When a home gets stuck and doesn’t sell, many times it takes just ONE idea, not two or three, to solve the problem. This listing had come from a corporate relocation office in St. Louis, so I bought a plane ticket and made a surprise visit there. Somewhat brazenly, I asked for $10,000 to completely redo the backyard landscaping. My vision was to plant a buffer of 10 evergreen trees to mute the traffic noise. Alas, I was turned down. Undeterred, I offered to pay for the relocation professional to visit Denver and see the home for herself. It was an out-of-town executive move and the home was vacant.

The minute the relocation professional walked out on the deck, I heard her say, “You can have the $10,000.” There were numerous aspects to the new landscaping plan, and I recruited the workers to make it happen. The work was completed quickly, transforming the backyard into an oasis of sensory delights. Standing amidst the sweet-smelling pines, gazing at the stunning mountain view, a homebuyer could easily imagine grilling a delicious steak on the huge wraparound deck.