The article outlines which repairs and improvements matter most before listing a home and how sellers can avoid unnecessary costs.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What should homeowners fix before selling a home in Moore County? The answer is explored in a HelloNation article, which explains how targeted home listing preparation can improve results without unnecessary spending.

The HelloNation article explains that many sellers make the mistake of trying to fix everything before listing. While the intention is to present a perfect home, this approach often leads to overspending on upgrades that do not influence buyer decisions. Instead, the article emphasizes focusing on the areas that directly affect how a home is perceived during showings.

A key takeaway from the article is that buyers are evaluating more than just visible features. They are also forming opinions about how well the property has been maintained. Deferred maintenance, even in small forms, can create doubt. The article highlights common issues such as leaky fixtures, peeling paint, worn caulking, and sticking doors as problems that should be addressed early in the home listing preparation process.

Curb appeal is another important factor discussed in the article. First impressions begin before a buyer enters the home, and simple improvements can make a noticeable difference. The article describes how maintaining a clean lawn, trimming landscaping, and refreshing the front entry help create a sense of care and attention. For those selling a home in Moore County, this initial impression can influence how buyers view the entire property.

Inside the home, clutter is identified as a frequent issue that sellers can resolve without significant cost. The article explains that excess furniture and personal items can make spaces feel smaller and distract from the home’s features. Clearing surfaces, organizing storage areas, and reducing visual distractions allows buyers to better imagine themselves in the space. Real Estate Expert insights featured in the article reinforce that presentation often matters as much as condition.

The article also addresses flooring and paint as areas where modest updates can have a meaningful impact. Neutral paint and well-maintained flooring can make a home feel newer and more inviting. In contrast, heavily personalized colors or worn surfaces may limit buyer interest. These updates are often more effective than larger renovations when preparing for sale.

When it comes to major upgrades, the article advises sellers to rely on market data rather than assumptions. Not every renovation delivers a return equal to its cost. In some cases, the article explains, a thorough cleaning and minor updates can produce better results than an expensive remodel. Understanding what buyers expect within a specific price range is essential when deciding how much to invest before listing.

The article also discusses the value of transparency through seller disclosures and pre-listing inspections. Identifying issues in advance allows sellers to address them on their own timeline and avoid surprises during negotiations. This approach can help build buyer confidence and keep transactions on track. Real Estate Expert perspectives featured in the article highlight that preparation reduces uncertainty for both parties.

Pricing is ultimately presented as the most important factor in selling a home in Moore County. The article explains that even a well-updated home may struggle if priced incorrectly, while a properly priced home in good condition can attract strong interest. Before making decisions about repairs or upgrades, understanding the appropriate price point is critical.

The article concludes that a clean, maintained, and well-presented home consistently performs better in the market than one with unnecessary upgrades. By focusing on the details buyers notice most, sellers can improve both speed and outcome without overextending their budget.

“What Moore County Home Sellers Should Fix Before Listing Their Property” features insights from Bill Sahadi, Real Estate Expert of Southern Pines, North Carolina, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused digital publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers expert-driven, good-news content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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SOURCE HelloNation

Leading learning design and internship placement firm expands its leadership to become the premier work-integrated learning and internship services firm for higher education

STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alchemy, a unit of Nectar Learning, Inc., today announced a new chapter in its growth with the introduction of expanded leadership following the acquisition of Ease Learning, a portfolio company of Achieve Partners, and Achieve’s strategic investment in Alchemy. The announcement signals the company’s accelerated evolution into the premier tech-enabled, product-led career-connected learning and internship services firm for higher education.

“Alchemy and its predecessor companies have been leaders in designing and delivering digital learning for over 30 years. Now, it is time for a new chapter that enables us to leverage both our technology and people expertise to be the leaders in connecting learning to real work. We want the world to say YES to interns! Our new and expanded leadership team enables us to pair our internship services with our learning solutions, especially our platform, Curie, which powers organizations and higher education institutions to design and deliver relevant, career-connected, standards-compliant learning.” – Carrie O’Donnell, Founder & Chair, Alchemy

As the company shifts toward a tech-enabled, product-led ecosystem with deep expertise in AI in teaching and learning, Alchemy introduces a new executive leadership team and board directors uniquely positioned to lead this next phase of growth.

New Executive Leadership

Matt Gurney
Chief Executive Officer
Matt Gurney steps into the role of CEO, having previously served as Alchemy’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer. His extensive background in product, marketing, and general leadership at technology startups makes him the natural leader to guide Alchemy into its next chapter, as the company accelerates its AI-driven approach to career-connected learning and internship placement.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgurney/ 

Lois Harrison
Chief Operating Officer
Lois Harrison joins as Chief Operating Officer, bringing a proven track record of effective strategic operations leadership demonstrated through her tenure leading Ease Learning. Her operational expertise and strategic acumen are central to Alchemy’s expanded platform and service delivery.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lois-harrison-354a99b/ 

Brad Gibbs
Senior Vice President, Growth and Marketing
Brad Gibbs brings years of demonstrated success driving GTM strategy and market expansion at education technology and services companies. As SVP of Growth and Marketing, he will lead Alchemy’s national growth effort as the company scales its career-connected learning and internship offerings.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradgibbs/ 

New Board Directors

Ryan Craig
Board Director
Ryan Craig is a Founder and Managing Director at Achieve Partners, as well as an investor, author, and nationally recognized commentator on higher education and workforce development. A co-founder of Apprenticeships for America, Ryan has spent his career forging new pathways from education to employment and championing the skills-based economy.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-craig-b4617a80/ 

