Phyllis's Blog

Are Realtors Expected to Pay for Staging in this Market??

2008-10-12T08:36:10Z

I am not sure if this is happening in your area but in the past month I have been on several consultations where the SELLERS EXPECTED THE REALTORS TO PAY FOR THE STAGING OF THEIR HOME!! Is this happening to you, and if so what should you do??

Let me first say that I truly belive that realtors should be pay for the consultation of the home stager. I think that it is important to team up with a professional Home Stager and have us as part of your marketing team. We can review your clients property and be the "bad guys" as we tell them that the dated wallpaper and doggie beds need to be removed PRIOR to listing the property.

When you team up with a Professional Home Stager in your area ask if there is a Preferred Agent Discount if the Realtor pays for the consult. All my agents get a 20% discount off the original cost of the consult. This adds value to your listing presentation and the sellers SHOULD NOT have to pay for this fee. This now becomes part of your marketing plan....BUT what happens after the report and Proposal have been submitted??

Over the past month I have heard that the sellers are asking that the realtor pay for the cost of staging. Remember this could involve removal of wallpaper, painting, adding new light fixtures and oftentimes the cost for rental furniture. WHY WOULD A SELLER EXPECT THAT FROM THE REALTOR?? These are improvements that are necessary and must be made when preparing your home for sale in ANY MARKET!

What if a realtor pays for this service and you DECIDE TO NO LONGER SELL?? Remember, when selling your home it is absolutely necessary that your prepare it for SALE. WHEN YOU DECIDE TO SELL YOUR CAR, WHO PAYS FOR THE DETAILING?? Sellers, this is your responsibility.

What I have seen over the past month or more has been very upsetting as I watched sellers DISMISS HIGHLY QUALIFIED, PROFESSIONAL REALTORS as their agent because they did not pay for the staging. I have also worked with some agents who have agreed to pay BUT because they are also limited they are giving Stagers VERY LIMITED budgets with which to stage.

Yes, a Professional Home Stager will pull out all the stops to ENHANCE a home...but if the budget only allows for partial furnishings and enhancements and DOES NOT COVER the cost to remove moldy wallpaper and stained carpets, what have we accomplished here.

As the market grows tougher it is important to remember these facts:

1. ENHANCE YOUR HOME when preparing it to sell. That means review each room with a keen eye and make all necessary repairs from the outside broken doorbell and light fixture to the dog stained carpet in the living rom.

2. CHOOSE AN EXPERIENCED REALTOR. Don't go with a discount broker, in the end the money you think you were going to save could have cost you thousands. A TOP AGENT that I work with just lost a listing because she chose NOT to pay for the staging. The seller went with a realtor that said she would pay for the staging. When we checked out this realtor, we were surprised to find out that in the past year, they had only SOLD ONE HOME! on lnet

3. PRICE THE HOUSE ACCORDINGLY...Listen to your realtor when they tell you the value of your home, they have based this price on the CURRENT pricing for your area.

4. STAGE YOUR HOME and pay for the necessary enhancements. We staged a home yesterday where our hands were literally tied. The seller refused to pay for the staging....the cost was very reasonable $1,500.00 which included removing VERY OLD, dated wallpaper that was stained and peeling in his kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom was BEAUTIFUL BUT for some ODD reason they had the ceiling and crown molding painted PINK. They refused to address these items and the realtor had to do something so she asked us what can we do on a $500.00 budget??

We did our best to HELP THIS AGENT out and it did look BETTER! Here was the sellers response. He did NOT want to pay for the removal of the wallpaper and the painting, but he would be willing to accept $400K for his house....DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL ASKING PRICE OF $449K.

$1,500 for PROPER STAGING OF YOUR HOME.....NOT! $49K PRICE REDUCTION..YES! What's wrong with this picture? Is this a growing trend?

If you are considering placing your home on the real estate market, TEAM UP with a Professional, experienced agent who works with a Professional experienced Home Stager...

The team of ReStyled to Sell can help in ALL ASPECTS of your sale...Call today @ 732-995-3425

Does Your life need Some Fireproofing?

2008-10-06T11:44:24Z

This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to view the movie Fireproof with Kirk Cameron. While the main stream hollywood world may not nominate this movie for any academy award, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you make the time to see it.

We live in a throw away society today. The values that many of us were raised on as children have dwindled away and society has paid a price for it. This movie has a POWERFUL message and I believe that if many would follow the guidelines recommended in this film they will surely prosper in ALL THINGS!

Want to read more? Go to www.fireproofmymarriage.com. If you are a fireman or know someone who is, treat them to a dinner and date night. We did that this weekend with a very special couple and I am ALREADY seeing the fruits of that labor.

This film is playing in selected theatres ONLY...that is a shame as it should be BLASTED FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS..FINALLY a movie that carries a message of HOPE for this dying generation and an ANSWER TO ALL THEIR PROBLEMS

God Bless you, Phyllis Pafumi

STAGING CHANGES THE WAY YOU LIVE

2008-10-02T23:01:11Z

Everyone knows that the way you live in your home and the way you sell your home are two very different things. When selling your home you must prepare it in a way that will showcase the HOUSE! In this photo you may find that the before picture is not so bad. In fact it is actually a great room...there was just one problem with it....

IT'S NOT THE DINING ROOM OR THE EAT IN KITCHEN....the sellers chose to place their dining room table in this room because they loved the EMPTY, SPACIOUS feel of having less furniture in their living room/dining room area! This room is actually their family room with an area for a breakfast bar....

By taking the sectional from the living room and placing two stools by the breakfast bar, this room is now returned to it original purpose. We then placed their dining room table in it's proper place and brought down a couch and chair from their upstairs office and staged their living room area, making the two spaces cozier. This house sold in two weeks!

While the clients LOVED the changes we made, they admitted they would never like living like this. Is was just against their sense of style. BUT....it appealed to buyers and that is all that matters when you are selling your house.

