Fairway Independent Mortgage buys itself a new Midwest division

Fairway Independent Mortgage buys itself a new Midwest division

Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Hallmark Home Mortgage is licensed in 18 states. Company founder and CEO Deborah Sturges is joining Fairway as a division manager.

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Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. will expand its presence in the Midwest with a deal to acquire “significant assets” of Indiana-based Hallmark Home Mortgage.

Hallmark will operate as a new division of Fairway, with CEO and founder Deborah Sturges joining Fairway with the title of president, Hallmark Home Mortgage, the companies announced Wednesday.

Deborah Sturges

“This strategic decision brings Fairway’s expanded product portfolio, enhanced technology, and deep support resources into Hallmark’s orbit,” Sturges said in a statement.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Steve Jacobson

“Deborah and I worked together at Waterfield [Financial Corp.] decades ago and have remained industry acquaintances ever since,” Fairway founder and CEO Steve Jacobson said, in a statement. “Our shared values and our trust in each other make this partnership a natural fit. Our shared vision will make us even stronger together.”

Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hallmark Home Mortgage is licensed in 18 states, sponsoring 45 mortgage loan originators who work out of 19 branch locations, according to Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) data.

In 2022, Hallmark hired former Finance of America divisional manager Marc Wadman to spearhead the lender’s expansion into Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas.

Hallmark mortgage originations by county

Source: iEmergent analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data. 

Hallmark originated $591 million in mortgages last year, with most of that business in Indiana ($399 million), Texas ($88 million) and Missouri ($38 million), according to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data tracked by iEmergent. Of the 2,640 loans Hallmark originated in 2024, 95 percent were purchase loans taken out by homebuyers

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Fairway is licensed in all 50 states and sponsors 2,474 mortgage loan originators working out of 604 branch offices, according to NMLS data.

Fairway originated $23.7 billion in loans last year — 91 percent of them purchase loans — making the company the sixth-largest provider of loans to homebuyers, according to iEmergent data.

Fairway’s other trade names include 62PLUSHOMEBUYER.COM, CG HomeLoanPartners, Corporate Lending Group, MortgageBanc, Northpoint Mortgage and The Mortgage Reel. Fairway also owns the domain home.com, which redirects to the company’s homepage.

Last year, Fairway agreed to pay $10 million to settle allegations by federal regulators that the company engaged in redlining in the metro Birmingham, Alabama, market, which it entered in 2009 with the acquisition of MortgageBanc.

Fairway denied wrongdoing, saying regulators “did not identify any evidence of redlining or other discrimination,” and accused the government of acting in “bad faith” by characterizing Fairway’s actions as intentional, willful and reckless.

“Fairway vigorously defended itself against the government agencies’ allegations and continues to deny that the company engaged in any discriminatory behavior,” Fairway said in a statement in October.

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3rd indictment adds new charge against Alexander brothers

3rd indictment adds new charge against Alexander brothers

The new allegation of aggravated sexual abuse by force, threat or intoxicant against Oren and Alon brings the total number of counts against the brothers collectively up to 10.

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A third indictment was filed against former luxury brokers Tal and Oren Alexander and their brother, private security executive Alon Alexander, in the federal sex-trafficking case against them on Tuesday, which brings the total number of counts against the brothers up to 10.

The brothers now face one count of conspiracy to commit sex-trafficking; five counts of sex-trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; one count of sex-trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion; two counts of inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity; and the new count of aggravated sexual abuse by force, threat or intoxicant.

The count added to the superseding indictment alleges that Alon and Oren used force to administer a “drug, intoxicant or other substance” to a seventh female victim who was unaware that she was being intoxicated in order to control her and cause her to engage in sexual acts while “on a Bahamian flagged cruise ship which departed from and arrived in the United States.” The previous indictment against them had identified six victims, one of whom was a minor.

The new indictment further states that as a result of the alleged offenses in the new count against them, Oren and Alon are to forfeit any real and personal property that was used or intended for use to commit the offense, “including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the commission of said offenses.”

The Alexander brothers were arrested on conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking charges in Miami in December 2024. A superseding indictment submitted by prosecutors in May added six new charges against them.

All three brothers have denied the charges against them.

A lawyer representing Alon told Inman in an emailed statement that, “The government continues to move backwards — the latest charge changes absolutely nothing and is merely a reheated version of the same case in an effort to keep the media firestorm going against the brothers.”

