Phyllis's Blog

Due to the great response on my last blog, I want to take this time to tell EVERYONE that NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE SELLING Y OUR HOUSE FOR STAGING WILL HELP IT SELL.

Think about this. You have a Chevy Cavalier that has low mileage, still looks and runs great. But it is a 1999. Should you detail it?? ABSOLUTELY!! WHY?? Because the better it looks the more it is going to appeal to buyers. When detailing that car would you do anything different to it if it was a Mercedes Benz, 2005, NO!!

You would still clean, polish, vacuum, shampoo rugs, shine tires, etc., wouldn't you. YES YOU WOULD!! Now, you will definitely get more money for that Mercedes Benz and the cost to detail it would probably be higher, but isn't the end result the same. YOU SELL THE CAR and PROBABLY QUICKER AND FOR A BETTER PRICE!!

Realtors, sellers, homeowners, investors, builders...I am telling you that no matter what you are selling that house for IT NEEDS TO BE STAGED!! Heck I am a home stager and if I were to put my house on the market I would need to do quite a bit to it. Let's face it, we all live differently in our homes than we would or should when it comes time to sell.

You all know how much I ADORE MY LITTLE GIOVANNI, but guess what, yes I would have to take his pics off the fridge. AND SO SHOULD YOU. If you are planning on selling your home, start looking at your house through the eyes of a buyer.

I recently went on a consultation that had very overpowering wallpaper in just about every room. Of course I suggested, well pleaded, that the paper be removed. The client was very resistant. I proposed ways around it but when I was met with more resistance, I backed off. As we were leaving, the client turned to the realtor and commented on the house that she and her husband had seen and were very interested in purchasing, BUT THEN, listen to what she tells the realtor...

She said, We absolutely love the house but there is wallpaper everywhere and we really don't want to have to deal with taking all that down. It is a shame because the house is so beautiful except for that wallpaper. (SHE REALLY DID SAY THIS). I turned and said "stop, do you hear what you are saying, now why do you think a buyer would want to come in here and deal with your wallpaper," hmmm, she had no comment.

So to all who have asked what could you do with a house that is only listed for $100K, my answer is, the same thing I would do the a house that is listed at $1,000,000. I would stage it in a such a way that a buyer would enter and say "THIS IS IT, I WANT THIS HOUSE".

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging is in the business of helping sellers move on, no matter what they list their house for. Call to schedule an in home consultation today, DON'T WAIT until your house is market worn!!  

Will you stage homes in the $295,000. price range?? How many times have you been asked that question?

Okay, we all have discussed this topic many times but I feel it is worth repeating. It seems as home staging becomes more popular, our aspirations grow bigger and bigger along with our inventory and cost to stage. As more and more realtors are being turned onto the concept of having their listings staged, more and more concerns are arising. Concerns about pricing!!

I have spoken with many realtors and homeowners over the past several weeks and this same question comes up each time. What can you do for me with my client with their listing that is only in the $295, 000 price range?

The vast majority of homes that are featured on the internet with regard to stagers websites are of before and after pictures of "staged" vacant homes or "staged" model homes. Let's face it, they look amazing. The furniture is top notch, the kitchens usually have granite counter tops, the master bathroom has the wonderful sunken jacuzzi tub, and so on and so on.

Now, if I were a seller and wished that I could hire a home stager, I might be turned off by some of these pictures simply for the fact that I might feel I could either not afford a stagers services or a stager would not be interested in my ho hum house with my ho hum furniture in a mediocre price range. After all, isn't staging only for the MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE?? NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Home Staging is for real people, real houses and real budgets. Home Staging covers all houses in all price ranges. We love those houses. Your house is the exact house that makes our creative juices flow.

The original concept of ReStyled to Sell home staging was to completely transform your space by using what you already have in your home. As a professional home stager I will look at your house and make suggestions according to the needs of your house and your house only. Then I will work out a plan and a proposal that will fit into your budget. Remember, we are here to help you sell, that is our main goal as home stagers. 

Vacant homes and model homes are fantastic to stage as well. Yes the budget will be set higher because the clients will need more to complete that lived in look that will appeal to buyers. Does the whole house have to be staged if you cannot afford to do so?? NO!! These are the things that a home stager will sit and review carefully with you to also fit into your budget.

I would ask that you reconsider calling a home stager if you are considering selling your home. Realtors, we are there for you no matter what the price of your listing. Our goals are the same...SELL YOUR HOUSE!! Whether your home is worth $295,000 or $2,950,000.00 the COST OF STAGING YOUR HOME IS STILL LESS THAN YOUR FIRST PRICE REDUCTION.

If you have any concerns or questions, please take the time to call ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ and we will be more than happy to answer ALL your questions or concerns that you may have. REMEMBER, WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF HELPING PEOPLE MOVE ON!!

