News — Before

When we purchased our home back in 2009, we were just babies - I was only 21 years old!  The housing market was terrible & we couldn't afford much.  When we found our little 1350 sq. ft. ranch, it was perfect for our needs at that time.  It was our "five year plan"  house.  A perfect starter home, but not somewhere where we wanted to be forever. Well, fast forward 10 years, and we are still in this same little humble abode.  There's nothing wrong with it (other than it's getting small for our growing family), but it's just not...

Brooke and Sam knew they were home when they walked into this 1,800-foot, loft-style Brooklyn condo. The three-bedroom Fort Greene apartment was modern and gave them room to grow. That was good, because by the time they’d closed on it, they had  one-week-old baby Leroy in their arms. Brooke, a digital media exec, and Sam, a tech specialist, loved the sleek two-floor space, but wanted to freshen up the kitchen and (three!) baths, and give the apartment whimsical style. While in contract, they’d posted their project on Sweeten, a free service that matches renovators with vetted general contractors. Soon, they’d...

A chance discovery of a larger apartment due north of Midtown West in Manhattan led a family of four to a new home. Ylia, a strategy and retail planner, and André, in wealth management, found more space in Washington Heights for their two boys, ages two and three. But this 1,600-square-foot fixer-upper with two bedrooms and two baths would need a revamp. The couple posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with trained professionals. They found a Sweeten architect to help them with the redesign they were seeking, including—by happy accident—giving the co-op a loft-like vibe. Guest blog...