Another lawyer for Alon pointed Inman to a polygraph test that he passed in January while denying had ever had sex with a woman he knew had been given drugs.

Lawyers representing Oren and Tal did not immediately respond to Inman’s request for comment for this story, but after the superseding indictment was filed in May, attorneys for Tal said the new indictment “changes nothing,” and that it was “a reheated version of the same case — and still does not include conduct that amounts to federal sex trafficking.”

At that time, a lawyer for Oren told Inman that, “These new accusations, like the previous ones, are meritless, and reflect a failed prosecutorial effort to salvage a factually and legally unfounded case built on readily disprovable claims.”

Oren and Alon, as well as family friend Ohad Fisherman, also face state rape charges in Florida. Oren has been charged with three counts of sexual battery and Alon and Fisherman have been charged each with one count of sexual battery.

Several civil lawsuits submitted by dozens of women are also outstanding against the Alexander brothers in New York State and elsewhere. The majority of the lawsuits were filed in New York under an extension of a city law that allowed alleged victims of gender-motivated violence to sue their supposed perpetrators, no matter how long ago the alleged act of violence occurred. Victims were allowed to file lawsuits through the end of February 2025.

The brothers are currently being held in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.

Update: This story was updated after publishing with a comment from a lawyer representing Alon Alexander.

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CFPB enforcement chief resigns, saying mission ‘under attack’

CFPB enforcement chief resigns, saying mission ‘under attack’

The Trump administration is seeking to cut 90 percent of the CFPB’s workforce, and has dismissed about 20 active enforcement cases and moved to vacate or weaken several finalized settlements.

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s enforcement division will be under new leadership for the third time during the Trump administration after acting director Cara Petersen resigned Tuesday, saying in a farewell email that “the bureau’s current leadership has no intention to enforce the law in any meaningful way.”

The Trump administration is seeking to cut 90 percent of the CFPB’s workforce and has put the brakes on about 20 active enforcement cases, Bloomberg Law said in breaking the story of Petersen’s departure.

The New York Times, which also obtained Petersen’s farewell email, said she took over as the acting head of enforcement after her predecessor, Eric Halperin, resigned in February.

Petersen has worked at the CFPB since it was created in the wake of the 2007-2009 financial crash and Great Recession.

“I have served under every director and acting director in the bureau’s history and never before have I seen the ability to perform our core mission so under attack,” Petersen wrote to her colleagues.

“It has been devastating to see the Bureau’s enforcement function being dismantled through thoughtless reductions in staff, inexplicable dismissals of cases, and terminations of negotiated settlements that let wrongdoers off the hook.”

The CFPB did not respond to Bloomberg Law’s request for comment.

Under the leadership of acting Director Russell Vought and Chief Legal Officer Mark Paoletta, the CFPB has not only halted active enforcement cases, but moved to vacate or weaken several finalized settlements, Bloomberg Law reported.

The CFPB’s unprecedented attempt to undo a settlement in a fair lending case that the government reached with a Chicago mortgage broker last year would establish a “dangerous and destabilizing precedent” if granted, according to fair housing and consumer protection groups opposing the move in court. The judge in that case hasn’t ruled on the CFPB’s request.

Last month the CFPB knocked nearly $2 million off of a fine that international remittance company Wise had agreed to pay to resolve claims that it advertised inaccurate fees and failed to properly disclose exchange rates and other costs.

Although Wise is still on the hook to pay $450,000 to about 16,000 consumers who were allegedly overcharged, it will pay a revised fine of $45,000, rather than the $2.025 million that it had originally agreed to pay in a consent order.

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Most likely to succeed (or disrupt): Class photos from Real Estate High

Most likely to succeed (or disrupt): Class photos from Real Estate High

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Sometimes I need a break from the heavy, the technical, the compliance-laden critique. This piece is exactly that: a written timeout. But just a heads-up: It might also double as a slightly imaginative reenactment of current industry dynamics.

Over the weekend, I stumbled across an old high school yearbook. I don’t know about you, but when that happens, you have to sit down and take a look. Within minutes, there I was, flipping through pages of big hair, loud clothing, awkward smiles and those cringeworthy superlatives like “Most Likely to Succeed” and “Best Looking.” (Also, do schools still single kids out like that?)