I have received numerous emails the past few weeks regarding marketing materials and tips for getting started in  the staging business. I have been so blessed to be able to share with you what has worked and what has not.

Honestly, it is all about LOVING what you do, having an EXCITEMENT for what you do and REALLY CARING about your clients. Too many times people have called me to ask me how can I get started staging and when I ask them why they want to become a Home Stager, they tell me because it is an easy way to make a lot of money..WRONG!!

First of all who said this job is easy?? It is a ridiculous amount of hard work, don't you agree?? First there is the many, many hours of marketing yourself to realtors, sellers and anyone else in between who will listen. Then there are the hours spent working on your marketing materials, organizing a team, and blogging, LOL!!

Okay, you get your first consult. Did you prepare yourself for the amount of work that goes into your reports? Hey it could be many hours. Now you get your first job....oops you need more inventory. What about the time and travel that goes into purchasing your inventory. Sometimes I am out shopping until 10 in the evening. I never thought I would say I am sick of shopping, but I am approaching that fine line. Don't forget packing your truck, that in itself will allow you to cancel your gym membership...aah look at those biceps!! 

Now you show up to your clients house to stage and guess what?? Nothing has been moved, SO YOU START LIFTING BOXES AND FURNITURE THAT YOUR  PROPOSAL DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR, BUT IF YOU DON'T DO IT TODAY YOU CANNOT COMPLETE THAT JOB, OPEN HOUSE IS TOMORROW.

Oh Yeah, what about taking time to eat. I know I mentioned this one before. I probably have supported my local Dunkin Donuts more than anyone else in the neighborhood, my grandson even gets free munchkins now because of all my donations, hee, hee.

Okay this may sound bleak, but it is really a blast, IF YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO!! Stage homes for the right reasons. Stage them for one reason, to help sellers SELL and move on. Stage homes because you love rearranging spaces and just cannot sit still when a home is not showing at it's best. Stage homes because you love this whole real estate industry.  AND MOST IMPORTANT DON'T GIVE UP!!

I want to welcome back to the Staging Arena an associate and personal friend of myself and Val Allocco. Her name is Susan Puglisi of the Staged Advantage in Morristown NJ. Susan and Val have helped me on several homes and I only wish we all lived closer to each other because we are a great team!! I LOVE THOSE GIRLS!!

So if any realtors are in the Morristown, Sparta, Randolph area ....give Susan a call @ 973-886-4998 Check out her blogs on AR.  SHE'S BACK BECAUSE SHE WON'T GIVE UP on helping you sell your homes.  

I cannot believe that just one hour after writing my last blog about cherishing family, friends and loved ones before it is too late, I received very sad, shocking news..My business mentor just passed away....

Last winter I had the privilege of being unemployed. Not many of us would think of that as something good, but for me it turned out to be wonderful for many reasons.

For one, I took some much needed time to re-evaluate my life and goals and to search out what it was that I really wanted to do to earn a living. Never being unemployed before I took full advantage of all that the unemployment services of NJ have to offer. I met with a counselor who I will owe my staging career to. This older man was kind and caring and after searching through many jobs that fit my past job descriptions, he turned to me and said there is nothing opened in this field at this time.

Then he asked me "what is it that you want to do". I answered, "well I always loved interior design and my family is encouraging me to start a business at home staging". I proceeded to explain what home staging is to him. He turned around and grabbed a booklet and then gave it to me and said "I want you to enroll in our SEA Program (Self Employment Program)". It was 6 week course offered to people who wanted to start a small business and it was FREE. I went home, filled out the application and found myself back in college at 50 years old.

My first day of class was exciting, I was the first one to show up, LOL..In walked Ms. Alta Ross. She was a confident, beautiful woman who was an entrepeneur for the past 30 years and came from a long line of entrepeneurs in her family. She was encouraging, smart and knew her stuff!! I hung onto every word she said. I wrote a business plan, exchanged ideas, learned marketing skills, and made good friends. I knew I could succeed.

My last blog was written because I remembered her words to us..she said "some of your friends may not understand you not being around so much because of your business". "Your family life may suffer some, are you prepared??" She told us that one year from now some of you sitting in this room will not even have your business anymore, others will have succeeded.

WOW, I cannot believe that I just wrote that blog, thinking of her words and then I get the email of her passing.

BUT, here is the sad part. Just the other day I wanted to email her and tell her that I have been successful. That my business is doing well and that I wanted to thank her for all her encouragement to me and how much she meant, BUT I DID NOT, now it's too late!!

GOD BLESS YOU MS. ALTA ROSS!!    

This blog may not have anything to do with Staging Homes but it has everything to do with living your life to the fullest with love and respect for all.

