Last summer, an article in Yahoo! News (8/26/06) was forwarded to me by a friend. The title of the piece, “Staging Homes with Works of Art Gets Them Sold Faster,” described how real estate agents were using rented artworks in houses on the market to boost sales. The article went on to say that “real estate agents…have found that a work of art hooks a buyer better than a fresh coat of paint.”

It’s interesting to me that the hard-nosed real estate world has discovered what the art world has known all along. Art personalizes a space and creates warmth, beauty, and interest in a room. A home without art, on the other hand, can often be cold and sterile.

The recognition that artwork in a space sparks emotions that ultimately increase the price of a home is a validation of sorts. It confirms my belief that what we do at The Guild is as valuable as it is personally satisfying.