Instantly, I was transported. A mix of nostalgia, humor and, if I’m being honest, a little discomfort. High school was full of cliques, competition, drama, ambition and unspoken social norms. It was a place where image often mattered more than substance.

It was also a never-ending reshuffling of alliances, egos and influence. One day, you’re on top: admired, applauded, maybe even envied. The next, you’re sidelined, misunderstood or replaced. Friend groups fracture. Rumors fly. Power shifts. And amidst the chaos that high school could be, someone is always trying to make the system a little better, or at least a little fairer.

Somewhere between the photos and end-of-year messages, something hit me: the coexistence of the school handbook and the unwritten rules. Diverse social factions. Power struggles. Causes people champion or curse. And of course, the swings. The typical ups and downs that high school is known for.

Are the dynamics of residential real estate today … a little like high school?

Some of you are probably thinking, “Oh no, where is she going with this?” Others? You’ve already topped off your coffee and settled in.

Is this an off-base analogy or déjà vu? Either way, let’s have some fun. Hear me out:

Less dazed, more determined

What’s your favorite high school flick? I have many, but Dazed and Confused is at the top of my list. Mostly because I love the ’60s and ’70s: the music, the fashion. And let’s be honest, wearing bell-bottoms in the 2020s just doesn’t hit the same.

“If I ever start referring to these as the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself.” That painfully honest gem, delivered by Pink in Dazed and Confused, used to make me laugh. Now, it makes me think.

Sure, high school had its moments, but I’m far happier in this season of life. I’m more independent, less concerned with approval, and finally free to do the work I believe in. 

Maybe the evolution of the real estate industry could reflect that too: less division, more alignment. Fewer power struggles, more shared purpose. A space where doing the right thing, especially for the people licensed professionals serve, matters more than protecting turf or preserving old hierarchies.

Before we dive into the yearbook of Real Estate High, let me just say: If the industry has felt a little like third period with a pop quiz lately, you’re not imagining things. It’s full of bold — and sometimes shocking — headlines, compelling sound bites and swirling rumors, shifting loyalties and silent (and sometimes not-so-quiet) hierarchies. I’d say the only thing missing is a hallway monitor handing out warning slips, but let’s be honest, that’s probably the DOJ.

Let’s head down the hall. Class is officially in session.

The roll call of real estate

Ready for attendance? Just a reminder, this is all in good fun. But if some of it hits close to home, well, that’s kind of the point. On a lighter note, if you’re going to read through this cast of characters, I highly recommend queuing up “Slow Ride” by Foghat. It sets the tone.

As you read, ask yourself: Which of these groups are helping the school thrive, and who’s skipping class? And remember, in this school, the real “assignments” are the deals, disclosures and decisions that shape the industry.

The student body (general agent population)

They’re the heartbeat of the school — showing up, grinding it out and navigating the social swirl of Real Estate High. Some are finding their voice. Others are just trying to make it to graduation without detention (or a DRE citation). They might not all agree on who runs the place, but without them, the halls would be empty.

The cool kids (luxury brokers)

They roll up in Range Rovers, dressed in quiet luxury and loud confidence. Everyone wants to sit with them, even if they pretend not to care. They don’t just sell homes. They sell a lifestyle, preferably with a view and an NDA.

The drama club (reality TV agents + social media stars)

Always “on.” Their open houses are productions, and their Instagram stories are more choreographed than a high school musical. Critics roll their eyes, but hey, they’ve got followers. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to win prom queen.

The geeks (compliance consultants + risk managers)

Uncool? Maybe. Indispensable? Absolutely. They do the homework no one else wants to touch, fix the group project at the last minute, and quietly save everyone’s GPA (and license).

The computer lab crew (proptech + AI innovators)

You’ll find them in the back of campus, building tools the rest of the school hasn’t caught up to yet. They speak in code, pitch big ideas and sometimes get accused of trying to replace teachers with apps. Visionaries to some, disrupters to others. They’re already operating in the future while the rest of us are still fumbling with hall passes.

The principal (state regulators + DRE)

They show up unannounced. They enforce the rules. And when someone breaks them? Expect a trip to the office, and probably a write-up. They’re not here to be liked. They’re here to make sure the place doesn’t burn down.

