With Spring in full bloom, homeowners are taking advantage of the weather and prepping their outdoor living spaces for the summer season.

One main hangout for many is the deck. "There are a handful of different low-cost deck trends for 2012, and homeowners can freshen up their existing space without breaking the bank by highlighting a few key elements," explains Lawrence Finn, CEO Owner/Broker of Coach Real Estate Associates.

According to a survey by Trex Company, a composite deck company, 83 percent of Americans favor low-maintenance home improvement projects--and who can blame them? The following updates are as easy as they are wallet-friendly.

Rock the railing:

"The railing is often the first thing guests see when they take a look at your deck from the yard or street view, so it's important to realize that this is more than just a safety feature--although functionality is important, too," remarks Finn. Make a statement and allow your railing to stand-out by switching up building materials. If you have a wood deck, it doesn't mean you need to have wood railings. "Glass railings are hot right now," says Finn. Want to pass on glass? Look into composite or aluminum.

Pump up the posts:

Your deck posts can get a quick revamp with post caps. "Planter pots are becoming increasingly popular," says Finn. "Plant an herb garden or your favorite perennial right on your deck post." You can also look into posts with built-in lighting--some are even solar.

Add spark to your spindles:

The spindles between your rail posts, also known as balusters, can also be updated. Get a unique look by mixing and matching materials.

Love the lights:

If you're already proud of your outdoor space, spruce up your lighting to show it off at night. Look into recessed lights for the stairs, ornamental post lights, soft illuminating floor lights or eco friendly solar options.

If you want to take on a bigger project and give your deck a major facelift, consider redoing the base. Natural wood continues to be popular, but if you don't have the time or money for wood, you can consider composite decking. "Lots of consumers favor composite because it's durable and low maintenance," explains Finn. "And, many designs closely mimic real wood so you still have the aesthetic appeal."

New York - Christie's highly anticipated Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale on May 8 totaled $388.5 million (£240.9 million/ €299.1 million), marking the highest total ever in auction history for the category.

Record after record fell throughout the night, as bidders from around the world convened in the saleroom to compete for the sale's exceptional roster of works by the top artists of the category, including Mark Rothko, Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock, Alexander Calder, Yves Klein, Richard Diebenkorn, Barnett Newman, and Willem de Kooning, among others.

Fourteen new auction records were established, as well as a new record for the most expensive Post-War and Contemporary work sold at auction. The sale was 99% sold by value and 95% sold by lot.

"This was an historic event in the auction world, with three major records set in the space of a few short hours: a record for any Post-War and Contemporary art sale at $388.5 million, a record for any private collection of Post-War and Contemporary Art at $174.9 million for the Pincus Collection, and a new record for the most expensive work of the period, with Rothko's Orange, Red, Yellow sold for $86.9 million," said Brett Gorvy, Chairman and International Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art. "This was truly a season of icons, with the best works by Rothko, Newman, Richter, Pollock, Calder and Klein to come to market in many years. To see so many major records established in one evening was a tribute to the exceptional works on offer this season."

So, you have sold your house. Congratulations!

As you focus on prepping for your new home, packing and moving, cleaning your old home may be on the bottom of your to-do list. "Many sellers are unsure of how clean they need to leave their former property," says Lawrence Finn, CEO Owner/Broker of Coach Real Estate Associates, who explains that some purchase contracts demand the house be "broom swept." But what is broom swept? And what do you do if your legal contract has no cleaning stipulations? Read on to find out.

"While the language behind the term 'broom swept' is somewhat vague, the phrase basically means the seller is required to sweep the floor, walls and ceiling before locking the door for the final time," explains Finn.

Of course, some sellers go beyond this and give the home a good scrub-down, but many do not. "Real estate contracts often state that the home should be left in the same condition it was in when the offer was accepted, meaning if you make a big moving mess, you should clean it up--along with all of your personal property," says Finn. Make sure to read your purchase contract thoroughly to determine exactly how clean your home should be.

"Many sellers hire a cleaning service to go to work on their homes after they are out," says Finn. After packing and moving, sellers are often exhausted and would rather pay someone else to do a good job getting their home ready for its next inhabitants. "Buyers will be cleaning the home before moving in anyway," notes Finn. However, the following are some things you should pay attention to when cleaning your home for the final time:

• Sweep and mop all floors

• Vacuum all carpets

• Clean all kitchen appliances that will be left on location (inside of fridge and oven, etc.)

