How to prepare for photographs when selling your home

Have you ever looked at a set of estate agent details and wondered what on earth made them choose that photograph? I know I have.  Here at Seddons, we understand that great photographs are a hugely important factor when preparing house details.  We are also sticklers for well written copy, but that is for another post!

As buyers are more and more focussed on searching for property on sites like Rightmove it is more important than ever to make sure that you have images which are good enough to get them to stop scrolling and click.

So, what makes, a photograph great?

We will always try to show your property to its best advantage when taking photos, and often will come to take photos over more than one visit, especially if the weather conditions are favourable (after all, every property looks better on a sunny day). But, there is only so much you can do with a good angle so here is our room by room advice on how to prepare for photography when selling your home.

Kitchen

There is a saying in estate agency ‘kitchens and bathrooms sell houses’.  Whilst we agree that properties where the kitchen or bathroom need updating can put some buyers off, it does not mean that you must have a gleaming new kitchen to sell your house or make it look attractive to buyers in photos.  What you can do though is clear the work surfaces of clutter and underused appliances which may be gathering dust, remove things like bins, pet feeding bowls and dish drainers from view and give everything a good clean. A picture showing your kitchen with clear work tops will make it look more spacious and functional; Visible clutter makes it look like you don’t have enough space to put  everything away.

Living rooms

Consider shifting your furniture around (or even removing some) if your living areas look cluttered. The more floor space which is visible, the more spacious your rooms will look. Give everything a good clean – especially the windows and remove excessive personal objects or collections if possible.   Remove pet beds (and pets!) Add some fresh flowers in a vase or some attractive pot plants for a nice finishing touch.   Add some light if needed with lamps on in dark areas.

Hallways and Staircases

Avoid having masses of coats and shoes on show in these areas. A bulging coat rack or cloakroom area is something which all but the most organised of us probably have to deal with in reality, but you don’t want to show it in your property details.  In contrast an area like this which appears to offer organised and effective storage is positive.

Bedrooms

Make the beds, smooth out your bedding or duvet cover, plump up the pillows and make sure items like wash bins are out of sight.    Make sure children’s bedrooms in particular; are tidy and clean with toys put away neatly.  If necessary, invest in some additional storage to contain the clutter in children’s bedrooms.

Bathrooms

Again here, the emphasis should be on clearing and giving it all a good clean, especially grout, sealant and shower screens.  Put away excessive toiletries, put out clean towels and put the loo seat down!

Outside

Cut the lawn if you have one, get rid of flower bed weeds and make sure items like bikes, children’s toys and tools are put away.  Take washing down off the line.  Hiding away functional items like bins and recycling boxes is also a good idea if possible.  If you have a good garden for outside entertaining, show this off as well as you can by your putting up your shade umbrella, getting out your seat cushions etc. An inviting outside area is always a good selling point and making it look used and useable is much better than hoping buyers will be able to recognise potential!

When presenting your property for photographs an element of depersonalisation is a good thing, although, there is a balance to be struck between enabling potential purchasers to imagine themselves living there and making it look sterile and uninviting. For more information on how to present your home when selling or letting, take advantage of the experience of our team – get in touch for more information or to book a valuation.