Staging is about letting go and turning your house into a product that a realtor can market. In this home the realtor was marketing the home as having a living room, dining room and FAMILY ROOM off the kitchen with a fireplace.

So if you are seriously ready to move on, call ReStyled to Sell, your premier Home Staging Company of NJ @ 732-995-3425 to schedule your in home consultation.

When the Going Gets Tough, The TOUGH GET GOING!

2008-10-01T11:03:56Z

In today's troubled economy, l fear that many small business owners may be tempted to throw in the towel because all around us it seems that the housing market is doom and gloom. I say that now is the time to market yourself to others, get your name out there and be ready when things return to normal!

As President and Founder of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging I can tell you firsthand that the real estate market has slowed tremendously over the past few weeks. That is a no brainer, everyone can see that. As professionals who are in this field we need to look to the future and ask some questions about the present. Will there still be people out there needing to buy homes?..OF COURSE!. Can they get a loan? Sure if they are qualified! Will Your House Sell? Yes, if it is priced right, staged to sell and is being marketed by an experienced realtor!

So as a small business owner, what are we to do? Well you can stick your head in the sand and sulk OR.....Here are some tips that I have posted before but I truly feel that they are worth reading again and I pray they will give you hope and help motivate you ON!

1. ALWAYS ANSWER YOUR PHONE. IF YOUR BUSINESS PHONE IS YOUR CELL PHONE, ALWAYS ANSWER IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. REMEMBER, CLIENTS ARE SHOPPING AROUND AND WANT AN ANSWER NOW, SO THEY WILL DEAL WITH THE FIRST PERSON THAT IS AVAILABLE TO SPEAK WITH.

2. NEVER WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO CALL YOU BACK. TOO MUCH TIME ELAPSES AND THAT INDICATES TO THE CLIENT THAT YOU ARE NOT ON THE BALL. ALWAYS CALL BACK PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH. EX: PAINTERS, CONTRACTORS, ETC. BE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME.

3. NEVER LOSE A DEAL TO SOMEONE ELSE. YOU CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER FOR YOUR CLIENTS. TRY, ASK, BEG IF NECESSARY TO THE PEOPLE YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH AND SEE IF YOU CANNOT GET BETTER PRICING FROM THEM. EVERYONE NEEDS TO SUCCEED AND MOST WILL CUT THEIR COSTS IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DEAL.

4. DON’T GIVE UP SO EASILY.

5. ACT CONFIDENT. SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE. IF ONE ADVANCES CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF HIS DREAMS AND ENDEAVORS TO LIVE THE LIFE WHICH HE HAS IMAGINED, HE WILL MEET WITH SUCCESS UNEXPECTED IN COMMON HOURS.

6. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, ASK. HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER BEFORE YOU SPEAK TO THE CLIENT. DON’T SOUND LIKE A ROOKIE.

7. KNOW YOUR GAME. STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR FIELD.

8. STUDY YOUR COMPETITION AND SEE WHY THEY GET THE DEAL DONE.

9. EVERYDAY LEARN SOMETHING NEW

10. WAKE UP AND PLAN ON MAKING 2 NEW CONTACTS.

11. STUDY, STUDY, STUDY. TO LEARN YOU MUST WANT TO BE TAUGHT.

12. DON’T BE WISHY WASHY. DON’T BE LAZY. ASK YOURSELF WHAT AM I DOING TO SUCCEED AND DO I REALLY WANT TO PUT THE TIME INTO SUCCEEDING.

13. ASK YOURSELF, WHY HAVE I FAILED IN THE PAST? BE HONEST AND GROW FROM THERE.

14. ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH PROFESSIONAL, SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE. WHAT WORKED FOR THEM AND FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE.

15. TAKE CRITICISM WELL AND LEARN FROM EVERYONE AND EVERY SITUATION.

16. Take a look at your initial Business Plan, have you set new goals?

Happy Staging and Continued Success to ALL!

God Bless Phyllis Pafumi

Taking Your Room to NEW HEIGHTS!!

2008-09-29T21:05:12Z

When Staging smaller rooms with large walls, I always recommend painting an accent wall to my clients. This fabulous 2 story condo is located in Westfield, NJ. The beauty of this condo is that it was about the only two bedroom, two story condo for sale in this building. SO we needed to play up these features!

As you review the before and after pictures, you will see that by making small changes and adding a warm color on the walls the room is taken to a whole new level.

The tall drapes left the fireplace looking small and of no significance. Breaking up the sectional and replacing the area rug with a lighter colored round rug opens up the space tremendously. Painting the walls Jackson Tan by Benjamin Moore adds warmth and drama to the room.

The sectional blocked the view to the fireplace. One piece was moved to create a reading nook in the office. That's the beauty of working with a sectional. Don't be afraid to use pieces elsewhere throughout the house.

Staging does not have to be complicated. By enhancing the items you already own with paint, accessories, artwork and some rearrangment of furniture you will take your rooms to a WHOLE NEW HEIGHT and WELCOME BUYERS HOME!

For your in home staging consultation, call ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ today @ 732 -995-3425!

Staging Occupied Homes Can be Very Scary Business

2008-09-27T14:50:53Z

As the Owner and Founder of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging in NJ, I am proud to say that most of our business comes from staging occupied homes. While I LOVE staging a builders vacant model home, I have to admit that the challenge of transforming an occupied home is most fun to me.

Over the years I have seen many homes ranging from beautifully, decorated with stylish furniture to outdated and at times often scary...Here is one that we were called in to consult on!

THIS IS FOR REAL!! This was someone's bathroom and I need NOT SAY MORE! This takes depersonalizing your space to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL! We never got the opportunity to stage this house as it went into foreclosure. BUT I HAD NO DOUBT THAT THE TEAM OF RESTYLED TO SELL WOULD HAVE SHED A NEW LIGHT ON THIS SPACE.

The next photo is of a kitchen that was completely, tired, dated and just way too cluttered. At first you would think that the space would need to be gutted...BUT, with a little elbow grease (well, actually alot), my great team backing me up and a whole lot of paint, we took this kitchen from SCARY....TO LIGHT AND AIRY!

