes between July 2021 and June 2022. Investment and vacation home purchases were excluded from this report. Income data is from 2021.

“The drop in first-time buyers is now at a record low,” says Jessica Lautz, vice president of research at NAR. “It’s not necessarily a surprise because we know first-time homebuyers are facing not only an affordability crisis—but a lack of homes for sale as well as outside pressures like the rise in the cost of rents, which makes it difficult to save for a down payment.”

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Weary homebuyers panicked by rising mortgage interest rates might be relieved to hear that this cruel twist comes with one big upside: lower home prices.

In October, median home list prices continued to drop from June’s record high of $449,000 to $425,000, according to a recent report from Realtor.com®.

While list prices are still up by 13.3% compared with a year ago, nearly one-fifth of those sellers slashed their prices in October, more than double the number who made price cuts last year.

These price reductions suggest that home sellers’ once lofty expectations of sky-high offers are at long last coming back down to earth. It might also mean that home sellers entering the market might list lower from the get-go. All of this should give fall and winter home shoppers a glimmer of hope that more affordable properties may be in the cards as we glide toward the holidays.

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What is a home equity line of credit? If you’ve been looking for a way to get a little money out of your home without actually selling it, you’ve probably come across this option, known as a HELOC for short (pronounced “heelock”). Clear as mud, right? Now that you’re no doubt wondering what is a home equity line of credit going to do for me, let us clarify.

What is a home equity line of credit?

Like a Home Equity Loan (also known as a “second mortgage”), a HELOC allows you to borrow money using the equity in your home as collateral. But the thing that differentiates a HELOC is that it’s like a credit card: You can borrow on an as-needed basis, up to the loan’s limit, over the term of the loan (usually 5 to 20 years). In fact, your lender will actually issue you a small plastic card that looks just like a credit card, to allow you to access your money easily.

This works well for those who want to borrow money but don’t know exactly how much they’ll need, or for people who don’t need to borrow a lump sum all at once and will be paying for something over time —i.e. medical bills, college tuition, or major additions to their home.

For example, let’s say you want to add an extra bedroom and bathroom onto your house, and a contractor has given you an estimate that the project would cost $50,000 total. You could set up a Home Equity Line of Credit for $50,000, and pay for the materials, services, and labor over time, as the bills come due.

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Maybe you’ve found a property that will be a killer investment at a bargain price. Or perhaps the beach cottage you’ve had your eye on for years just came on the market. Whatever the reason, if you’re considering applying for another mortgage while refinancing your current home, the process can be a bit complicated. To give you the full picture, we consulted mortgage experts and broke down the rules.

What to know about refinancing while buying a second home

There’s nothing wrong with refinancing one mortgage at the same time that you are buying an investment property or second home with a mortgage, according to Andrew Weinberg, principal and licensed mortgage broker at Silver Fin Capital Group, in Great Neck, NY.

The key factor to making both the refinance and new purchase work is to ensure you will qualify for the new home loan.

“This means taking into account your current home payment,” says Ralph DiBugnara, president of New York’s Home Qualified and vice president at Cardinal Financial. A mortgage bank can very easily tell you the total payments and loan amounts you’ll be able to carry based on your current income.