In light of the tragic events in Virginia this past Monday, let us never forget to cherish our loved ones. Each and every day that we have is a gift from our Heavenly Father. Cherish that gift and try to live accordingly. I, as I am sure, many of you, have been glued to the TV watching the memorial services for the victims of this tragedy. 

One reporter commented that these people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It seemed to be so matter of fact when he said it but yet so true. If our days are numbered as Gods word says then He and only HE knows when that number will be up. Are you ready??

I was thinking about that today. What have I not done in my life that I would love to do?? Have you asked your self that question lately? Do you take the time from your busy schedule to call old friends to just say HI, or are you always so busy there is never time to talk??

I stopped to think about all the friends I have pushed aside this past year while I was growing my staging business. Friends who were hurting or sad that I gave SOME time to, but really needed to give more time to.

This past month my own family experienced some sad news and until something sad hits your home, you never really can tell another person, I am so sorry, I know how you feel, can you? Think of the mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles who lost their precious loved ones this past Monday and make this be a wake up call to all of us.

Do you remember a time when Sunday was a day of rest and not just another day to accomplish more chores. When families ate dinner together and there were no computers. When going to Grandma's house was exciting and not boring. More and more men and women are giving more time to their jobs then they are to their families because it is expected of them. I had heard something a while ago that I never forgot..The more we own in this life, the more it will own us. How true that statement is. What are you a slave to??

Yes I want a successful, profitable staging business, just as I know you all do as well. That is a blessing from God and a wonderful thing, BUT, let us not let that be our main focus in our lives, and let us not make our businesses cloud out the important family, friends and loved ones in our lives.

We just don't know what tomorrow holds for us or them. May our prayers go out to the families who have to deal with this kind of loss that came about last Monday. Let us remember what is important in life, today, tomorrow and always.

God Bless all, Phyllis Pafumi

I have had the honor of working with Weichert Realtors in Westfield NJ for the past year and have staged many of their listings in and around Westfield, NJ, including Clark, Garwood, Cranford, Scotch Plains and Fanwood. If you have never visited that quaint town, I would recommend that you take a drive through one day soon.

Downtown Westfield, with over 200 retail establishments and 400 commercial enterprises, is a regional destination in New Jersey. Westfield's downtown features many local shops and chain stores, such as Lord and Taylor and many landmarks that were shown and used in the television show Ed such as the Rialto Theater. There are about 50 restaurants and casual dining establishments throughout town.

Some pop culture that you may find interesting regarding Westfield, NJ was that the TV show Ed which was partially filmed in Westfield's downtown area, served as the basis for Stuckeyville's downtown.

In August 2006 the movie Perfect Christmas was partially filmed in Downtown Westfield which starred Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard.

But the thing I love the most about this beautiful town are the homes and the people that I have had the honor to work with. Everyone that I have met has been simply wonderful, kind and gracious. The group of realtors at Weichert Realtors in Westfield NJ are FABULOUS....

Love to Holly Cohen, Phyllis Stern, Edgar Collado, Jennifer Kohan and Martin Amato, Terri Romano, James Rembish and Kathleen Gwaldis just to name a few. But my thanks go to Harvey Tekel who is the broker at the Westfield Weichert Office. He believes in Staging and believed in my talents to help his realtors. The realtors at this office GET IT and believe me they are very successful in selling their homes. 

I love working for this wonderful group of realtors and I love working in this wonderful town. Thanks to all, if it was not for you I would be missing out on the beauty of your town, your people and your friendship

Phyllis Pafumi-ReStyled to Sell Home Staging  

732-995-3425

Do you get discouraged when you do a consult report and the clients do not hire you to stage?? Do you sometimes feel that realtors do not want to pay for the consult report? Do you think that our consult report fees are too high?

I have thought about this one and really think that we should be glad when a client can do the job themselves because our report was done so accurately that the plan was simple for them to follow. Realtors, do you think our consult fees are worth it??

When you are not feeling well and you make a Doctors appointment there is ALWAYS an initial exam fee, right?? We need to start there and PAY that fee because it diagnoses the problem and then lays out a plan for us to follow that will get our bodies back on the road of health. Now did that Dr. earn that fee? Was it worth it to you to pay that fee and go to the Dr. in the first place?

While the road to health may be as simple as taking a medication, it can also be as complex as weaning yourself off of certain foods, bedrest (we all hate that one), follow up visits. Sometimes there is a fast way to restore health and sometimes it is more complex.

Enter the Home Stager. I have gone on several consultations that I saw such easy fixes that I was able to Stage the house right there. Was my consult fee worth it to the realtor?? Absolutely!!! While some homes may be sicker than others and in more need of fixing, others may be just a simple fix.

When we give the realtor and client a detailed report of all the items we see that could be a turn off to the buyer and the sellers are able to follow our plan......then I say, EXCELLENT, my report was well done!!