Selling your home does not need to be a HARROWING EXPERIENCE...Call on the team of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging for your in home consultation today @ 732-995-3425. We do the work, so you don't have to.

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging can change the way buyers view your home!

The Market and You, What does it Mean?

2008-09-25T17:24:33Z

Let's face it, today's economy can send everyone running. The news media is all doom and gloom and buyers are holding off for fear of not being able to get financing to purchase their new home. So as a seller, what does this mean to you??

First, when selling your home it is important that you are realistic about your pricing. I have worked with a few clients over the past few weeks, and due to job relocations, had to price their home at a lower price than they purchased it a few years ago. This all in the beginning of the transaction. They already came out of the gate behind. Does that hurt? Absolutely! But what is your alternative?

Holding out waiting for a higher offer or MOVE ON? I advise you to MOVE ON! If your are relocating and do not want the burden of two mortgages then you must negotiate a price that is pleasing to the buyer and acceptable to you.

Then you MUST work with an experienced realtor. THIS IS HUGE in today's market. Listen to their advice about preparing your home for sale. Don't be offended by the fact that they bring in a professional home stager for expert advice on preparing your home for sale. They are working together to help you SELL YOUR HOUSE!

Preapprove that buyer! Years ago it was easy for anyone to get a pre-approval. The process took about 15 minutes, if that, but it is NOT UNTIL other documents are looked at more carefully that the actual mortgage commitment or NOT is approved. The worst thing that can happen to you is to receive an offer, accept it and then wait 2 months only to find out the buyer cannot get a loan. NOW WHAT? You start the process all over again and then watch falling numbers day by day. So be wise and listen to your realtor. One person may present a higher offer but not be as qualified as the buyer who presented a few thousand less. Don't be mesmerized by numbers alone.

Should you still invest in HOME STAGING? ABSOLUTELY!! Just because the economy is struggling, there are STILL GOING TO BE BUYERS looking for a home. Make sure yours stands out from the rest! A minimal investment for accessories and lots of elbow grease can go a very long way to make that great FIRST IMPRESSION.

So if you are selling in today's market, don't give up. Be wise, hire an experienced realtor and make the investment to have your home PROFESSIONALLY STAGED!

For more information contact Phyllis Pafumi, Owner of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ at 732-995-3425

Sellers Can Actually Go TOO FAR When Trying to STAGE THEIR HOME

2008-08-21T21:52:03Z

When selling your home it is important that NO ROOM goes unnoticed. When buyers come to view your home it is important that you leave them with a lasting impression. It is wonderful thing that you have put a fresh coat of paint on the walls and you made a galant effort to remove the clutter, BUT SOMETIMES YOU CAN TAKE THAT A BIT TOO FAR....

In this guest bathroom the sellers made sure to declutter the space and clean the tub, tiles and sink. They then painted the bathroom, which is a lovely, calming blue. But as you can see, there is NOTHING that draws you into the space. In this case TOO MUCH WAS REMOVED...

You will see that by adding a large floral piece and some rolled towels that space now comes to life and draws you in. the rubber ducky in the box was removed, and a basket filled with towels and a hanging robe (which you cannot see) were added to the shelf. This bath is now ready to welcome your guests. It is a small fix that will take your guest bathroom from BLAH to AHH..Staging your home for sale does NOT have to be complicated. If you are not sure of how you can SET THE STAGE for a successful sale.....Call ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ today for your in home staging consultation @ 732-995-3425.

The team of ReStyled to Sell has been trained to help unlock the hidden potential in your home.

Simple Staging Techniques to Prepare Your Home For Sale

2008-08-16T19:15:26Z

When you are preparing your home for sale, no matter how beautiful you may feel that it is, there is ALWAYS something that can be done to enhance the space. Here is a picture of a home that I recently staged. As you can see the furnishings and decor were beautiful.

What the space lacked was proper arrangement of furniture and poor definition. I was met with much resistance from the clients as this layout was previously designed by an interior decorator. My first recommendation was to remove the large china closet and make it part of the dining room.

Definition...ALWAYS REMEMBER TO CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR SPACE. THE LIVING ROOM MUST SHOW AS THE LIVING ROOM AND THE DINING ROOM MUST SHOW AS THE DINING ROOM. This layout screams to buyers that there is not enough room for their furniture, which was absoulutely incorrect.

The chair was also blocking the fireplace which was my second recommendation. After much resistance, I was finally allowed to do "MY THING"...Here was the result!

It was a simple change but now each room was defined and the fireplace stood alone and can be appreciated if you sit in the LR and the DR.

This house took 2 hours to rearrange and stage and it WAS SOLD in under two weeks.

When preparing your home to sell remember that the way you live in your home and the way you sell your home are very different. Staging is about enhancing your selling features, like a fireplace, wood floors, large windows, and less about showing off your decor and furnishings.

When the house is sold what will remain for the new buyers?? You need to ask yourself that question and remember..THAT THOSE ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO SHOW OFF TO THE BUYERS. Working with a professional home stager will help you enhance your selling features. If you are serious about preparing your home for sale then you must call a professional home stager in your area today.

DON'T WAIT....time is money and remember the cost of staging is ALWAYS less than your FIRST PRICE REDUCTION!

For an in home consultation, call on the Team of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ @ 732-995-3425, we are in the business of helping sellers move on!

FREE ADVICE CAN COST YOU!!

2008-08-05T07:56:29Z

In today's sluggish real estate market, sellers may cut corners when preparing their home for sale so they will take the advice of their realtor or a friend as to what may be needed to "stage" their home. Is it always good advice?

Yesterday, I was called in for a consultation to a home that has been on the market for ONE YEAR and no offers. Upon my arrival I immediately saw some major issues. The first being PAINT COLOR. As you can see this was the color chosen for the MBR the first time the house went on the market!

