The Spalding Group

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

No two days are ever the same in real estate.
Some days we combine forces, take the kids to play, and support local.

05/28/2026

So excited to implement what we have learned for our business and our clients! 👏🏼🎉🫶🏼

05/27/2026

Nicole and Cathie made it to Chicago ✨

Taking in the city and enjoying a little time before conference tomorrow! We’re excited for a day filled with learning, networking, and bringing back fresh ideas to better serve our clients and community. ❤️🏙️

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Their courage and selflessness have given us the freedoms we enjoy every day, including the ability to build homes, communities, and futures for the people we serve.

As we gather with family and friends, we are grateful for those who gave everything in service to our nation.

❤️ Remember.
🤍 Honor.
💙 Never Forget.

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.

— The Spalding Group

05/23/2026

Buyer preferences shift faster than most sellers realize.

What felt like a selling point five years ago is showing up on inspection addendums and offer objections today. The jetted tub nobody uses. The carpet a buyer is already pricing out. The smart home system nobody can figure out how to operate.

Sellers who know what buyers are walking away from right now make smarter decisions about what to update, what to leave alone, and what to disclose before it becomes a negotiation.

Which one surprised you the most? Drop it in the comments.

05/22/2026

Before you fire up the grill for the first cookout of the season there is one step most people skip entirely.

Start with the grates. Remove them completely and soak them in hot soapy water for at least 30 minutes. While they are soaking use a putty knife or grill scraper to knock off any built up grease and residue from the inside of the grill. That black flaky buildup is not seasoning. It is old grease and it will end up on your food.
Wipe down the inside walls with a damp cloth and a little dish soap. Clean out the grease trap at the bottom. That is the number one cause of grill fires and most people have never emptied it.

For the grates use a bristle free brush after they have soaked and then dry them completely before putting them back. A light coat of vegetable oil on the grates before the first cook of the season prevents sticking and adds years to their life.
For gas grills check the burner tubes for spider webs and debris before you turn the gas on. Spiders build nests in burner tubes over winter and a blocked tube is a safety issue not just a performance one.

Twenty minutes now means better food and no mid cookout surprises all summer.

Save this before your first cookout.

05/21/2026

When buyers walk through your home and say nothing, that is feedback.

When showings stop after the first week, that is feedback. When agents schedule appointments and then cancel, that is feedback. When buyers come through once and never follow up, that is feedback.

None of it is delivered in a report. None of it comes with a clear explanation. But all of it is telling you the same thing.

The buyers who would pay your price have already seen your home and moved on. The ones still coming through are deciding between your home and something better priced. That is not a showing problem. That is a pricing conversation.

The market does not send a letter. It just stops showing up.

Drop a comment if you have ever been on the buyer side of a home that was clearly overpriced. What did you do?

05/20/2026

It is not a pool. It is not a fire pit. It is not string lights.

The outdoor kitchen has moved from a luxury upgrade to a line item on buyer wish lists in almost every price point. Built in grill, pizza oven, beverage station, counter space. Buyers are walking through homes and doing the math on whether they could add one if it is not already there.

And sellers who have one are seeing it. According to GOBankingRates, homes with outdoor kitchens are recouping up to 70% of the investment at resale. In warm climates that number climbs even higher.

The good news is you do not have to spend a fortune to get there. Around $1,000 gets you a heavy duty freestanding grill, a weatherproof prep table, and a beverage station that functions like a kitchen without anything being built in. Around $2,500 gets you a modular grill station with side burners, a concrete countertop on a cinder block base, and a mini fridge. At $5,000 you are looking at a fully built in setup with a grill, concrete or tile countertop, under counter beverage fridge, outdoor sink, and a pergola overhead. That is the version that shows up in listing photos and stops buyers mid scroll.

Do you have an outdoor kitchen or has it been on your list? Drop a comment and tell me where you land on this one. Thinking about adding one before you list? That is a conversation worth having before you spend a dollar.

GOBankingRates — https://www.gobankingrates.com/investing/real-estate/real-estate-agent-backyard-amenities-homebuyers-want-2026/

05/19/2026

Every seller focuses on the list price. It is the number they tell their friends. The number they compare to their neighbor's sale. The number they negotiated hardest to protect.

It is also not the number that matters most.

The net sheet shows you exactly what you will walk away with after everything is settled. It accounts for every cost, every credit, and every negotiated item before you ever accept an offer. Sellers who have it before they list make better decisions about pricing, timing, and what they are willing to negotiate.

Ask your agent for a net sheet before you agree to anything. It is the one number in this transaction that is actually yours.