Fall calls for more than just a reset on our clocks. We need to prepare for a new season. Here are some ways to do so and save money at the same time.

At the grocery store

Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Overripe fruits and vegetables go bad faster, so choose the freshest produce available. When it comes to leafy greens, opt for those that are richly colored, with few to no limp or yellow leaves. When youre picking out root vegetables like potatoes and onions, weight is a good indicator of freshness: The heavier they are, the better.

In your clothes closet

The cheapest place to go shopping is right in your home. With cooler months approaching, its time to go through your closet and swap out your favorite shorts for your favorite sweatpants.

Take a day to go through everything you own, and create piles for things you no longer want, things you want to keep, and seasonal items. For clothing you wont need until next summer, properly pack it in airtight containers to avoid issues like moths.

Once your clothing is separated, youll probably have some items that are showing signs of wear. Dont toss them. Its surprisingly easy to re-dye clothing that has started to fade. If you have stained items, try soaking items in OxiClean. If you noticed that your workout gear is not looking as spry as it used to (or that its retaining a funky smell even after washing), bring it back to life with Purex Fels-Naptha.

If the idea of going through your wardrobe doesnt fill you with joy, get some friends together over Zoom for a virtual clothing swap. You might be able to nab a couple of new pieces from pals and rid yourself of stuff you dont love anymore.

Around the house

If youre itching to do some remodeling, try something that doesnt cost anything at all: rearranging your furniture.

First, decide what you want the focal point of the room to be and concentrate on that. If its the bay windows in your living room, figure out how to arrange the furniture so it doesnt impede the view. Position the largest pieces of furniture (such as the bed or sofa) first, and work outward from there. Try different layouts.

Once you have an arrangement you like, step out of the room and walk back in. A vibe check will allow you to see how the room feels.

After rearranging, you may find yourself in need of a new piece of furniture or two. But before you go shopping, take a look around your house to see whether theres anything you can repurpose. Could that old bookshelf be transformed into your new standing desk?

Clean and organize

Now that youve rearranged, why not take the extra step of making the furniture look new? To tackle lighter stains, a little warm water and dish detergent can usually do the trick (depending on the fabric).

If you need something stronger, or you need more than just a spot treatment, it may be worth getting an upholstery cleaner. A good upholstery cleaner may seem expensive, but its cheaper and more convenient than hiring a professional cleaner.

Want to give your bathroom an inexpensive face-lift? Organize anything you have stored in exposed shelving. Tidying up (and hiding things out of sight) is especially rewarding if you have a smaller bathroom. A clean space creates the illusion of a larger space. Or perhaps you can craft a new shower curtain.

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It's fall. Time to refresh, reset and save - Minneapolis Star Tribune

After a 3-year-old named Matthew started having one seizure after another, his worried parents learned he had a chronic brain condition that was causing the convulsions. They faced an impossible decision: allow the damaging seizures to continue indefinitely, or allow surgeons to remove half of their sons brain. They chose the latter.

When Matthew emerged from surgery, he couldnt walk or speak. But bit by bit, he remastered speech and recaptured his lost milestones. The moment one side of his brain was removed, the remainder set itself to the colossal task of re-forging lost neural connections. This gut-level renovation was so successful that no one who meets Matthew today would guess that half his brain is gone.

BOOK REVIEW Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, by David Eagleman (Pantheon, 320 pages).

Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman is obsessed with probing the outer limits of this kind of neural transformation and harnessing it to useful ends. Weve all heard that our brains are more plastic than we think, that they can adapt ingeniously to changed conditions, but in Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, Eagleman tackles this topic with fresh lan and rigor. He shows not just how we can direct our own neural remodeling on a cellular level, but how such remodeling a process he calls livewiring alters the core of who we are.

Our machinery isnt fully preprogrammed, but instead shapes itself by interacting with the world, Eagleman writes. You are a different person than you were at this time last year, because the gargantuan tapestry of your brain has woven itself into something new.

His expertise derives from his place at the center of the livewiring universe. As the CEO of NeoSensory, which makes sensory aids like wristbands that allow deaf people to feel sound, hes been an architect of brain plasticity research for more than a decade.