Our job as professional Home Stagers is to HELP our clients and realtors, whether it be with our full detailed Home  Staging Consultation Reports or a Complete Staging job.

Realtors and sellers a Stagers Consult Report just like a Staging job is an investment and not an expense.  

What are your thoughts on this topic?? 

Okay this time last year I was asked to view this property online via the realtor's website prior to doing my consult. My immediate reaction was, WOW such a small kitchen for the price that they are asking for the house. Do you agree?

Well to my surprise, when I got to the property I noticed that right over the countertop island was a huge room that had only a couch in it and off that room to the right was another 1000 sq. foot room that had a few misplaced pieces of furniture.

Now if I was a buyer and I was looking for a large eat in kitchen/family room type of environment I would have certainly passed up the gem due to the photos on the realtors website.

I immediately went to work by removing the small table the clients had in the "eat in kitchen" area and staged the huge room off the kitchen with their large wrought iron table. This not only made for a large kitchen, but can you imagine how nice it would be having breakfast every morning overlooking that beautiful back yard?? And it really was beautiful.

This house reminded me of a classic Bed and Breakfast. It was fabulous!! What was supposedly being used as their family room/office, I turned into 3 working spaces, as you can see. The front of the room I placed a small writing desk for a woman who could work from home and watch and her children play in the yard. The back of the room I set up as TV viewing and playing and the far back right corner I made a separate office for the husband.

I used all their furniture and accessories which worked with the theme of the house. YES THE HOUSE SOLD AT OPEN HOUSE!!

The funny thing about this job was that the clients left for the weekend and we had full reign of the house. They had no idea what I was going to do. Don't you wish all your jobs were that easy?? When they returned they were quite surprised and wondered why they NEVER had their kitchen table in that room all those years living there. They enjoyed that space by the yard until the house closed!!

Realtors, watch what your pictures are showing buyers!! You could be losing clients and not even knowing it!

Sellers, just LET GO!!! There, now doesn't that feel better?

Did you ever notice that when your clients house sells and it is time to de-stage the property, the very things that you begged them to get rid of were NOW IN THE GARBAGE????

As a professional Home Stager and somewhat of a professional organizer (aren't we all)??, isn't it true that less is more?? That being the case, why is it so hard to convince our clients to LET GO of some really old, ugly things in their house? Sentimental value?? Maybe. Expensive items?? Perhaps. Just won't listen to all we have to say?? Most definitely!!

Ahhh, but when they do, Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, they are free at last!! This may sound funny, but 9 out of 10 times when I de-stage a property I find that clients are more than willing to throw away all the items you have asked them to and more and realize that it was junk to begin with.

Decluttering and organizing is a major component in the home staging process. While my company, ReStyled to Sell Home Staging, NJ respects the clients wishes, I always try to make them see the bigger picture. I am here now, let's pack up, throw away and MOVE ON!!! Yes at times, it works and they listen and LET GO! It's amazing how much bigger their place looks and the look on their faces is priceless. You have now helped them to begin that terrible task of MOVING..Once they begin THEIR WHOLE OUTLOOK CHANGES AND THEY ANTICIPATE THEIR NEW FUTURE IN THEIR NEW HOME 

One of my biggest pet peeves is WALLPAPER!! Let's face it, most of the time it is ugly. While I always suggest taking it down, I have recently come across a new Benjamin Moore paint that actually goes right over wallpaper without having to be primed. The new line is called AURA. It costs about $47.00 gallon, but think of what you save on primer and time. It works great. We just finished a home the other day and it covered in less than 2 coats.

If sellers don't want the aggravation of having to deal with the work, I will ask then, why do you think buyers will want to deal with it??  THEY DON'T....Let the wallpaper go!! Oh, you don't think it will make a difference?? Check this out! So what do you think?? Sellers, Let go, let stagers do their job and MOVE ON!!

While staging a vacant home that has recently been newly constructed, it is always nice to take an older home and breathe new life into it.

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ just finished an older 3 story colonial in Westfield NJ. This house, in the right location, could be a beautiful bed and breakfast. It is the type of house that has a third floor than can easily be transformed into 2 more bedrooms.

Upon arrival at this home for my consultation there was a lot of clutter and items hiding the beauty of this home. There was wall to wall carpeting throughout the whole house, even in the entry foyer. A beautiful enclosed porch was piled high with shelving units and storage and the floor was covered in a red outdoor carpet.

The homeowner was gracious and excited and she agreed to just about all the changes we wanted to make. After a week of hard work, we gave a 70 year old woman a house that she admits is not her style but quite nice. We even gave her a little girls room, which was a favorite of mine.

Thanks Jean for allowing us to come in and transform your home into a house that will now be competitive on the real estate market.

New is nice, old, charming and a house with character is nicer!! Here is a before and after of the spare bedroom I staged into the little girls bedroom.

Happy Staging