In this conversation, Bess Dickson and Mark Liesner discuss essential strategies for home sellers looking to sell in 2026. They emphasize the importance of understanding individual timelines, the necessity of renovations, and the overall selling process. The duo also highlights the significance of preparing a home for sale, focusing on presentation, decluttering, and creating an inviting atmosphere for potential buyers.

Takeaways
-Understanding your timeline is crucial for selling.
-Home selling is a highly individualized process.
-Consider what changes you would make if staying longer.
-Renovations should align with market expectations.
-Pricing can help overcome home deficiencies.
-Decluttering is essential for buyer appeal.
-Presentation of the home is key to attracting buyers.
-Your home should feel like a product on the market.
-Minimalism can enhance the appeal of a home.
-Focus on what buyers want, not personal preferences.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Home Selling in 2026
02:02 Understanding Your Selling Timeline
05:04 Preparing Your Home for Sale
10:05 The Importance of Market Trends
12:48 Decluttering and Presentation for 2026
16:02 Final Thoughts and Trends Ahead

In today’s housing market, the word affordable doesn’t mean what most buyers think it does. In this episode of Keys & Gears, we break down why affordability is often misunderstood and how smart buyers are reframing their strategy in 2026.

Bess Dickson and Mark Liesner unpack the real tension between location and budget. From market timing to practical ways to structure your payment, this conversation helps you think more strategically about what’s actually possible in today’s real estate landscape. If you’re wondering whether to wait, stretch, or rethink your approach, this episode gives you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.
In this episode, we cover:
-Why “affordability” is often a misnomer in real estate
-How location preferences quietly drive buying decisions
-Practical ways buyers make the numbers work
-What smart buyers are doing differently in 2026
-How to get the most bang for your buck in today’s housing market

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Is your lifestyle helping—or quietly delaying—your path to homeownership? In this episode of Keys & Gears, hosts Bess Dickson and Mark Liesner talk about the real-life tradeoffs that come with buying your first home. From everyday spending habits to long-term goals, they unpack how small decisions today can shape your ability to own tomorrow.

Bess shares how she helps clients become part of her “homeownership tribe” by asking better questions, learning from neighbors, and approaching open houses with intention. Her goal is simple: help people avoid costly mistakes and see homeownership as an investment in themselves.

Mark brings the numbers and perspective, reminding listeners that your first home doesn’t have to be perfect. With realistic budgets, timelines, and expectations, the right first step can set you up for the next one.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your current lifestyle is aligned with your home buying goals, this conversation will help you think differently about the path forward.

Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is one of the most important numbers in the home-buying process — and one of the least understood. In this episode of Keys & Gears, we break down how DTI really works, why lenders rely on it so heavily, and how it can stop a deal before it ever begins.

We explain what income actually counts on paper, how your monthly debt impacts buying power, and why checking your DTI early gives you options instead of surprises. If you’re thinking about buying a home in the next 6–12 months, this episode helps you assess whether your DTI is where it needs to be — and what to do if it’s not.

This is about planning early, understanding the numbers, and putting yourself in position to buy with confidence.

Most people think buying a home starts when they find the right house. It doesn’t. It starts with preparation understanding your credit, knowing what lenders look for, and getting clear on what “ready” actually means. In this episode, Bess Dickson & Mark Liesner walk through the pre-approval process and the financial groundwork that should happen long before you make an offer. If homeownership is on your horizon, this conversation helps you slow down, plan ahead, and move forward with confidence.

Confused about down payments? You’re not alone. This episode breaks down how down payments really work, how much you actually need, and the options buyers have today especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer. This is clear guidance to help you move forward with confidence.

Before you get pre-approved, there are specific financial steps that can dramatically increase your chances of securing a loan. In this episode, Bess and Mark break down the do’s and don’ts of credit, documents, savings, and employment so you can avoid delays and move toward homeownership with confidence.

We walk through how to check your credit, organize your paperwork, understand your debt-to-income ratio, and avoid common mistakes like opening new credit, financing big purchases, or switching jobs too soon.

Plus — we debunk the biggest myth out there: you don’t need 20% down.
Most buyers actually need 3–3.5% plus closing costs.

This episode gives you the financial clarity and confidence every buyer needs before applying for a loan.

Should you buy a home now or wait for rates to drop? In this episode, Bess and Mark break down the real forces driving today’s market — population growth, job expansion, inflation, and demand — and why timing the housing market is as difficult as timing the stock market.

We walk through three steps to help you decide:

1. Clarify why you want to move
2. Understand the true cost of waiting
3. Run the “refi later” math

If you're debating whether now is the right time to buy, this episode gives you the clarity to make a confident, informed decision based on your life — not the headlines.