In a refreshing counterpoint to the biology-is-destiny drumbeat, Eagleman embarks on a lively tour of how we can transform our brains by exercising our own agency. The neurons we exercise thrive and make new connections, he says, while the unused ones wither away. Its essentially Darwins survival of the fittest playing out inside the human skull. Just like neighboring nations, neurons stake out their territories and chronically defend them, Eagleman writes. Each neuron and each connection between neurons fights for resources.

The brains remodeling ability offers us lots of room to compensate for our existing weaknesses. Just as Matthews neurons cross-linked in new ways to make up for the brain tissue he lost, the brains of blind or deaf people adapt by forming more neural connections to process information coming from other senses. Brain regions care about solving certain types of tasks, irrespective of the sensory channel by which information arrives, Eagleman writes. The cartography of the brain constantly shifts to best represent the incoming data.

Still, he stresses that these kinds of dramatic changes may not be lasting unless theyre actively maintained. If youre a football quarterback, the region of your brain devoted to split-second decisions will be a rich thicket of neural connections, exquisitely attuned to the task of speeding the ball to a receiver. But if you retire and retreat into couch potato-hood, these hard-won neural connections will atrophy. Decades down the line, you may have to summon all your concentration just to flip the ball to your grandkids.

Our profound neural adaptability stems in part from the brains bias toward maximizing novel input, a strategy Eagleman calls infotropism. Once the brain hits on a vein of new information, it sucks it up with vigor, valuing it over old or static inputs a bent that explains some of our more memorable neural quirks.

You are a different person than you were at this time last year, because the gargantuan tapestry of your brain has woven itself into something new, Eagleman writes.

Lots of people saw book pages with a faint reddish cast in the mid-1980s because office workers were staring at green-lit computer monitors for hours each day. In response to the new abundance of green, the brain re-calibrated its visual baseline, causing everything else to look just a little redder by comparison. (The effect disappeared once monitors started to display more colors.) In a similar way, your brain adjusts for stable visual stimuli like the fine scrim of blood vessels on your retina, so youre never conscious of seeing these vessels at all.

Importantly, Eagleman also addresses the limits of neural remodeling a discussion that lends surprising insight into our polarized political landscape. We experience a pronounced drop in brain plasticity as we age, which is one reason some older people seem mired in world views that may not align with todays global realities. Through years of border disputes, neural maps become increasingly solidified, Eagleman writes, later adding, Someday, your brain will be that time-ossified snapshot that frustrates the next generation.

Despite his acknowledgment of this reality, Eaglemans overall tone is one of heady optimism about livewirings potential. The dogged adaptability of the human brain, he says, suggests a broader guiding principle for designers and inventors: Dont build inflexible hardware; build a system that adapts to the world around it. He floats the prospect of International Space Station components that are initially incompatible, but muddle their way to compatibility by trying different connection strategies just as the brain muddles its way to solutions through repeated trial and error.

No technology yet exists to enable this kind of flexible machine intelligence, which underscores the immensity of the challenge Eagleman is posing. While Livewired is long on enthusiasm (and rightfully so), its a bit short on guidance for emulating or augmenting the adaptable system inside our heads. Its easy for the hype that surrounds brain plasticity to get ahead of reality, as when Elon Musks Neuralink prototype branded as a Fitbit in your skull to enhance neural activity proved to be basically a miniaturized set of electrodes.

Even so, the scientific discoveries that have been made are remarkable enough, and Eaglemans insights on their significance shrewd enough, to make his book a vital addition to the pop-neuroscience canon. Were still a far cry from harnessing our brains chameleon-like properties to the fullest extent. But that doesnt mean its too early to sketch out the possibilities that will open up when we do.

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Book Review: The Remarkable Adaptability of the Human Brain - Undark Magazine

Caribou Coffee will have a counter inside the Festival Foods on Northland Avenue in Appleton.(Photo: Einstein Bros. Bagels)

Five things to know today: Several coming attractions in the Fox Cities updated their opening date plansthis week.

One business will unveilits expansionshortly, and an east-side organization puts on the brakes both because of the pandemic's effects.

Plus, theres a voteright nowthat has nothing to do with politics.

The new food court in the Northland Avenue Festival Foods in Appleton will open Nov. 13. Its currently hiring 20 people to run the area at the front of the store.

The reason why a 2,000-square-foot food court is drawing so much attention is that it will be the home of northeast Wisconsins first Caribou Coffee counter.

It will also have a gourmet popcorn counter, expanded HisshoSushi, Asian stir-fry and pizza by the slice.

