Even the greatest home could fall short of true dream status if you don’t love the neighborhood you’re in.

According to a joint study by the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Arlington, curb appeal can boost a home’s value by 7 percent on average — and twice that for homes in slower real estate markets. So, whether you’re trying to add value before you put your home on the market or simply hoping to better match your personal design aesthetic, it’s well worth it to invest the time and money needed to update your home’s landscaping, front porch curb appeal and [...]

Each Friday, Robbie Briggs, CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, writes about luxury, trends, business and more in the advertising pages of the Mansion section of The Wall Street Journal. Below is his letter of April 30, 2021.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

In life — and in business — a change of scenery can really change your perspective.

That’s why we’ve been shaking things up and moving some of our offices. Yesterday, we opened our new space in Fort Worth, [...]

Every Texan deserves their place in the sun — and every Texas home does, too. With so much time spent indoors during the height of the pandemic, the value of a great outdoor space — complete with comfortable seating, compelling details and ample room to lounge and unwind — is more apparent than ever before. Fortunately, after a little attention and some key upgrades, your backyard can blossom from a grassy patch to a dreamy [...]

Each Friday, Robbie Briggs, CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, writes about luxury, trends, business and more in the advertising pages of the Mansion section of The Wall Street Journal. Below is his letter of April 23, 2021.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

This is an exciting moment for our brokerage. I am proud to announce the promotion of Russ Anderson to president of the firm.

Formerly our chief operating officer, Russ will now lead the company in strategy, business planning, budgeting and its day-to-day operations, including sales, marketing, relocation services, finance, technology and [...]

Each Friday, Robbie Briggs, president and CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, writes about luxury, trends, business and more in the advertising pages of the Mansion section of The Wall Street Journal. Below is his letter of April 16, 2021.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

A great magazine is like a great party: You come up with a theme, decide on what to serve and invite a big mix of friends — including some real characters.

We’ve done just that with the newest issue [...]