• Clean bathrooms as best you can, including flooring, tubs, sinks and toilets

• Empty out garage and attic

• Wipe down counters and surfaces

• Throw away any and all personal belongings you aren't bringing with you

The bottom line is that you should clean your home to the extent you would like your next home to be cleaned before your arrival.

The kitchen is one of the hottest selling points for any listing, as it is the center for a lot of activity within a home. While you may renovate your kitchen before selling--or at least replace outdated appliances and add some fresh paint--staging is another crucial part of making your kitchen buyer-ready.

Make it sparkle. Cleaning your kitchen top to bottom is the first step in home staging. Polish all fixtures, clean out the inside of the stove, dust that ceiling fan, wash windows, scrub your baseboards, clean cabinets and polish or replace knobs and handles.

De-clutter. Remove all appliances from the counter, take magnets and photos off the fridge and most of the photos off the wall. Don't remove everything, or it will look cold and unlived in. Instead, allow an opportunity for the buyer to imagine their own lives enfolding in the room.

Make use of space and color. Replace your large kitchen table with a smaller one to make the space seem roomier. Replace heavy drapes with lighter ones to brighten the room. Make sure your color scheme is subtle and complimentary, not extreme or jarring.

The less things shoved into your space, the larger it will look. Put something simple, like a cookbook or bowl of fruit on the counter or kitchen table .

Sweat the small stuff. Go above and beyond to make your kitchen look like a place where your potential buyers will want to spend time. Try not to cook anything with a strong odor in your kitchen during the time your house is on the market, like fish, bacon or curry. Of course, baking some fresh bread has always been a go-to home selling secret.

Also, be sure never to leave any dirty dishes in the sink or the dishwasher. Sellers like to open things, and your dishwasher is not excluded from this.

With foreclosure rates high, homeowners all over the country are struggling to secure their finances and save their home. Unfortunately, this means that foreclosure rescue and mortgage modification scams are on the rise as well.

"The fact that these scammers are zeroing in on scared and often panicked homeowners is sad," says Lawrence Finn, CEO Owner/Broker of Coach Real Estate Associates. "However, it's a reality we have to face by arming homeowners with the tools they need to protect themselves."

So how do these scammers move in? Many companies say they can get a change to a loan that will reduce the homeowner's monthly mortgage payment. Others say they're affiliated with the government, or the lender,and many even offer a money-back guarantee. "These con artists often claim they can 'save' your home, often pretending that they have direct contact with your mortgage servicer," explains Finn. They ask for a fee, or require you to make mortgage payments directly to them, and then they disappear with your money.

And how do they find distressed homeowners? "Some watch for public foreclosure notices in newspapers and online, or check public files at local government offices, and then send personalized letters or make phone calls directly to the homeowner," explains Finn. "Some place ads online or on TV and let the homeowners come to them."

Below, Finn outlines a few different commonly used tactics that scammers use to lure in distressed homeowners.

The Rent-to-Buy Companies or scammers who use the rent-to-buy scheme tell the owner to surrender the title to their house as part of a deal that allows them to stay there as a renter with the promise that they can repurchase the property later.

The Counselor The company or scammer tells the homeowner that for a fee, they'll negotiate a deal with your lender to reduce your mortgage payments or to save your home. Often, they claim to be attorneys or represent a law firm.

Bait-and-Switch "In this type of scam, con artists give homeowners documents to sign to get an additional loan, which they claim will make their loan current," explains Finn. Usually somewhere hidden in the document is information surrendering the title of the home to the scammers in exchange for a rescue loan.

The Auditor Here, an "auditor" offers to have an attorney or real estate expert review your mortgage document to determine if your lender complied with the law. They ask for an upfront fee and then disappear. "These scam artists often call themselves forensic loan auditors, mortgage loan auditors or foreclosure prevention auditors," says Finn.

So how can you tell if you are dealing with a foreclosure rescue scam artists? Keep an eye out for the following warning signs:

Beware of anyone who: o Asks you to pay an upfront fee in exchange for counseling or loan modification o Pressures you to sign papers immediately o Asks for payment by wire transfer or cashier's check o Claims they will buy your home from you so you can repurchase it over time o Tells you not to contact your bank, lender or lawyer o Asks you to make mortgage payments to them, instead of your lender

Do not sign over the deed to your property to any organization or individual unless you are working directly with your mortgage company

Never make a mortgage payment to anyone other than your mortgage company.

"If you have gotten a foreclosure notice, or are having trouble making mortgage payments, contact your lender and see if you can negotiate a new repayment plan," advises Finn. "Your home is your most valuable asset, so being hyper-aware of scammers is important."