Every room starting from the entry foyer had a different shade. The colors ranged from pinky/peach to yellow and GREEN. The house still had way too much furniture and clutter and entrances to many rooms were being blocked by either couches or beds.

I asked the client if she knew the feedback from potential buyers and her response was that everyone says it needs too much work. I had to agree with her, BUT THE WORK that everyone is complaining about is NOT MAJOR WORK. It is all cosmetic!

Here is the problem...the client does not want to spend any more money on painting or decluttering because based on her last realtors RECOMMENDATIONS she had already done all that. I asked if the realtor recommended colors and her response was NO...these are the colors that I like, afterall I have to live here while the house is for sale. The realtors advice consisted of declutter and paint the rooms...THAT WAS IT! I have said this over and over again...DECLUTTERING IS NOT STAGING!!

A simple staging consult report for a minimal fee was what the client needed! I am not sure if the clients realtor worked with a home stager or not, but the recommendations should have been followed up with some guidelines. FREE ADVICE in this case cost the client much more than expected!

I then had to sit with the client and educate her on the benefits of home staging, depersonalizing her space and choosing the RIGHT colors to prepare her home. I had to keep reminding her to forget what the past year did or did not bring in, I was coming through her house as a NEW BUYER that was seeing the house for the first time and never saw it before she did any of the recommended work and I still see these problems. THEY MUST BE ADDRESSED!

Even her son turned to her and said MOM, we need to do this. She was still concerned about spending more money, so I asked her how much did she already lose by having her home sit on the market for one year!

The answer was YOU'RE RIGHT, let's do it!

When preparing your home for sale it is important that you not only work with a REALTOR who is experienced, but also work with a realtor that not only believes in the benefits of HOME STAGING but actually works with a HOME STAGING PROFESSIONAL! Together they will help sell your home!

For the cost of a consulation report, this client now has all the right colors needed to enhance the house as well as a proper furniture arrangement design and a step by step plan for decluttering and addressing cosmetic repairs needed.

All in all these were NOT large jobs, so the client has employed the services of her son and some of her friends, and together WE WILL HELP HER HOUSE SELL!

If your house has been sitting on the market with no offers I recommend you take a second look at it. Review it through the eyes of a buyer. Call a professional Home Staging Expert in for a consultation report. The cost of the report may range from $150.00 - $300.00 but the information you receive will be priceless.

To schedule your in home staging consultation, please call Phyllis Pafumi of ReStyled to Sell at 732-995-3425. We are in the business of helping sellers MOVE ON!

THE STAGERS....Redeemed in Episode 2

2008-07-22T22:41:19Z

Okay, okay, I was prejudging the show. I watched tonight's episode ($1.8 million home), and from the moment it started I LOVED IT! You're the bomb Matthew. I loved when you looked at your client's living room and WE ALL knew what you wanted to say..BUT YOU DIDN'T. Well, at least not in front of the client. (HUH, just millions of viewers). It was great! This was more realistic to me. STUFF, STUFF, STUFF...ahh a familiar mantra for stagers.

The painting of the faux paneling and the changing of the DR light fixture were definitely things to be addressed. Can you work around it? SURE, but why do that if they can be changed.

I still think TOOO much emphasis was placed on the artwork but in the end IT WAS PERFECT and obviously so because the house sold for over asking.

My daughter walked in on the last 10 minutes so I was trying not to be rude and I missed the final numbers for budget. I took fast glimpses of the after shots as well.

Was the initial budget of $6,000.00 kept or did you exceed that? Did that fee include your fee for the 5 days of work as well as the furniture rental? Please forgive me if this was listed at the end, I missed it! Would love to see a breakdown of these fees in future episodes.

I DO THINK THAT THIS SHOW WILL HELP THE INDUSTRY except for the fact that most of us, probably a large percentage of us, does not have the luxury of walking into a warehouse like DEKORA to choose our furniture, accessories and art. I'M JEALOUS! BUT IN A KIND WAY

If the following episodes continue in this trend then I would say YOU HAVE A HIT ON YOUR HANDS and STAGING AS AN INDUSTRY will be truly recognized.

Looking forward to more shows! Happy Staging

Phyllis Pafumi

Who Caught The Premiere of THE STAGERS??

2008-07-21T07:55:09Z

And if you did see it, were you as disappointed as I was?? I found this show to be more about "the Stagers" personalities and lives than actual staging and what goes on behind the scenes as well as the day of staging.

I especially found it unreal to see how CALM everyone was most times. I don't know about you but I am running around like a luny when I stage. Many of you might, but I certainly do not, have an art gallery that I can walk into and take art that is worth $7,000.00. If you have resources like this, I would love to know what you are doing.

Now I ask you this...when was the last time your staging assistant had time to go on 2 auditions during the actual staging of a home?? GOSH, I barely get time to pee. This is nuts and I really don't think the show is going to last.

Plus I found it to be boring. I think that so far GET IT SOLD and SELL THIS HOUSE are 2 of the best shows to exemplify the realities of staging EXCEPT for the fact that the crew's labor is not factored in.

When the show was over the transformations were beautiful and they did make good use of the space, but I wasn't hearing things like this is to show off the fireplace, this is to draw the buyers eye to that fabulous view, etc. At the end of the show they did show the list price, cost for staging, and the final sale price. When all was said and done the seller was down close to $100K. I guess on a $4.5 million house that is just a drop in the bucket. But the total cost for the staging was $40K and they did not do a breakdown of what that included. Was is a 3 mth rental, 6 month rental, etc.? Do you think that this show will help us in the long run?

Once again, I am concerned that this show may make clients with ordinary budgets feel that they cannot afford to hire a home stager for their property. I would love to hear what you all thought about it.

Thanks Phyllis Pafumi

Thanks For the Memories, But Now It Is Time to MOVE ON!!

2008-07-17T21:38:09Z

Home is a place where memories are made, and children are born and raised. Home is where the HEART IS! So why would anyone want to change that when it is time to sell that home? Isn't this what makes buyers feel all warm and fuzzy?? NO!!!

