Selling a home is like a plant. You need someone with experience to nurture it for the sale.

A long time ago I learned that selling homes was a tough job. My Realtor friends were some of the hardest working people I knew. Yes, it sure isn't just writing on a piece of paper, do the handshake thing, and off to selling. No, not anymore! The three main prerequisites for selling a home are price, location and condition. If you have those three then your chances are much better for a sale. My involvement on this mix is the condition of the home. My Realtors send me in to make sure that the home is ready for sale. They pay for my service and I do the best for every client. But it is really more than that. I will try to explain...

Take an orchid plant (my trademark). They are lovely, very unique... an understated elegance. Some may say they are magical. In order to bloom and show their beautiful flowers, they need to be in top condition. Yet... they do need special nurturing and an experienced individual to understand just what they need based upon the type. When you see it at the store, you pick the one that is the best. Your decision to buy that plant was first based on its condition; you saw the beauty in it.

Let's say that you have 4 orchid plants being prepared for sale. All the same plants. They are already growing but are not blooming yet.  These plants need sunlight, water, humidity, special fertilizer, temperature, and special plant mix.

Orchid #1 has someone that considers it just a plant. They give it water and sunlight.

Orchid #2 has someone who knows that plants need fertilizer so they add some in the water and give it sunlight.

Orchid #3 has someone who feels that they are a pretty efficient gardener. They do a little research. They go to the store and buy some basic Orchid fertilizer, they use bottled water, feed from the bottom, give it sunlight, and know that it is a warm grower.

Orchid #4 has someone who knows about Orchids. They have experience in knowing the type of plant, the mix it is in, the specific fertilizer to feed it and how to give it, the sunlight and humidity it needs. They also know the temperature needs to be 75-80 during the day and 60-65 at night for a warm grower.

Which Orchid do you think will be in the best condition and ready to sell? Most likely, it will be the one that you picked in the store Orchid #4. It was nurtured and prepared by someone who knew just what to do. They were experienced and knowledgeable.

 In preparing a home for sale, it needs to stand out from the other homes. The condition needs to be supreme; it needs to show well, you want that buyer to pick your home. In order for that home to be ready, you need to have an experienced professional assess its marketability and help you present the home in its best light. You want them to know about staging and preparing a home for sale. You want them to have experience in knowing the type of home that you have and what buyer trends are. You want them to know the specific details of showcasing that particular property.

Realtors have so many other things that they need to do. Having an experienced, professional stager on their team gives them a growing and productive edge in any market.

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   Lori Kim Polk is the Founder and Lead Designer of Artful Journey Designs and Staging, a full service Home Staging and Design Corporation located in Roseville, California. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas. Call us today at 916-300-0402 for our premier services.

"The art of selling your home!"

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