The teachers (managing brokers + ethics trainers)

Some are inspiring. Some are just counting the days to summer break. They manage behavior, grade performance and try to maintain order in a classroom full of conflicting agendas.

The teachers union (NAR + power brokers)

They’ve long shaped school policies and culture. They say they’re working for the common good — and sometimes, they are. But lately, more teachers are asking: Do they still speak for us?

The PTA (consumer watchdogs)

They don’t go to school here, but they’ve got a seat at the table and an eye on the budget. They show up to meetings, raise tough questions and push for transparency, especially when it comes to fees and access. Some roll their eyes. Others take notes. But one thing’s certain: They’re not staying silent.

The rule-breakers (unethical agents)

They’re vaping behind the gym — it was cigarettes in my day — skipping class and making side deals in the parking lot. Disregarding disclosure and steering buyers? Just part of the routine. They haven’t been caught … yet. But the detention slip is coming.

The overachievers (top producers who follow the rules)

They grind. They lead quietly. They do the work and turn in every form on time. Admired by teachers and peers, they’re the ones actually running the show, just not yelling about it.

The transfer students (new agents and startups)

They’re fresh, a little lost, and someone’s already tried to sell them a coaching program. But they’re curious, scrappy and not bound by legacy friend groups. That makes them unpredictable, but in the best way.

The student council (reformers + advocates)

They show up early. They raise their hands. They fight for transparency, access and equity — even when they get eye rolls in the hallway. But sometimes? They’re the reason the handbook gets rewritten.

The school newspaper (industry media)

They break news, stir the pot and sometimes publish op-eds in your locker. They’re not always unbiased, but people read every word.

The cafeteria (MLS + portals)

Finally, this is where it all goes down. Gossip. Deals. Power plays. You can see exactly who’s sitting where and what’s being served. Some cut the line, others sneak off-campus to eat. What’s visible may not be the whole story. And what gets missed can matter even more.

Fiction or flashback?

Take the cast of characters above and build whatever plot you like. The storyline is yours. But one common reflection when thinking about high school, at least for me, is how I’d do it differently. I’d certainly care less about who was watching and more about who I was becoming. I imagine many of us feel that way when we look back at younger versions of ourselves. 

And while this piece is playful, even tongue-in-cheek, I think there are some key takeaways behind the metaphors. Real estate is in flux. Like any institution under pressure, it faces a choice: resist change or rise to meet it.

Right now, in this industry, we have a real-time opportunity to make better decisions. We can treat compliance not as a formality, but as a foundation for trust. It means showing up with intention, without letting the noise or the naysayers slow us down. We can walk forward, learning from the past, but also not looking back.

I should mention that when the coast begins to clear and the headlines quiet down, it becomes easier to see the workforce that has been there all along. It is resilient, ethical and motivated, doing the hard work for the right reasons. That deserves to be seen. And if not celebrated, then certainly acknowledged.

Another way to look at all of this, and as Matthew McConaughey’s character Wooderson memorably put it in Dazed and Confused, is: “You just gotta keep livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N.”

Perhaps that’s the reminder to pull from this crazy analogy: Keep moving, keep growing, and focus on what matters. Integrity. Service. Forward motion. Not image. Not popularity. And definitely not cafeteria politics.

Because high school ends. And thank goodness, right? We grow up. We evolve. We do the adult thing now. Less drama, more direction. Less posing, more purpose.

We should aim to be our authentic selves while continuing to grow, learn and adapt (so few of those walking around on a high school campus). Following the rules, even when no one is watching, has always been the real compliance challenge. And we shouldn’t fall in with the wrong crowd, even if they’re the ones holding the mic.

So sure, maybe this piece is just comic relief. I definitely laughed while writing it. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s a mirror. Either way, I think we can all agree the future is already here. This time, let’s get it right the first time. No regrets.

NOTE: The opinions, suggestions, and recommendations contained in this discussion are based on Summer Goralik’s experience working for the California Department of Real Estate and as a real estate compliance consultant. They should not be considered legal advice or relied upon as such. You should consult with your brokerage and/or appropriate legal counsel in your jurisdiction for further clarification.

Summer Goralik is a real estate compliance consultant and former CA DRE Investigator in Huntington Beach, California. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

7 proven ways to revive a listing without dropping the price

7 proven ways to revive a listing without dropping the price

A price drop is not your only option when the market’s slow or the listing’s stale. Darryl Davis offers strategies to reboot and relaunch that property.