Going to Pieces Quilt Co.completes its expansion nextweek at 1017 W. Northland Ave. in Appleton. The new space will house a new specialty fabric room and a nearly 900-square-foot quilting classroom that allows social distancing.

The business has seena surge of interestduring the pandemic as home sewers looked for new projects, said co-owners Mary Klein and Joanne Mjos.

Acocas remodeling/expansion in downtown Appleton should wrap up by the end of the month.

The mousy beige building was painted pimento red, making it stand outacross the street fromthe Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.

When it reopens, co-owner Bill Wetzel said it will havelimited hours to start and curbside pickup anddelivery only for its coffee drinks and breakfast items. As COVID-19 eases, hell add hours and expand the menu.

Thompson Center on Lourdes, a senior center on Appletons east side, will closetemporarily starting Friday becauseof COVID-19'saccelerationin the area. The center will reopen when the curve has flattened, its leaders said in a release.

More: COVID-19 in Appleton, Fox Cities: Thompson Center will close Friday to help slow spread of coronavirus

Kimberly-Clarks Nano diapers, made for preemies up to two pounds, area final four nominee in the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin, contest, an annual Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce promotion. Anyone can vote at madeinwis.com up until the winner is named Wednesday.

Besides K-Cs diapers made in Neenah, Plexus in Neenah and the Boldt Co. in Appleton had also made it into the contests final 16.

Contact reporter Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com. Followher on Twitter at@wallenfang.

More: The Buzz: Changes include a grocery store closure in New London

More: Shred Day offered Saturday at Bank First

More: The Buzz: VFW building sold to local investment group

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The clinic will occupy 4,300 square feet of space that formerly housed Five Guys and Subway.

A link has been sent to your friend's email address.

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

ProHealth Care is adding a second urgent care clinic in Pewaukee.(Photo: Evan Frank / Now News Group)

ProHealth Care will add a second Pewaukee urgent care clinic soon.

The new clinic will be at 1279 W. Capitol Drive in the village of Pewaukee, said Ann Dee Allen, a media relations and content strategist for ProHealth Care.

"The clinic will occupy 4,300 square feet of space that formerly housed Five Guys and Subway restaurants," Allen said.

The space is leasedand remodeling is underway. Allen said the urgent care clinic is scheduled to open in November.

"The clinic will have six examination rooms and one imaging room," Allen said. "Physicians, advanced practice providers and support staff will be located there."

The urgent care will be open seven days week and offer evening hours. Online reservations will be available atProHealthCare.org/UrgentCare;walk-in visits also will be welcomed.

ProHealth Care also has an urgent care clinic atN16 W24131 Riverwood Drivein the city of Pewaukee. Other urgent care centers are within ProHealth Medical Group clinics in Brookfield, Mukwonago, New Berlin, Oconomowoc, Waukesha and Watertown.

ContactEvan Frank at (262) 361-9138or evan.frank@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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Pewaukee will soon have a second ProHealth Care urgent care clinic - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A. Kevin Corvo|ThisWeek group

Parishioners at St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church are closer than before, both physically and spiritually, thanks to a $7.3 million, 22,975-square-foot addition that connects the campus church and school buildings.

The parish has been a fixture of the community since 1956, and the current church building has been a landmark at the southwest corner of Davidson and Dublin roads in Hilliard since it was dedicated about 40 years ago, according to stbrendans.net.

Our ONE campaign has met its goal of creating an addition that provides the convenience of joining us under one roof and providing the additional space for our ministries, said Colleen Speer, director of development for St. Brendan.

Construction for the Our Navigator Expansion campaign began in August 2019, and finishing touches continued during the final days of September, including the installation of a 1,200-pound marble altar in the churchs new adoration chapel.

It will be used for parishioners who prefer a small, quaint chapel for weddings or funerals but also as a place for personal prayer and reflection, Speer said.

The altar at the adoration chapel and other sacred pieces eventually will be consecrated, but owing to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the large and formal dedication that the St. Brendan staff members and parishioners would have celebrated must wait until later, she said.

Instead, members were permitted to take self-guided tours of the new addition Sept. 27.

The addition represents the first albeit the largest of four phases derived from the desire of parishioners, Speer said.

We didnt dream them up, she said. We asked for their input and what they wanted.

