Preparing Your Property For The Perfect Pictures

If you’re considering selling your home in Chichester or Bognor Regis then the first step to getting the best possible offer is to ensure your property shines through in pictures.

Of course, our professional photographers can show your home in its best light – quite literally – and find the greatest angles, but in the meantime, there is plenty you can do to prepare your property.

And if you aren’t sold on just how important photos are for making a good first impression, just take a look at these stats:

• 92% of homebuyers find photos extremely helpful in making buying decisions.
• 75% of buyers and tenants are frustrated by unflattering and poor quality images, while 82% want to see more than 10 photos of a property when deciding whether or not to arrange a viewing. 
• Great property photos in listings can attract up to 93% more leads, sell 24 days quicker on average and achieve a 2% higher asking price.

Here are our top tips for preparing your property for the perfect pictures.

1. Housework that works for your house

Think of a photographer visit like a visit from your friends or in-laws. You want everything looking clean, tidy, spick and span to give your property that show home appeal.

Working your way from the outside in, declutter everything that might draw negative attention. This doesn’t mean just raking leaves into a pile in the corner, but actually putting them in the compost bin and then moving the bin completely out of sight.

Maximise kerb appeal by clearing away bins, moving cars off the driveway and giving your gardens and external features the once-over – mow the lawns, jet wash the patio, clean the windows and even repair or replace any dodgy door knockers and fence panels. Don’t forget to take in that last load of washing and put the line away.

Inside the property, nobody wants to trip over discarded shoes and handbags or see unmade beds and piles of towels on the bathroom floor. If it’s not nailed down or a heavy piece of furniture, move it. This even goes for small kitchen appliances like kettles and toasters that will make your kitchen appear bigger.   

And remember to clean from top to bottom, side to side!

2. A room with a view

One of the best ways to create a flow through your property is to have all internal doors and window coverings open. It will enable potential buyers to move seamlessly from one room to the next (maybe even virtually) as well as cast as much natural light into the room as possible.

To maximise space, do the opposite of point one and think about those extra items you don’t need when you don’t have visitors or aren’t ‘living’ in your property. That extra dining table chair? The fold away coffee table? The baby’s highchair? The dog’s bed? While it might not seem like clutter to you, these extra items could make a room look cramped.

And pay particular attention to the corners because this is where the photos are most likely to be taken from.

If you want to give smaller rooms the illusion of space, consider putting some stylish mirrors on the wall and if you have time, you might want to give some rooms a fresh lick of light-coloured paint.

3. Stage with personal touches

Historically, estate agents would ask for vendors to clear away any personal items or obscure soft furnishings and accessories, but more recently, it appears buyers like to see how other people live.

Of particular interest are family photos, pops of colour and fashionable furniture, according to a new study. So make an effort not to be garish and over-personalise with accessories, but select a few key items that you think can showcase your house as a home – even if you invest in new items you can take with you once you move. Just don’t forget to put anything away that might reveal sensitive information, like one agent did earlier this year.

Finding the right balance by staging your home with full and colourful fruit bowls or flower displays, plump cushions and throws or home working stations can really appeal to potential buyers, if you know your audience.

Speak to us today about how best to prepare your property for perfect photography while attracting the right type of buyer with a hint of lifestyle interior design.