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In a market where every listing is fighting for attention, agents are under pressure to produce results fast. But when a home lingers too long without offers, the default reaction is usually: slash the price. After all, what do grocery stores do when a loaf of bread gets stale? Slash the price and put it in the clearance bin. 

Here’s the thing: Pricing may be the issue. But before you go reaching for that price reduction button, hit pause. There are seven powerful strategies that can reposition your listing, generate fresh interest and reengage the market, without leaving money on the table.

1. Refresh your first impression

A stale listing usually has a stale first image, and buyers scroll fast. The simple act of changing out your primary photo can reignite interest. Rotate in seasonal shots, twilight photos or lifestyle-focused images.

Are the pictures a little old? Is it July, and your images still show snow on the ground? Refresh your listing with all new in-season photos.

Bonus: Listings with updated images can get reprioritized by some MLSs and portals, helping them look “new” again.

2. Reframe the story

Your description should sell a story, not a list of features. If the home were a person, what kind of personality would it have? Your description should make the buyer feel something.

Think of it this way: If your listing were a dating profile, would it stand out or be ghosted? Has the home been recently staged? Upgraded? Did the sellers add smart home tech? Maybe the home office space is a remote worker’s dream. Highlight what makes the home matter now. If it’s been more than a month, rewrite the narrative.

3. Reintroduce the neighborhood

Buyers don’t just buy homes; they buy lifestyles. Add community photos, nearby hotspots, parks or dog-friendly areas to the listing. Paint the picture of what it feels like to live there. Create a “Love Where You Live” post for your socials or email a lifestyle-focused flyer to your database. Highlight schools, community events, festivals and anything else that will tell potential buyers, “You can have this lifestyle too.” Because nobody remains entirely in their home, it’s often easy access to the surrounding amenities that seal the deal.

4. Reevaluate your marketing mix

When’s the last time you did a marketing audit? Are you relying on auto-blasted email campaigns and hoping for the best? Now’s the time to get intentional. Test a new lead headline. Try a carousel video on Instagram. Post a behind-the-scenes tour to YouTube. 

There are plenty of AI tools that can help you analyze your marketing systems and campaigns and can help you improve them with better SEO, more engaging content and better target audience engagement. If you’re not getting fresh eyes on the property, change the channel, not the price.

5. Upgrade to 3D and aerial

Let’s face it: Today’s buyers want more than just photos. They want immersion, and 3D walkthroughs, drone footage and narrated video tours help create a virtual experience buyers can’t ignore. They want to know what it feels like to be in that home before they even pick up the phone.

Try this stat on for size: Homes with video get 400 percent more inquiries. That’s not fluff. That’s fact. And it’s often the difference between “maybe” and “let’s make an offer.”

6. Tap into buyer and agent feedback

Before you drop the price, listen to the market. What are showing agents and buyers saying? Are there repeat concerns like room size, layout or lighting? Maybe you repeatedly hear that the home isn’t as nice as the one down the street. Tackle what you can, and reframe what you can’t.

For example: A small dining room can become a cozy breakfast nook. A dated kitchen becomes a blank canvas. Use feedback to reposition, not reduce.

7. Leverage the power of relaunch

Sometimes, you need to hit the reset button the right way. Consider temporarily withdrawing the listing for a week or two and relaunching it with new visuals, new marketing copy and a virtual open house campaign. This isn’t a stunt; it’s a strategic pause that allows you to come back to market with fresh momentum.

A home that’s sitting without offers isn’t a failure — it’s a message. And before you respond with a price cut, ask yourself: Have I done everything possible to tell this home’s story better, stronger and smarter?

You have tools. You have tactics. You have time to get it right, without rushing to reduce.

Let’s stop normalizing price drops as the only move in a slow market. Real estate is part art, part science — and a whole lot of strategy.

8 tips for maximizing a listing’s square footage as an agent

8 tips for maximizing a listing’s square footage as an agent

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As mortgage rates remain high, many markets are slowing as buyers become more picky amid expensive borrowing costs. In this type of market, buyers have more leverage, and they may be looking to get more bang for their buck. 

It’s no wonder sellers are getting anxious. 88 percent of homeowners have significant fears about selling their home, but 73 percent believe an agent can deliver market value or higher for their property, according to a recent survey from our team.