After completing the design for an addition and other improvements, St. Brendan leaders in early 2019 began a campaign to collect pledges to complete the first phase of the expansion, Speer said. To date, the church has pledges of $6.3 million, she said.

Construction began last year with a loan from the Catholic Diocese of Columbus that will be reimbursed with parishioners pledges, Speer said.

The first phase included connecting the church to the school, which is attended by 450 students in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

Previous story: Parishioners pledge to bring St. Brendan under one roof

A new 8-foot statute of St. Brendan the Navigator, made in Italy, now greets those approaching the churchs main entrance.

A new child-care center also was built adjacent to the sanctuary; the former child-care center was in a different building from the sanctuary, Speer said.

The first phase also includes new parish and school offices and a multipurpose meeting room.

The new additions allow for the growth of the churchs programs and its school, said Rev. Bob Penhallurick, pastor of St. Brendans Church.

Penhallurick said 3,016 families are members of St. Brendan, and 2,800 people on average attend multiple services every Sunday.

The sanctuary, which seats nearly 1,000 people, did not change.

Only one first-phase plan did not come to fruition: an expanded cafeteria because it was instead used as additional classroom space to allow for social distancing of children attending the school during the pandemic, Speer said.

Future phases include additional construction and renovations that would total 25,100 square feet of new construction and 8,525 square feet of renovated space on the 74,205-square-foot campus.

The second phase, estimated at less than $200,000, would consist of renovating the unattached parish offices into small meeting rooms.

The third phase, estimated at $150,000, would include remodeling and expanding the schools kitchen and building new restrooms.

The fourth phase, estimated at $750,000, would involve a building addition to serve as a preschool and early education center, according to Speer.

St. Brendan last was renovated in 1998, when a rectory was added to the campus. It also was expanded in 1992 when school classrooms were added.

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Changes afoot on St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church campus - ThisWeek Community News

Photo courtesy of Mid-Cape Home Centers

Installing a kitchen island is a great remodeling project to improve the functionality of your kitchen and add unique design elements (as well as value) to your home. The island can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. Larger kitchens can have room for multiple islands, serving a number of purposes. Smaller kitchens can fit islands that are big enough for entertainment as well as casual dining.

A kitchen island is a freestanding, multipurpose unit that often serves as complimentary counter space and storage. There are endless design options for an island, and it really does come down to what you want or need it to be.

Islands are a great way to provide additional storage in the kitchen. They can serve as a buffet for large meals or entertaining, create much-needed food prep space, or be utilized for such tasks as baking. In certain instances, the island incorporates additional appliances, including cooktops, under-counter microwaves, or wine storage. Some even have sinks installed.

Islands come in all sizes and materials. You dont need to have an expansive kitchen to have an island, yet an island adds value and instills a sense of luxury in a home. Many islands have an informal eating area with stools or chairs where you can enjoy snacks, breakfast, coffee or quick meals. Some have wheels so you can easily move them to where theyre needed at any given time.

The cost of a kitchen island varies as widely as the styles available. You could pay $100 for something simple and functional, or up to $10,000 for a custom piece of furniture as your kitchen centerpiece. The cost varies greatly due to several factors including its size, counter and cabinet material, and features, like a bar, a sink/drain and built-in appliances. The price to include an oven, range hood or other appliance for cooking in your island depends on whether or not you have a built-in island or are having something custom made. The average cost of a kitchen island ranges from $3,000 to $5,000.

Understanding your needs (as well as your space and budget) will help you plan on the right island for your home. If youre looking for an island that does more than provide extra counter space or storage, consider hiring a carpenter or kitchen remodeling professional. You might also need a licensed electrician and/or a licensed plumber if you want your island to have electricity and/or plumbing for appliances.

The benefits of installing a kitchen island are definitely something to consider. If you use your kitchen a lot, the benefit of having the extra counter space, storage space and even seating space can be a huge boon, especially if you entertain often. Again, do some research and think about what functionality you need or want from an island. Also, consider consulting a professional kitchen designer, particularly if what you want will be a custom piece.

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Should You Add a Kitchen Island? Here are Some Things to Consider - CapeCod.com News

For Sale/Rent

The single-family features four stories, multiple offices, and a solarium that looks out into a lush backyard.

