by Wendy Wollenberg

Honoring the home is dear to my heart, so the work that I do resonates with me,” says Stephanie Poulos, a real estate broker with @properties (548 W. Webster Ave., 847.212.8279, atproperties.com/agents/1721/stephanie-poulos) and a dedicated “home manifestation guide.” She helps people find a home through process, intention, and positive thinking.

Where you call home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. City or suburbs (or beyond)? Apartment, condo or single-family residence? Rent or own? With so much at stake, pairing up with the right real estate agent (and, subsequently, design professionals) to discover, create and enhance your ideal abode is essential to a positive outcome for all parties.

“Connecting with a real estate agent is a lot like dating,” Poulos comments. “It’s a process of opening up to each other and sharing things about yourselves so that your goals are perfectly aligned.”

Life’s Next Chapter

For prospective home buyers and sellers, beginning with a clear idea of your hopes, dreams and intentions is crucial to find a home, and will help ensure the best possible partnership on both sides. Whether that means doing reams of research online (according to the National Association of Realtors, 90 percent of home buyers searched for their next residence online during some point of the process), or drawing up a vision board to help manifest your dream home, be sure to spell out your must haves and deal breakers.

This focused approach to find a home applies to both home buyers and sellers. “For sellers, I try to help them see what’s next in their lives, whether it’s a bigger house for a growing family or a move to a new market for a job. That’s what motivates them to prepare their home for sale and price it correctly,” says Poulos.

The Power of Positive Thinking to Find a Home

Poulos brings more to the table than real estate expertise and an always-on attitude. She is a firm believer in the law of attraction and the power of positivity. “I always think positive thoughts while working with a client,” she remarks. “I believe this energy is an added value during what can be a stressful time for people.”

Poulos adds that having a positive mental state can truly help manifest the perfect home or the ideal buyer for a sale. In addition to honoring the home-buying or selling process, she provides that extra emotional support for her clients while they find a home, many of whom stay in touch long after the transaction. Her clients have been known to reach out to this dedicated yogi after they move for what she calls “nesting advice,” such as where to place a yoga mat for a home practice or tips on smudging their new space with sage.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Once you’ve found the perfect home, unpacked the boxes and the proverbial dust has settled, the fun really begins. You get to take this new (or new to you) structure and design a sanctuary especially fitted for you and your family. From sage ceremonies to eco-friendly products to home altar installations, an abundance of service providers can help manifest a residence that is fitting of your illumined lifestyle.

At Green Home Chicago (213 N. Morgan St., 312.432.9400, ghcdesigncenter.com), interior design experts balance form and function with a commitment to sustainability and social impact. At its entirely sustainable showroom, eco-friendly products are on offer, while environmentally minded designers meet with clients who share the same values and dedication to bettering the planet while feathering their nest.

An array of enterprising companies exist to further assist you in outfitting your home with items that not only add beauty, but also benefit health and happiness.

Vaastu Partners (773.343.2344, vaastupartners.com) harnesses the power of the ancient Indian scientific system known as Vaastu to bring more stability and harmony into living spaces in the Western world. It is a system that gives people a way to access peace, tranquility and all that follows by tapping into universal space.

The Chicago-based business installs tabletop temples in homes and offices that are said to improve the energy waves of a space, benefitting the inhabitants’ sleep patterns, finances, relationships, health and overall quality of life. Founder Ruth Lederer and her knowledgeable team can also assess a person’s existing space to help determine how energized the space is naturally, if it is healthy and what remedies are available.

“The concept of Vaastu bridges several categories — energy healing, design, lifestyle, health, meditation — and is unique in that regard,” Lederer says. “I’ve always been fascinated by the built environment and its effect on us. When I discovered Vaastu, I knew that this was the philosophy I had been seeking.”

For more,