Tony's Hot Takes

Tony has some thoughts on how he wants his space to look.

Now, as a professional, he's always going to do what the customer wants (assuming it follows the laws of your city and the laws of physics), but in his own home? That's another story.

1. First and foremost, especially if you own the house, you have to like living there. If you're doing or not doing something because you're worried about the resale value, then you're not really living there; you're just borrowing it. Most of the points below will echo this theme.

   
   

2. Millennial gray is out. It's just paint - paint it the color you want it! His office is navy blue. My office is various shades of purple. The dining room is orange, and the laundry room next to it is kelly green. If and when you go to sell, you can grab some neutral paint pretty easily for staging pictures. Or, just leave it. Painting is one of the first things people do in their own.

   
   

3. Kitchens and bathrooms are going to be the most expensive renovations you encounter, so plan for that. If you only want cosmetic or minor changes, you can probably do that on the cheap, but think about what you want so you're not making a change, and then tearing it out 2 years later for what you actually want.

   
   

4. Decorations are easily put up and taken down. Don't let a few nail or screw holes keep you from making the place feel like yours. This is actually probably most relevant in an apartment when you can't paint, but you can fix holes before you leave.

   
   

5. Don't skimp on bedroom blackout curtains. It is none of my business if the sun is up yet or not.

What did we miss? What are some of your homeownership rules?