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

27 Devon Road, BrooklinePrice: $4,500,000Size: 6,078 square feetBedrooms: 5Baths: 4.5

Everyones looking for their own slice of paradise in the cityand the new owners of this Chestnut Hill manse will have found theirs. Hedged by boxwoods and towering Alberta spruces, the home is barely visible from the sidewalk. Through a gateway and up the brick walkway, the front door opens into the foyer, which is a mood board for the entirety of the home: Original leaded windows, coffered ceilings, and a stately staircase all work together to create a habitat thats as grand as it is cozy.

Travel up those steps to see the two stories of fireplaced bedrooms, sizable bathrooms, and elegant offices above the main level. Or, stay on the ground floor to tap out a tune in the piano room, set a place in the paneled dining room, or start on dinner in the well-equipped kitchen. There, a double oven, farmhouse sink, and full wall of custom cabinetry center around a circular island outfitted with cookbook storage and barstool seating.

One step down from the kitchen, a tiled floor spreads out underneath a less formal dining and living room. A glass-and-wood solarium (which was completely rebuilt following the 2015 snowpocalypse) surrounds the sitting area, engulfing the room in sunlight and doubling as a massive window into the backyard: A private oasis filled with Japanese maples, perennial beds, and a decorative brick patio.

For information, contact Kyle Kaagan Team, Gibson Sothebys International Realty, kylekaaganhomes.com.

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

Photo via Gibson Sothebys International Realty

The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including architects, builders, kitchen and bath experts, lighting designers, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.

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On the Market: A Secluded Tudor in Chestnut Hill - Boston magazine

While V.J. Gautieri Constructors Inc. is focused on completing as much exterior work as possible before the snow flies, Save-A-Lot management is overseeing an upgrade to the interior of the store at 45-47 Ellicott St.

Such is the current status of the Ellicott Place project, a $2.3 million renovation of the supermarket that will include 10 market rate apartments on the second floor.

Victor Gautieri, project developer, on Friday said that crews have created a new entry vestibule, with placement moved to the east along the north wall, facing the Court Street Plaza parking lot.

That allows us room to construct our entrance to the elevator that accesses the second-floor apartments, he said.

Gautieri said that Save-A-Lot isclosed for some pretty extensive remodeling on the inside of the store. He believes the store has set a reopening date of Oct. 2.

(Theyre) painting and decorating as well as a lot of mechanical upgrades coolers and freezers and systems of that nature for their operation, he said.

The interior enhancementsare part of Save-A-Lot's effort to upgrade its branding, Gautieri said.

Theyve rolled out a different look reorganizing how the groceries are stocked and the flow of traffic within the stores, he said. New signs will be going up as well as a different kind of a logo that will be in place as soon as we are finished completing the work on the front canopy.

Gautieri said he is hoping to have all construction done by the end of April, weather permitting.

The project, part of the City of Batavias $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award, will feature seven one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments on the vacant, 11,600-square-foot second floor, and includes the development of 18,000 square feet of first-floor commercial/retail space.

Other improvements include a two-stop interior elevator, two stairwells, new exterior windows, doors, veneers and roof membrane.

The Save-A-Lot grocery store occupies around half of the ground floor.

Gautieri said his company plans to roll out some advertising on the apartments by the end of the year, with the goal of getting some preopening leasing in place.

Weve been receiving phone calls, wondering what the status of the project is and what the apartments will be like, he said. We want to try to get ahead of the curve and get things ready to go as soon as construction is done and weve got a certificate of occupancy in hand.

Ellicott Place and the Ellicott Station mixed-use redevelopment venture across the street will provide a much-needed boost for that section of the city, Gautieri said.

Its going to be good for well call it the Southside, which has lacked any real new projects or anything of that nature, he said.

Photo: View of the location of a new entry vestibule (boarded up), which will provide access to the elevator leading to second-floor apartments upon completion of the Ellicott Place project at the Save-A-Lot grocery store on Ellicott Street. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Previously:Planning boards to consider Ellicott Place residential/commercial venture special use permits

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Inside & out: Work is underway on project to renovate Save-A-Lot building - The Batavian

Charlotte, NC LaConcha Hotel is a member of the Crowne Plaza family of Hotels. As such, they maintain a 4-star rating consistently. On arrival, we proceeded to the front desk and were greeted immediately. There were plenty of signs asking everyone to please wear a face mask and compliance was excellent during our visit. We were informed that about 50% of the hotel was blocked off for remodeling. This hotel has 2room sections on opposite sides of the reception area. One is a 9 story set of rooms, and that is where the remodeling was taking place. We were given rooms on the opposite side, in a 4 story section. We were informed of the restaurant and the retail store was closed because of Coronas limitations.