Agents can help sellers get the most value for their property by presenting a sleek, appealing home that’s optimized every single square foot of space. A 2023 report found that 25 percent of recent buyers bought a smaller house than they’d planned, so the market for smaller homes is likely bigger than many sellers realize. 

Here are the best ways to help clients maximize their home’s square footage before hitting the market.

1. Stage for flow

Building an addition is the most obvious way to increase a home’s square footage, but it’s also the most expensive. It’s much more practical to work with the square footage that’s already there. Effective staging can make a space seem larger and more open just by removing distractions.

If your client has bulky furniture that makes the space feel smaller, explore the possibility of replacing it with pieces that have slimmer silhouettes. If they don’t want to purchase new furniture, most professional staging services have furniture to rent. 

Also think about how the furniture is arranged. Create lanes for convenient, natural movement, and use furniture to create focal areas. For example, cluster two chairs and an end table together to create a conversation spot. 

Finally, avoid pushing furniture against the walls. While this will leave the center of a room open, it can often make a space feel smaller and more cramped.

2. Feature the right size of appliance

A modestly sized kitchen can feel even smaller if your client has a lot of bulky appliances. Appliances that aren’t used enough to justify the counter space they take up should be removed, especially if they’re old. Taking out an old appliance can make a kitchen seem visually larger and add some much-needed counter space.

For vital appliances, such as stoves and refrigerators, there are slimline or apartment-sized models that are much more appropriate for small spaces. If your client can shrink their appliance footprint by half, the kitchen will feel twice as big.

3. Maximize natural light

If your client can’t expand the square footage of the home, help them present what they already have in the best possible light — literally. The more natural light in a space, the better. Remove heavy or obstructive window coverings, such as drapes or blinds, and trim exterior bushes, hedges or trees that might block the windows.

If your client has a budget for renovations, tell them to consider installing skylights or more windows. Even smaller pillbox windows can dramatically improve a space’s brightness, especially if it’s dark to begin with.

4. Encourage multipurpose rooms

Since the pandemic, buyers have been especially interested in multipurpose spaces that could serve as an office, workout room or guest bedroom. If your client has a spare bedroom, they could consider adding furniture to make it multifunctional. For example, a convertible sofa or Murphy bed could make a spare bedroom much easier to convert into a home office in a pinch.

Other rooms could also be candidates for conversion, especially rooms that may feel superfluous to today’s buyers. Formal dining rooms have fallen out of fashion in this more relaxed era of open floor plans. This room might have more appeal as a home office or gym. The same principle applies to formal living rooms or sitting rooms. If you have both, one is probably unnecessary.

5. Explore enclosing outdoor space

Another easy way for your client to add some usable square footage to their home is to enclose outdoor space. Screening in a porch or patio can provide a breezy, appealing space at a relatively low cost, compared to building a whole new addition.

6. Suggest pocket doors

In a small space, interior doors can contribute to a perception of visual clutter. They can also render the space behind them useless, shrinking an already modest space. Sliding pocket doors can have an outsized effect on a house, freeing up space and contributing to a cleaner, more minimalistic look.

7. Remind homeowners to declutter

One of the easiest ways to make a home look larger is to get rid of clutter. Before a home opens for showings, a general rule of thumb is to get rid of half of everything. Encourage them to put half their furniture into storage or more if they have a lot.

They should also remove excess bottles on bathroom counters, clothes in the closets and dishes in kitchen cupboards. Buyers almost always look into storage spaces, and if they’re cluttered, they’ll likely assume that the house doesn’t have enough storage.

8. Advise your client to update unfinished rooms

Most homes are priced by the square foot, so an unfinished basement, attic or garage apartment that could function as livable space can be an easy way to boost a home’s usable footage and its value. If a basement or attic can be easily and inexpensively converted into a living space, it’s a no-brainer to do so. 

Even smaller spaces, such as nooks under a staircase, can add real value and appeal once they’re converted into a closet or office space. On the other hand, if your client’s space requires serious renovations, there’s a cost-benefit calculation that you’ll want to advise them on.

Carefully go over relevant comps to determine how much value they might be able to add to their home through a conversion, and make sure they get several estimates from contractors so they get the best price.

Luke Babich is the CEO of Clever Real Estate in St. Louis. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.