£1.25m and didn’t move the clothes horse

[Lolliepoppie]

Probably some of the most unflattering estate agent photos I’ve ever seen…no show pineapple here!
For £1.25m, why oh why didn’t they move the clothes horse and coats?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122567066#/?channel=RES_BUY

Our estate agent moved stuff when he was taking photos. Things like evidence of pets.

The OP did not start this for people to critique the decor.

Doesn't matter what the OP's intentions were, it's pretty obvious that people are going to comment on the decor (and despite all the indignation at poor photos, posters ARE criticising the house itself).

It isn't up to the EA to clear up the house before photos, they can advise but if the vendors are happy with it being marketed like it is that is up to them. I don't know the Potter's Bar market, maybe that's cheap and anyone with sense will see through the photos and snap up a bargain.

I do wonder why people post threads like this, I'd hate it if houses belonging to my elderly relatives appeared on MN for public scrutiny.

It’s poor taste. You can clearly see what’s happening by looking at the pictures. If you don’t then you lack common sense

100% the fault of the Estate Agent. It is easy enough to move/remove things to present rooms in a better light. I believe this is the point the OP was trying to make as she made no mention of dated decor etc.

It could be the most swanky, well staged house in the universe. But that huge EA logo all over the main photo would still be inexcusable.

It’s odd not to even move the milk off the worktop or open curtains. Maybe the estate agents didn’t take the photos, they don’t seem very professional if they did. Looks like a forced sale to pay for care, sadly.

For those commenting on the 'dated' decor, it was probably modern and up to the minute when it was done, and not everyone sees the need to update their home with every passing grey trend. It's been someone's beloved home.

Exactly! Perfect place to dry the washing.

Geez, perhaps grieving family were only able to give EAs a very short time.
Perhaps the family didn't want anything touched. Perhaps there's a complicated financial issue.

I'm glad I didn't have the misfortune to have MN when my family home was repossessed while my mum was dying in hospital. Clothes horses were not top of our mind, and to then read how mean and thoughtless people can be would have been very upsetting.

Many seem to think that all EAs are living in an episode of Selling Sunset...
Selling houses and being an estate agent are very different in this country, so generally houses are not 'staged' as per the most US TV property programmes or as advised by The House Doctor.

Re the clothes horse - a few years ago, a friend and I went to an Airbnb and attempted to assemble a clothes horse. Given that between us we have three degress, a diploma and a professional qualification each, it took us ages. So I would leave the bloody thing standing 'til I popped my clogs

And for those commenting on the decor - well I am sure you all have fantastic taste, so feel free to look down on others

Oh that's me. You call it having a moan, I call it trying to get people to think before they speak.

Oh that’s interesting - might be because the photographer was not an employee of the estate agents, maybe insurance related? He did ask me to move something on the sideboard to make it look better but he didn’t do it himself.

And you are the God of good taste...?

Maybe the estate agents didn’t take the photos, they don’t seem very professional if they did

All the agents around me refuse to use photos taken by the vendor. I can see why to be fair as its their name on the listing and I can't imagine they want future customers to think poorly taken images are what they would get if they sold using them. Although the watermarks on the first picture would suggest at least some of the images were the agents own photos.

Do you think there should be a law that all houses have to redecorated in a fashionable manner before they can be offered for sale?

I'm glad I didn't have the misfortune to have MN when my family home was repossessed while my mum was dying in hospital. Clothes horses were not top of our mind, and to then read how mean and thoughtless people can be would have been very upsetting.

Yes. The thoughtlessness on here blows my mind sometimes.

Probably an industrial park outside 😆

How is mocking the decor and saying it looks like a rest home criticism of the agents?

If that the case, then the sensitive approach is to be extremely careful about how you take the photos and which ones you choose to use.

You don’t put a load of poorly framed and focused photos showing the milk left out etc on the internet.

People pay a lot of money for EAs. They need to have a range of skills including navigating this stuff.

They need to be sensitive to home owners, and also aware that bad photography like this reflects poorly on their firm.

i bet they are just coasting along because they operate in an easy market.

It could be a really nice house with a bit of tlc. I can understand the untidiness, but surely someone could have put the milk back in the fridge?!

Yes.

How is mocking the decor and saying it looks like a rest home criticism of the agents?

Those posters just like the ones saying the thread is distasteful due to the signs of an older person or someone needing care have also missed the point of the thread.

The thread was clearly to discuss how crap the agents and photographs were.

That's what houses look like when working adults move in to their parent's home to clear it, either because they're dead or because they have to go into a care home. If you've had to do it, pictures of it are unmistakeable.

In this case, the person clearing the house seems to have a dog - hence the toys on the floor and the dog bed in picture 7.

The elderly parent is presumably having to move into care because there's no mention of the house being chain-free.

I thought this looked cheap for the area but looking at rightmove, the whole of Potters Bar seems cheaper than nearby places like St Albans.

Honest to God there are some VILE people on here!

What a horrible thread. Don't forget one day you scornful people here will be old and someone will be looking online at your house photos and laughing and sneering at your possessions and decor.