As a Professional Home Staging Expert the FIRST THING I always recommend is to remove all the family photos. It is time to take your HOME and turn it back into A HOUSE. A HOUSE THAT A REALTOR CAN SELL to a NEW FAMILY. These new families need to envision their lives in these homes and begin to imagine all the memories they will create in that house. Oftentimes, a seller's home is filled to the brim with so many family photos and memorabilia accumulated over the years that it can actually hinder a buyer from seeing THEIR HOUSE.

The following pictures are a perfect example of this. This is an older Victorian home I staged this week. It was beautiful, but a buyer's first impression upon entering the living room was what???

Family photos, as well as too much furniture. Did you notice the fireplace right away? What about the beautiful hardwood floors? Does this room seem large to you?

After decluttering, neutralizing and staging you now have a HOUSE that a BUYER CAN SEE! RESTYLED TO SELL HOME STAGING...changing the way buyer's view homes. Call today for your in home consultation at 732-995-3425

Change the Look of Your Bathroom with Paint and Accessories

2008-07-05T19:27:43Z

When staging a home for sale I always tell my clients to update their bathrooms with paint, new shower curtains and accessories. This can be achieved very easily and for a minimal cost, but the change is HUGE and one that will always appeal to buyers.

Too many times sellers think they need to update their fixtures because the color scheme of their sink or toilet is dated. This is especially true when you see the gray tiles or those lovely blue tiles that we all had at one time or another.

I always try to impress upon my clients that while we may not be able to change the tiles and fixtures, we can always dress the room up to accentuate the colors and show buyers how they can live in the space until they can afford to replace it.

Here are two baths we just completed and the client GOT what I was trying to say. The first bath is a little difficult to see but it had a gray toilet and sink and gray tile on the floor. It would have cost too much for my client to replace all that, so I removed the wallpaper and painted the walls a warm toffee color, then dressed the room with plum and green accessories.

The second bath was an easier fix. Painting over peach colored faux finish walls and bringing in accessories that have warmer colors to them transformed the bath to a room more suited to adults.

Simple staging and redesign techniques that will prepare your home to sell does not have to cost you a fortune.

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ will work within your budget to make your HOME THE STAR! Call today for your in home consultation @ 732-995-3425

THE NUMBER 1 THING TO NOT DO WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME IS.......

2008-07-04T12:22:06Z

NOTHING! Yes you heard right Don't Do NOTHING!! ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING!

So often when meeting with clients they have had friends and neighbors over telling them things like their house is so lovely I am sure you will have no problem selling it. Your furniture looks great, your wallpaper is nice, the paint colors are warm, so on an so on.

So who do you believe when a home stager comes into the house and starts telling you to remove the wallpaper, paint the red walls, put away that settee sofa that is blocking the entrance into the dining room?

I hope it is your home stager, but often times sellers will listen to their well meaning friends and do nothing.

When selling your home it is important to realize that the way you have lived in your home for the past 10 or so years IS NOT how you should be showcasing your home when selling

So what small changes can you make??

1. Declutter - Help clients see your HOME and not your THINGS

2. Remove heavy draperies - Let the LIGHT IN. You will be surprised how bright and airy your home will fee

3. Hire the professional services of a cleaning company - People want to see clean bathrooms and kitchens

4. Move large pieces of furniture to storage or down the basement - Open space SELLS!

5. Call a professional home stager for an in -home consultation - It is a small investment and you will receive a wealth of information

6. Plant some nice flowers and have the front entry landscaped and tidied up.

Too many times sellers feel that if they do nothing they can adjust their price accordingly and sell "as is". I think that selling those handiman specials years ago were great but in today's busy world, buyers want homes that need minimal work and are move in ready.

The other evening we had a consultation with the children of the parents estate. We immediately made small changes that completely opened up the rooms, some of which are listed above. The second sibling came over after the changes were made and could not believe it but when presented with a further "TO DO" list, she commented that she would just lower the price by $50K. When I asked why?, she mentioned she thought that the cost to do these improvements would equal that amount.

NOT TRUE! When we submitted our proposal it was under $3,500.00! Those changes for $3,500.00 would have made the home SO MUCH MORE DESIRABLE and the price range would NOT have to be lowered. Yet they chose to DO NOTHING!

Doing NOTHING in today's market when preparing your home to sell is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Call ReStyled to Sell home staging NJ for your in home consultation at 732-995-3425. We do the work so you AND THE BUYERS don't have to!

Listening to A Professional Home Stager Can Be Painful and Rewarding

2008-06-28T16:32:37Z

There are many aspects to being a professional home stager. First and foremost you must have a good sense of design and spacial planning. You must be creative and thrifty, as most jobs are limited in budget. BUT FOREMOST...you must be a counselor to many!

Does this shock you?? Well let me give you a scenario to think about! You enter into someone else's space. A home they have created over the past several years filled with their likes and decorating style. It is filled with memories and decorative items that have been collected over the years. Items that have special meaning to them and their children.....Enter the home stager and what do we do?? WE TELL THEM TO GET RID OF IT ALL!!

I joke with my clients that when I begin my job they are going to hate me and by the time I am done they love me. Oh, they would never admit that they hate me but I have seen many tears over the years as I begin to declutter their space and remove their specially loved items.

SO WHY DO WE DO IT?? Because buyers are not coming to buy your STUFF, they need to see YOUR HOUSE! So we remove the distractions like busy wallpaper, dirty carpets and decorative items that hinder the buyer from seeing your HOUSE!

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging just finished a house that has sat on the market for 5 months now with no offers and very little seekers. When we were called in to view this property it was very clear to me the many problems that needed to be addressed. One was the clutter and wallpaper. I warned my client that the process was going to be tough and she kept reassuring me that she would be okay, which she was, but only after she was told by me to COMPLETELY LET GO and trust me and let me do my job.

