When I first stepped into this apartment, it was completely worn down, and I wasn’t sure where to start. Though I had a formula that worked, I was still refining it. The owner, a single mom with two kids, had lived there for 20 years without knowing much about maintenance.

I focused on key upgrades—painting the kitchen, refinishing the floors, adding a new backsplash, and installing an entryway light. A kitchen island with overhead lighting became the centerpiece. In the end, the transformation was so successful that the final sale set a record for the building.