Make your property picture perfect

Be clutter-free!

You could well be amazed at how different a room looks when you remove some simple daily items. Kitchens tend to accumulate coffee jars and suchlike on the work surfaces, and in bathrooms – shampoo, aftershave, and bleach! It’s perfectly normal for this to happen, I mean, who has all day to tidy up after everyone! But when you are presenting these rooms in photos, it does make a huge difference to minimalise clutter – allowing viewers to look at the room and space, rather than your belongings.

Rearrange

We tend to arrange furnishings to find what is comfortable and convenient for us and our loved ones. However, moving the sofa or dining table over to the edge of a room can really open up a space. This can create a better impression of size and allows the viewer to better imagine what they could do with the room instead. During a viewing, it will also provide potential buyers with more space to walk around and enjoy the sense of flow.

Make simple repairs

A haphazard curtain rail or a wonky kitchen cupboard door can really stand out against the smooth angles and lines of a room in a photograph. Repairing these types of items also shows viewers that your home is well-maintained, giving them reassurance that they won’t find any hidden disasters later!

You may not want to redecorate your home, but small touch-ups to paintwork or wiping the walls where there are scuff marks makes for a fresher, more attractive-looking interior which will enhance the appearance of photos. Washing the carpet could also make it look plusher and renewed.

Dress to impress!

Simple touches like a vase of fresh flowers create a pretty focal point on a table or a mantelpiece, and can certainly make a room appear more inviting. You can also add complementary accessories, such as cushions and throws, adding colour and contrast to attract the eye of the viewer.

Seasonal decorations at Christmas time can make a property look more homely, but be mindful not to make the room look too busy, as it will detract from the sense of space.

A set of new curtains or blinds can also really give a room a lift, but make sure they are open on the day to allow plenty of natural light for the photography – the more, the better!

Move the bins

If at all possible, tuck wheelie bins away out of sight. They are a real eyesore on front photos, which are often the very first impression a potential buyer has of the house. They certainly aren’t a great focal point in the rear garden, either! 

Make the most of outdoor space

If you are in the process of or have just finished refurbishing a property, it would also be good to clear away any garden debris, so that viewers can enjoy a good feel of what it would be like to entertain themselves and others outdoors. A heap of wood or paving stones takes up garden space as well, making the garden look smaller.

Trimming the hedgerow and mowing the lawn also shows off the garden as well-kept and can definitely create more sense of space when mature shrubs are overgrown. 

Presenting the garden with outdoor furnishings can be a great touch, displaying how the outdoor space can be used. However, if these are a bit worse for wear, it could be better to put them away and make the most of your patio or decking areas. A children’s play area can be a nice touch, too, as long as there aren’t too many toys on show!

However you make your home photo-ready, we’re sure it will look amazing on the day!

Main photo from Downlands, in Hartley Wintney.

If you are thinking of selling or letting your home and would like help and advice, please contact your local branch.