It’s always a pleasure when former clients reach out seeking help with new spaces in their homes, as was the case with one of my favorite Virginia families looking to breathe new life into their primary bathroom.

Whether it’s a love of history, a desire to live more sustainably and/or hoping to stay in budget (or avoid tariff impacts), shopping vintage is a great way to furnish or add style to your home. With a recent trip to the markets of Paris and my biannual Lucketts pilgrimage, I’ve been in many more conversations with clients and friends about buying previously owned pieces…and special considerations you may or may not have thought of. So, here are a few key tips as you go hunting at estate sales, flea markets and online…

If you’re like most homeowners (or aspiring ones), you’ve encountered lots of online listings and automated valuation models (or AVMs) — from the Redfin Estimate to the Zestimate. Who doesn’t love looking up their home and getting that dopamine hit of a higher number than your purchase price (hopefully)? But are they accurate or is there a better way to assess a property’s value on today’s market?