I recall the night she called and begged me to change the paint color in the bathroom. I REFUSED and told her she needed to trust me and wait to see the final project. Once I completed the accessorizing she agreed and FINALLY GOT WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

So the finished project...HUGE SUCCESS, first Open House is today and we are expecting great results!

BEFORE Lavendar and pink wallpaper screamed 1980's, while too many small accessories took away from the RELAXED atmosphere that buyers would be looking for in a great soaking tub like this one. The choice of color also washed out the decorative tile border

Now the Rich Taupe paint pulls out the accent tile color which was in GREAT SHAPE and warms the space. This was tough for the clients as they would have NEVER chosen a color like this, but now they love it.

SO WILL BUYERS. The huge soaking tub seems so much more inviting now

If you are thinking of selling your home and would love to call on the professional services of a home stager, be READY TO LET GO and I MEAN REALLY LET GO and LET US DO OUR JOB...You'll be glad you did!

Call ReStyled to Sell home staging experts today @ 732-995-3425. Our team of professionals will transform your house into a home that buyers will LOVE!

Don't Wait to Stage your Home...DO IT NOW!!!!

2008-06-12T11:26:17Z

I hear this time and time again....we should have staged sooner!! SO WHY ARE SELLERS WAITING? They are afraid of losing money. Well aren't you losing money when you reduce the price of your home??

Here is an email I just received from a client:

Hi!

Forgive me for not keeping you in the loop. TWO DAYS after you finished the job, there was an open house, 15 people came, made favorable comments, and an offer came in four days later!!! This past Tues, we settled on the home inspection items and we close on 7/18! Granted, we came down another $19,000 to arrive at $400k, but at least we have a buyer in this horrible market!! I genuinely believe that had we done the improvements back in April, we would have gotten more for the house. There is no question that these things are necessary, especially in a dated home.

Tell that story to your clients!

Thanks again,

Anne

Here was their situation. The mom passed away and she and her siblings were trying to sell the home. The home was dated and had wallpaper in the LR/DR and staircase as well as old carpeting
that was covering up beautiful hardwood floors. We had given them a proposal to remove these items but they opted not to do so.

In that interim over 100 buyers viewed the property and all the comments were the same "IT NEEDED TOO MUCH WORK". After a price reduction the clients called us again and in 3 days my crew had completed the work in time for the OPEN HOUSE...THE REST IS IN HER EMAIL...OF COURSE THE HOUSE SOLD!!

Call on the professional services of a home stager. ReStyled to Sell Home Staging is a FULL SERVICE STAGING COMPANY that will do the work so you and THE BUYER does not have to! Staging is ALWAYS cheaper than that first price reduction

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging 732-995-3425

WILL HOME STAGING HELP SELL MY HOUSE??

2008-06-10T21:01:45Z

In today's market, so many sellers are concerned about the sale of their home so they are turning to their realtors for answers. The realtors who are teaming up with a professional home stager are providing a valuable service to their clients and therefore are doing all they could to help them sell their home. So will home staging HELP SELL THE HOME??

ABSOLUTELY, BUT ONLY IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING:

1. First you MUST LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS. Who are the experts? The realtor and the home stager that will be helping you prepare your home for sale. When working with a seasoned realtor and home stager, it is important to listen wisely to their suggestions as they have prepared many homes for sale with great success.

2. LET GO! It is time to relinquish over your home to the experts so they can turn it into a product that will appeal to a wider number of buyers. Remember buyers want to see THE HOUSE NOT YOUR ITEMS. So listen to us when we say, the antique teapot collection must be packed away.

3. REMOVE ALL WALLPAPER. "Yuck, that could take forever and it is such a messy job". I hear this from so many clients. Well guess what, if you don't want to do it why do you think a buyer will want to do it. Let us do the work so you don't have to. Laying out some money now can result in a higher offer.

4. Price the home accordingly! This is not 2004, things have changed as well as home prices. You can no longer get what you neighbor got for the same house 4 years ago. Again, trust the realtors numbers as they have done extensive comparatives in the neighborhood. They know what the realistics numbers are.

5. INVEST A LITTLE TO GAIN ALOT! Home Staging is not an expense, it is an investment and an investment that is sure to give a great return. Before you say no to the cost of staging your home, count the cost of what it would be to carry the home for 6 extra months. Most homes that we have staged are selling in under one month, even in this market. All clients have said it was money well spent.

6. When interviewing a realtor and a home stager, don't just choose based on commission and pricing alone. Remember the saying..you get what you pay for! Ask how long the realtor and home stager have been in business. What are their success rates? Ask for referrals. Ask to see the home stagers portfolio and client testimonials. Don't judge by their website as many home staging companies today can purchase websites that are professionaly "staged" and these stager have not even staged their first home. Do not be afraid to ask these questions.

7. Once you have made the decision to work with a qualified, professional home stager, let them DO THEIR JOB! At first you may disagree with their furniture placement but I can assure you that there is a method to our madness. I just staged a home last week and I needed the client to empty his large cabinet so I could move it to another location. He refused because he said it would not look good anywhere else. I told him it was my job to make sure that it did, but he refused to let me proceed with moving it as well as many other items. My hands were tied and the home did not look as good as I knew it could. LET US DO OUR JOBS!

8. Don't be an HGTV staging graduate! I love all the design shows and unfortunately because of them EVERYONE THINKS THEY ARE STAGERS. Tomorrow I am re-staging a home that was apparently staged by the clients friends. All simple rules were broken but the worst and most dangerous one was that these "stagers" placed decorative material over a hanging light fixture in the hallway. HMMM! What if a realtor accidentally left that light on all night, the material could have caught fire. Sure it looked pretty but BIG MISTAKE!

9. STAGE BEFORE YOU LIST! Don't wait until your home has become market worn. I have had too many clients call me after the home has been on the market 6 months or longer. There have already been many price reductions but most importantly is that too many buyers have viewed the property which amounted to many missed opportunities.

Houses are still selling and the ones that are priced right and show beautifully will be the first ones to sell!

