KAZAM... BAM... POW!!!

Whether you are a Realtor, interior designer, appraiser, or any other service provider... this can apply to you too.

I live in a very "stager rich" area of Northern California. There used to be over 250 stagers within a 30 mile radius but now there are maybe 15, if that many, that are actively staging on a weekly basis.

I guess you could call these people my competitors. But I don't see it that way. True, we all are looking for work in similar areas, we sometimes go against each other on bids, and we see another stagers work while perusing vacant properties. My biggest competition is really myself. I am always pushing myself to keep up on trends, to pass out my cards every week, to show up to events, to keep up with networking, following up with clients. If I miss out on something... I am mad at myself. I don't beat myself up over it though, I just make a little note for the next time. My "next time" note book is a novel ;)... ask Ryan ;)

So in conclusion, I compete against myself. The other stagers in my area are in the staging industry. What Ryan and I have to offer our clients far exceeds what anyone else can do. So it is up to "me"(and us) to continue the quest to be the finest, quality, staging service in the whole Sacramento Valley.

I won't stop till we get there!

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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 combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Design located in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"

We have a very smart Realtor on our team. He picks up homes in nice neighborhoods, cleans them up, stages the home, and then he lists it!  We never feel rushed, we are paid promptly, and he LOVES what we do. It is a win for everyone because the last 5 homes we have done for him either have had multiple offers or have gone pending in 1 week.  So, as a team, WE ARE SELLING HOMES.

It all started out with a phone call.  Most of you know that I am a teacher and a stager. I do both full time. 2 months ago I got a msg from a Realtor that wanted me to see a house ASAP. Luckly, it was on my school lunch break so I could immediatley call him back.   I referred him to my staging partner Ryan who handles most of our day calls. Thank goodness Ryan could go and see the house. We gave the REA a bid and waited..... and waited, then finally after a couple of followup calls, he gives us the GO.  "And by the way", he asks, "can you do 7 homes in the next few weeks". Sure you bet we said without a hitch!  I am so glad that I was able to call him right back and have Ryan do the go see.

So far we have completed 5 of his homes.  The longest DOM for the 5 homes was 7 days.  These homes have been vacant which gave us a clean, blank canvas to be creative and really try to showcase them.  The homes are competively priced and all are in great locations. Between the REA's marketing base and ours, we were able to market these homes with a huge blast from several different avenues.

Yes, working together as a team definately has its advantages. When we can all sell homes... life is good!

  Lucianna.....

 Mt. Badger....

 Diamond Woods...

  Alder Park...

 Redwood...

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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 combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Designlocated in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"

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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 combined with Ryan Dressel from Staged Right Design located in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. 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!"

Lori Kim Polk is the Founder and Lead Designer of Artful Journey Designs and Staging, a full service Home Staging and Design Corporation combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Designlocated in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas. Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"

  

In this edition:
1. Book Sale - Penryn

2. Prepare Your Dog for the 4th
3. Adopt a Homeless Pet
4. Book Donations
5. Low Cost Spay & Neuter Programs
6. Warning: Cocoa Mulch

1. Book Sale - A fundraiser for various animal-welfare groups will be held June 27 and 28, 8-noon. Thousands of items will be sold including books, CDs, DVDs, audio books and many miscellaneous items. The sale will be held at 2166 Swetzer Rd., Penryn.

2. Prepare Your Dog for the 4th - Early preparation for the 4th can save you and your dog a lot of grief.  Here are a few ideas from Roseville Dog Owners' Group www.rosevilledog.org :

1. Plan a dog-friendly 4th away from fireworks is the best bet.
2. Talk to your vet about the benefits of sedating your dog.
3. Purchase a CD of fireworks noises and play at graduating levels, giving treats after each noise.
4. If crate trained, leave in the crate with a long-lasting treat like a frozen Beef Bone.  Spray the inside with CAP Comfort Zone, a calming pheromone.  All these can be found at pet stores.

3. Adopt a Homeless Pet - www.Petfinder.com    Many puppies and kittens need homes now. Please help and give someone a forever home.

4. Book Donations Needed - In order to help more animal-welfare groups always struggling for funds, more book donations are needed.  Also welcome are CDs, DVDs, audio books & video games. We are unable to accept leftover books from libraries at this time because of lack of space. Donations may be dropped off every Saturday morning, 8-noon, at address above(Book Sale). Email lyn4animal@aol.com for more information or directions. We thank you for helping us earn $438,516.00 over many years. It couldn't be done without the help of generous people like you bringing donations to these monthly sales. Many animals have been given a chance at a better life.
I thank you for your support, Lynn Willingham

5. The Sacramento Area Animal Coaliton (SAAC) maintains a comprehensive list of low-cost spay/neuter programs.  http://sacanimal.org/spayneuter.html

6. Warning: Did you know that Cocoa Mulch can harm your pet?  Check this out:  http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp      

***Please insure that your pets have plenty of water every day and can get out of the sun.  Walk your dog early in the morning or later in the evening... remember, asphalt roads maintain the heat. Your dog can burn the pads of their feet when it is hot.   Never leave your pet in the car even with the air conditioner on...NEVER.

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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 combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Designlocated in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"

 

 

  

Today's homeless in Sacramento are houseless, and some are even placeless or transient. Many are also without a family. Some have been hit hard by the economic crisis and are forced to live on the streets. Single people, couples, and families are struggling to survive. With the displacement of "Tent City", this possesses another problem of where these people should go. St. John's Church, Loaves and Fishes, and Mustard Seed School are several Sacramento agencies that have opened their doors to help. One agency SSHH, or Sacramento Self-Help Housing, has secured 3 and 4 bedroom housing where 4 people or a family may live. Similar to a group home, these houses have a monitor who oversees the group. Their mission is to assist individuals and families who have insufficient resources and help them get back on their feet.

Our local RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) group had the pleasure of donating furniture and accessories to this worthwhile cause. We brought trucks, trailers, and lots of help to furnish a new property that would soon be home to 3 homeless women. Words can't describe what we all were feeling when the monitor, who was homeless herself, stepped into her new home. It was a priceless moment.  We will continue our efforts in helping SSHH with their valiant drive to help the homeless find decent housing and acquire skills to help themselves. Big thank you to Michelle Kaspari, our RESA Chapter President, for putting it all together.

As RESA California President, I would like to suggest that each group/chapter across the US and beyond, find a need in your community and fill it. It is time to give back to our communities and Stage the Giving Forward.

   

"Look around and extend yourself in grace and kindness to somebody else," quoted by Oprah on her show as she urged her audience around the globe about the Sacramento's Homeless situation.

 

Local area RESA participants were: Michelle and Joe Kaspari of Essential Staging, Chuck Woods of Brite Ideas Staging, Valesca Bogard of Welcome Home Furniture, Barbara Bussey of Transitions Home Design, Ryan Dressel of Stage Right Design and Lori Kim Polk of Artful Journey Designs and Staging.

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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 combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Design located in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"