Jeff Selingo
Board Director
Jeff Selingo is a prominent journalist, strategist, and New York Times bestselling author who has devoted more than 25 years to covering higher education and the future of work. Best known for demystifying college admissions and workforce readiness, Jeff brings unparalleled insight into the evolving landscape connecting education to careers. 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffselingo/ 

“The education-to-workforce ecosystem is shifting under demographic and societal pressures, and the gap in trained workers across fields like semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare has never been more acute. The time is right for a company that doesn’t just deliver learning experiences, but closes the distance between instruction and real work. Alchemy is purpose-built for this moment, and our new leadership team and board are exactly the right collaborators to make it happen.” – Matt Gurney, CEO, Alchemy

ABOUT ALCHEMY

Alchemy, a unit of Nectar Learning, Inc., is the premier career-connected learning and internship services firm for higher education. Alchemy helps institutions turn learning into workforce outcomes, backed by 30+ years of instructional expertise and Curie, its proprietary platform for designing and delivering career-connected learning at scale. By absorbing the operational complexity that makes quality learning difficult to scale, Alchemy closes the gap between instruction and application for institutions, and between talent development and daily execution for employers. Backed by Achieve Partners, Alchemy is accelerating its mission to connect education to meaningful workforce outcomes.

www.alchemy.works/for-employers 

MEDIA CONTACT

Alchemy  |  Stamford, CT
Kellie Pierce
kpierce@nectar.inc

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SOURCE Alchemy

The AI-powered platform will unify American Public University System’s student journey with personalized support, proactive advising, and connected services.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — American Public Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: APEI) yesterday announced it is building an AI-powered Student Lifecycle Platform (SLP) using Salesforce for its American Public University System (the “System“) to transform how current and prospective students and alumni engage throughout their educational journey.

This innovation builds on APEI’s broader AI strategy and its ongoing work to modernize the student experience across the System, which includes American Military University, American Public University, Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing.

Built on the next generation student information system (SIS) from Salesforce, along with Data 360 and Agentforce, the new platform enables a unified view of every student – with AI agents working around the clock to support staff and students. The SLP will streamline admissions and transfer credit, deliver personalized, proactive support throughout the student experience, and deepen alumni engagement — all grounded in the Salesforce Trust Layer, which provides built-in guardrails like data masking, zero-data retention, and toxicity detection to protect student data as AI scales. Together, these capabilities will help the System better align education with career outcomes while delivering a connected experience across every stage of the student journey.

“Our vision has always been to expand access to high-quality education that transforms lives, advances careers and improves communities,” said Angela Selden, President and Chief Executive Officer of APEI and Chancellor of the American Public University System. “This collaboration advances that vision by creating an experience that is simpler, more personal and more responsive to every learner’s unique journey.”

By leveraging Salesforce’s proprietary AI capabilities, open APIs, and a flexible architecture to rapidly develop new student experiences that evolve with learner needs, the Student Lifecycle Platform will unify admissions, financial aid, advising, tutoring and career services into one connected experience, reducing complexity for students, and increasing operational efficiencies.

“We’re building more than a technology platform,” said James Kenigsberg, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer of APEI and the American Public University System. “We’re building academic units that sense what learners need, adapt to where they are and remove unnecessary friction before it becomes a barrier. Salesforce will provide the foundation, while our AI-native architecture will allow us to continuously innovate and create experiences uniquely designed for our students.”

“Students expect the same personalized, connected experiences in their academic journey that they get everywhere else in their lives,” said Margo Martinez, VP & GM, Education, Salesforce. “APEI is reimagining what’s possible by putting AI at the center—empowering students while freeing up staff to spend less time on manual work and more time helping students succeed. When technology anticipates a student’s needs, removes barriers before they arise, and supports students from enrollment through their careers, education becomes a lifelong relationship. That’s the future APEI is building with Salesforce.”

The rollout is expected to begin with the Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing academic units starting in Q1 2027, leading with student support and admissions and expanding to other areas across academic operations and the student journey. We anticipate the completion of the rollout across the System’s four academic units to continue through 2027 and into the first half of 2028.

About American Public Education
American Public Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: APEI), through American Public University System (the “System”) empowers students through education to transform lives, advance careers, and serve their communities locally and globally. With approximately 109,000 students and over 250,0001 alumni worldwide, the System includes four academic units: American Military University (AMU), American Public University (APU), Rasmussen University (RU), and Hondros College of Nursing (HCN). The System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The System is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Public Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: APEI).

1As of March 31, 2026.

The System, including AMU, APU, RU, and HCN, is not affiliated with the U.S. Military.

Forward Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release regarding American Public Education, Inc. or its subsidiary institution (“APEI”) that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about APEI and the industry. We may use words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” or “may,” or other words or expressions that convey future events, conditions, circumstances, or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the development and implementation, timing of implementation, capabilities and benefits of the AI-powered Student Lifecycle Platform, including any expected benefits to APEI and the System and prospective students, learners and alumni.

Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to: APEI’s dependence on and the need to continue to invest in its technology infrastructure, including with respect to third-party vendors, including but not limited to the collaboration with Salesforce and the proposed AI-powered Student Lifecycle Platform; our ability to improve our student’s experience and outcomes; and the various risks described in the “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in APEI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and in other filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. APEI undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, unless required by law, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future.

Media Contact:
Meg Sheeley
msheeley@apus.edu

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SOURCE APEI