Call ReStyled to Sell Home Staging today @ 732-995-3425 for your in home consultation, but before you do, prepare your heart so we can successfully prepare your home to sell!

Peter Perfect is to Business Owners What Stagers are to Sellers

2008-05-27T16:15:50Z

For the first time in a long time I had the evening off and caught up on some TV. I watched a program called Peter Perfect. Has anyone ever seen it?? It was GREAT! Peter Perfect is a well known Salon Owner and Entrepeneur who is called upon to help struggling business owners achieve their goals.

As I watched I was amazed how closely this resembled what home stagers accomplish for their clients. First this gentleman was called into the business and met with much reservation by the struggling business owner. I laughed because he reminded me of myself.

Upon his arrival he would start to assess how the business storefront appears to the public...Hmmm, curb appeal to the buyer, right? Then he would enter the store and start to ask questions that is so reminiscent of the questions that a home stager would ask their client. He was working with a small business owner who made fabulous cakes and when he entered her taste tasting room he asked..."so what is this room suppose to be??"

She looked at him stunned because to her it was pretty obvious, but to him and quite frankly me and my husband, it was not. As he went about the shop he started making reference to her wall colors, decor and flow of the space. While the shop owner was excited about taking her business to the next level, she was VERY RELUCTANT TO LET GO...hmmm, are you seeing the correlation here with home staging? Oftentimes as he removed certain items that were sentimental to her, she cried.

He then told them they needed to close shop for 48 hours while he "performed his MAGIC". They were shocked , but reluctantly agreed. Isn't that what a home stager does? We need to take this house off the market, restyle and stage it and then re-list as a new listing, right?

My interest was peaked. The next thing he worked on was their personal appearance and when the shop owner returned to their shop they were COMPLETELY AMAZED at the total transformation of their space and wondered why they had not done this to their business years ago. I hear this from homeowners ALL THE TIME.

FEAR WAS THE ANSWER...FEAR OF CHANGE!! What was the SOLUTION?? LETTING GO AND LETTING HIM DO WHAT HE IS AN EXPERT IN AND WHAT THEY CALLED HIM TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Sellers, give up the fear and let go! Relinquish your home over to a professional home stager who will take your HOME and transform it into a HOUSE that is the perfect product for the realtor to SELL....and isn't that the only bottom line we want here???

GO FROM FOR SALE TO SOLD! ReStyled to Sell Home Staging, changing the way buyers view homes. Call us today for an in home consultation @ 732-995-3425. We will help you reorganize, restyle and stage your home to sell.

Don't Let That Textured Wallpaper Scare Buyers Away!!

2008-05-18T18:03:35Z

Here is an easy fix for that awful textured wallpaper. First you MUST have an EXCELLENT TEAM OF PAINTERS to pull this off. Upon my initial consultation, the realtor made sure to keep reminding me that SOMETHING had to be done with this bathroom. When I see wallpaper I most ALWAYS recommend removing it, but in some cases I suggest painting over it. The realtor FREAKED when I told her what my team was about to do and reminded me that on HGTV they suggest NEVER TO PAINT OVER TEXTURED WALLPAPER....but I JUST KNEW THIS WOULD LOOK AWESOME!

Here are the rules to follow if you are going to paint over wallpaper:

1. Make sure all seams are sealed and there are no curling edges anywhere

2. Have your painters spackle and sand out ALL SEAMS

3. PRIME WITH AN OIL BASED PRIMER TO SEAL IT

4. LET DRY and then check for any visible seams

5. Add your fresh coat of paint - In this case we used Beach Glass by Benjamin Moore

Here are the befores and afters!

AHHHH, Isn't that MUCH BETTER?? This was one of the Realtor's favorite rooms and when the brown and blue combination of colors are added it now takes this outdated bathroom right into a place that buyers would love...all for a fraction of the cost of replacing the bathroom. It is the job of a home stager to transform your home into a showplace that buyers can envision themselves living in. IF THEY WANT TO REMODEL down the road, they certainly will not mind living in the newly transformed bathroom until they can afford a new one.

Call on the professional services of a home stager before you list your house to sell. ReStyled to Sell Home Staging, we do the work so you don't have to...call today for initial consultation at 732-995-3425, you'll be glad you did!

Bedrooms Are For Sleeping, THEY ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR STORAGE

2008-05-18T07:42:14Z

Okay, when using ANY room in your house for ANY OTHER purpose then what it was intended to be is always a NO NO when selling your home. In this house we staged a few weeks ago, the bedroom were being used as kind of a dumping ground for all items that the sellers could not find space for.

When your home goes on the market for sale, you must ALWAYS define each room and restore it back to it's original purpose. This house was quite large and had 4 bedrooms. The RED room was designed to be a guest room and the larger bedroom was staged into a little girls room since the Master bedroom was completely staged and there was another bedroom which was a little boys room.

First, my A-1 Team member, MIKE...hey Mike, as you can see him up on a ladder, painted over the RED walls with Antique Lace by Benjamin Moore. This is a great calming color, I use this often. Then the decluttering process took place. It took many friends and family members to help these clients pack and store items that would or would not be following them to their new home.

The final step was the Staging. I always give sellers a detailed report and outline as to the decluttering, moving, staging process. This particular job did take several weeks but it was done in stages. But in the end, the house was transformed and is ready for listing...See the amazing transformations!

Please note that we were able to use all the clients own inventory which I always try to do whenever possible to help the clients not only save money, but to keep some of their belongings and personality in the home.

While staging is all about depersonalizing, I have never had a problem with RESTYLING what they already own and making it work. ReStyled to Sell Home Staging specializes in taking what the clients already own and transforming it in to a totally new space. It is important to remember that buyers are there to buy your HOUSE, NOT YOUR FURNITURE!!

Don't think of listing your home for sale WITHOUT calling on the services of a Professional Home Stager.

So Why Hasn't Your House Sold Yet??

2008-05-17T09:51:07Z

Time and time again when I am doing a walk through consultation with my clients I am always stressing the fact to them that if I have to ask what this room's purpose is, then for sure buyer's do NOT know how to set up their furniture.