Rooms; We selected a 1 queen room with a courtyard view. Our room was large and comfortable. The hotel had instituted new cleanliness protocols prior to our arrival. One of those protocols stated that no employees would enter our room for any reason during our stay. That was most interesting, as there was no daily housekeeping. If you wanted clean linens, you called down to the front desk. The towels were left in a sealed bag, at your room door. There were extra bath supplies, so we never had a problem during our 4-night stay. The entire hotel was very quiet during our stay, and we really enjoyed the extra solitude. There was an outdoor pool on a second-floor rooftop that we enjoyed several times during our stay.

City of Key West; Normally a bustling tourist city year-round, we found most areas were open for business, with very few crowds. All restaurants, with a few exceptions, were open under reduced capacity. That actually turned out to be a benefit for us, as we were never crowded. The beaches were also thinly populated. We found some of the snack locations and some beachside retail shops were closed, but those were an exception rather than a rule. Every time we have visited, the line for photos at the Key West Monument was enormous.

Join us next week for more on Where in the World is Phil- August 2020, Part 6

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Where in the World is Phil- August 2020, Part 5 - Mint Hill Times

Takasuu / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Man and woman thinking about housing

Q: What remodeling projects or improvements add the most value to a home?

A: There are two ways to look at this question. Is the remodeling for yourself and your enjoyment or for resale? Of course, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and a beautiful kitchen remodel will always stand out to buyers.

We recently saw a home in Walnut Creek that was almost eighty years old attract seventeen offers, because it had a beautiful, spacious and contemporary kitchen with all the bells and whistles. If you are going to put that extra pizazz into something, the kitchen is the place to do so.

If you are remodeling strictly for resale, spreading your remodeling dollars among the kitchen and bathrooms would be ideal. What you dont want to do is install that dream putting green in the backyard and leave the kitchen andbaths in their original condition.

Its funny, but even if people dont cook, they love those gleaming stainless steel appliances.

Dave Smith, Dudum Real Estate Group, 415-298-7851, davesmith@dudum.com.

A: Tastes have shifted during the pandemic and more buyers want a home in near-perfect condition. Buyers will pay top dollar for a home that they can just move into, without looming repairs, so comprehensive inspection reports are imperative. If repairs are needed, such as a new roof or a substandard electrical panel, then they should be made right.

Painting and floor refinishing are the cheapest and most obvious improvements. If the floors have already been freshly carpeted, at least provide the buyers with a quote for installing hardwood.

A complete kitchen renovation is too expensive. New quartz stone counters, sinks, faucets and light fixtures will transform the kitchen, the most significant room in the house. New cabinets are too costly, but existing cabinets should be painted.

Bathrooms should be updated too, but not completely renovated. Vanities, sinks and faucets can be changed inexpensively. Old bathtubs should be epoxied and shower enclosures removed.

John Solaegui, Compass, 415-999-0673, john@havengroupsf.com.

A: When it comes to adding immediate value to a home, dropping in a modular ADU (accessory dwelling unit) or in-law unit instantly adds livable square footage for a fraction of the traditional costs of construction.

If the additional 500 to 800 square feet youve just added to your home only cost $300/ft, but is valued closer to $850 per square foot (or whatever your neighborhood commands in terms of price per square foot), youve done quite well on the return.

In todays pandemic marketplace, buyers are looking for more space than ever before. Whether its for transitioning to a work from home model, or having the extra space to host in-laws or homeschool, additional indoor and outdoor space is in demand. Bocce court, anyone?

For smaller projects, I place a very high return on investment on exterior paint and landscaping. Curb appeal has never mattered more in a world with Instagram and Pinterest. I also recommend replacing dating countertops and painting over dated cabinetry. A simple drawer pull from Restoration Hardware is the perfect way to get the resale value of a remodeled kitchen for a fraction of the price.

C.J. Nakagawa, Golden Gate Sothebys International Realty 415-407-2151, sf2marin@gmail.com.

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Sound Off: What remodeling projects or improvements add the most value to a home? - MSN Money