I am especially finding this to be true with the larger homes that builders are building today. Too many rooms, with too many openings into other rooms makes it difficult for a buyer to imagine how to set up their furnishings. But it does not always need to be a large, builders home that needs staging....

Here is a home that we finished staging on Wednesday. The home is priced in the mid $300's, but as you can still can still benefit from staging.

This home has been on the market for 6 mths with no offers. Hmmm, so what IS THIS ROOM SUPPOSE TO BE?? I spoke with the homeowner and he said it was built to be a kitchen/family room area. Based ont he price and the type of buyer that this home will attract I chose furnishings that would not only suit the tastes of a young family but accentuate the black counters and take full advantage of this now Kitchen, Family Room...GREAT ROOM!

Sellers, Builders, Investors...call on the services of a professional Home Stager. We will design your space and HELP THE BUYERS make sense of it all!

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging...changing the way buyer's view homes! Call us today at 732-995-3425

A Vacant Room is Filled with LIFE

2008-05-13T15:30:21Z

In today's market the one room that most builders are concentrating their efforts on is the GREAT ROOM. The kitchen and great room are the hub of the home. The family will gather to read, watch TV and entertain. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BUYER SEES NOTHING BUT SPACE, AND LOTS OF IT??

When I was being interviewed for this home, the first thing I noticed was how long and narrow this great room was. There were entrances into and out of the room on every side. If I was confused about furniture placement, I was quite sure that buyers were also.

My company won this bid and the house was staged last Thursday. From long, empty and cold, the room was transformed to cozy and inviting.

DON'T GIVE UP ON THAT KITCHEN JUST YET...

2008-04-22T15:36:30Z

I always tell my clients that we are STAGING their home to sell, not DECORATING their home to live. So what is my purpose as a home stager? It is my job to present that home in it's best light. We want to show a buyer how they can live with that dated kitchen or bath for a year until they can afford to replace it with the kitchen or bath of their dreams. That's the buyers job, not the stager's or sellers job. WHY?? Because everyone's taste are different.

So for a dated kitchen, try painting the cabinets. Be sure you have the proper tools and correct paint. I use an oil based sealing primer by Benjamin Moore and then topcoat with a latex paint. In this kitchen we used Almond and put on new brushed nickel knobs. We did not change the countertops. The transformation is pretty amazing...

BEFORE the kitchen appears dated, dark and tired.

Now it appears to be a brand new space filled with light. The cost for this room was approximately $500.00.

RESTYLED TO SELL HOME STAGING is changing the way buyer's view homes. Call today for your in home consultation at 732-995-3425.

First Week, 8 Offers and Sells for $36,000 Over Asking!!

2008-04-21T00:06:15Z

When sellers listen to their stager and their real estate agent their house will SELL and sometimes for over asking, even in today's market. Here is a blog that was written by the manager of Gloria Nilson in Middletown, NJ. I am that Stager and here are the pics of the house that sold for over asking.

SELLING A HOME. They say that every Realtor should sell their home to be more empathetic to what their clients go through.

I thought my home showed OK. That was until I had a few so called friends come over and tear my home apart. Truthfully, I prefer these friends to the ones that tell you that your house looks fine when they don't mean it, just so they do not hurt their friends feelings. The 2008 Real Estate market is no time for wimps.

Recently, one of our listings was Staged to Sell by Phyllis Pafumi of ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ. The seller hired the stager through the advice of their listing agent, Jayne Camlin. The stager moved existing furniture around the house to make it more appealing. I might add the price of the staging was most reasonable.

Result? Multiple bids over asking price. Pinch me is it really 2008? Feels more like the mid 80's when we could put a home on the market decorated in early "Adams Family" and it would sell before we got back to the office from the listing appointment. There was little inventory then. Conversely, today we have builders begging us to visit, seller concessions everywhere and an abundance of unsold inventory in mls.

MULTIPLE BIDS! WOW!

Since I am thinking of selling, I figured this sounded great to me.I hired the same stager and off to work I went. I think my china pattern might have been "in" in the late 70's? (Mauve Mikassa- I think) Pack the old china, it looks old and ugly to the buyers today. My furniture got moved all around. Crazy things like placing the furniture at weird angles, taking just about everything out of the bathrooms, removing two chairs from each table. I cannot believe the difference!

My "Staging Professional" just E-Mailed me with some new tips. It is almost 1 AM and apparently she is as passionate (and nuts) about her business as I am about Real Estate. I am surprised she is still up because this afternoon, she completely organized my basement in addition to finishing the staging.

I would highly recommend this type of service to anyone thinking of selling a home. My house looks awesome I know it will sell if I see something I'd like to buy.

.... I just can't find my toothbrush.

Karen Blackbourn
Broker/Sales Representative
Gloria Nilson GMAC Real Estate
Middletown Branch
350 Highway 35 P.O. Box 214Middletown, NJ 07748
Office: 732-747-5600

The furniture placement in this room was difficult because of the placement of baby grand piano. There was also no formal dining room. We painted, removed carpeting, added draperies and the floors were refinished......

What a great space to entertain!

The dining room before A new chandelier, curtains and a server and a nicely set table now set the stage for a formal dining space.

Family Room Before

New Carpeting and furniture rearrangement made the room more welcoming.

This home was located in Morganville, NJ and the agent on this listing was Jayne Camlin of Gloria Nilson in Middletown, NJ. Jayne is also a member of Active Rain. We have been working together for about a year and in the past month every listing she has had that I staged has SOLD within the first week. Jayne is an excellent agent and a pleasure to work with. This week we stage two more and we are hoping for the same excellent results.

If you are thinking of selling your home call ReStyled to Sell Home Staging @ 732-995-3425 for an in home consultation.

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging NJ specializes in "RESTYLING" your furniture and accessories to bring your rooms to life. We believe that clients are there to purchase your HOME not your THINGS, so making your home the star is what we do best.