How to make it 'photo ready' for estate agent

[FusionChefGeoff]

Aiming to declutter, touch up woodwork, get carpets cleaned, finish bits of DIY i.e. seal, sand and paint superficial cracks in paintwork.

And tidy within an inch of its life. Everything off tops of surfaces / wardrobes etc.

Any other tips??

Sounds like you're doing all the right things. There's one thing that does bug me when I see pics on rightmove. It's people who have bottles of shampoo and shower gel around edge of the bath! Aargh!

We had a great estate agent last move and the photos were great! Despite decluttering etc our photographer still moved certain things most importantly apparently was move all signs of pets - we have a cat and all signs were removed. Equally all signs of our children were removed!

Iron the bedclothes and make sure the beds are made up neatly. Untidy beds make the rooms look terrible.

Clean the windows so light gets in. Iron bedclothes while they are on the bed, makes it easier. Chuck all the bathroom stuff in a box and put in a cupboard. Like a of inhate seeing half used bottles etc lying around, our estate agent said 'people know you have soap etc but don't need to see it!'

Nicely made beds, wardrobe and cupboard doors shut. everything off work tops and bathroom stuff away. If your kids have masses of toys in things like ikea stand alone storage move them out of shot because it looks like you then don't have enough 'proper' storage.

Put the toilet seat down.

Replace/hide dingy looking bathroom towels.

Flowers and declutter. Think show home level of clutter and you'll be on the right tracks. Different for viewings but photos are what they can refer back to.

Clear away all everyday toiletries, hide the loo brush, lid down on the loo.

Clear under beds and on top of wardrobes if possible. You can chuck it all in the car, garage or another room just for the photos.

Put away family photos, leave a couple out if you like.

Put the washing up liquid and sponge/cloth in the cupboard under the sink.

Basically hide all evidence of everyday living. It's more important for the photos than for viewings in my opinion.

Go round and take your own photos.
Look carefully and you will spot trailing cables, stuff on top of kitchen units, untidy cushions etc. Much easier in a photograph rather than real life

Take down the bunting in your child's room with their name on!

Clean, declutter and depersonalise. Ask to review the agent's photos before the listing goes live. If it is a dreary day, switch on all the lights in each room (do this for viewings too before the viewers arrive).

Our EA took some really good photos then put a terrible one of the front of the house as the first one: it showed more of the car on the drive than the house and the house had good kerb appeal. He also took a crap one of the back of the house (it was raining) so I took some new ones myself and had them replaced.

Head to Primark for new white towels for the bathroom.

Clean cushion covers and sofa covers if you can.

If you have a hallway with a coat rack/shoe rack then remove most coats and shoes. Only leave out naice shoes.

Bunch of flowers for dining table/fireplace.

Straighten pictures and hide wires where you can.

Lots of good advice in this thread!

No children's names on bedroom walls etc.
Clear fridge door (if you have any kids pictures etc on there)
No family photos
My pet hate is toiletries on the bathroom windowsill visible from the outside.
Bins & recycling out of sight for outside photos
Colourful hanging basket?

If you have wooden floors remove the rugs.

I'm on rightmove everyday looking at houses, I would suggest:

Clear your work tops in the kitchen.

Iron your bedding is a HUGE one. The amount of photos Ive seen where the bed is all creased makes it look grotty.

Clean towels. All matching if you can

De-clutter!!!!!!!! Try and get as much stuff out of sight as you can. You want people to see past your stuff and see the house itself

Take everything out of your bathroom. You want a nice clean, tidy and appealing bathroom. Remove your shampoos, bubble baths, bath mat.. the lot! Matching towels if you can or at least towels which are clean.

I know it's not always possible but try and look at the weather forecast and arrange for the EA to come on a sunny/bright day! It makes a world of difference to the photos.

Fresh flowers always look nice and homely. See what the room looks like with lamps on? It might look better on for the photos? See which is best

Just have a look round your house and try and see from an outsiders point of view... anything which might make someone raise their eyebrows might need removing or changing

These are pics Ive just pulled off rightmove of a random house. I would be so deflated if I was an EA taking pics like this

I hope the owner isn't on MN.

We did this when my parents sold their house, it was impossible to tidy away completely so we cleared an area, took a few photos then moved the mountain of stuff behind the camera to the other side of the room to take other photos.

We did it so well even when people came to view people were suprised (and disappointed) that we hadn't already moved out. Biggest complement ever.

Straighten any pulled back curtains or blinds.
I hate seeing them all squiff in photos.
Crisp smooth bedlinen. If you have a divan base, cover it with a valance preferably box pleat not gathered.

No suitcases on top of wardrobe. Go round house, fill suitcase with clutter, put in car!
No visible toiletries apart from single bottle of Molton Brown.

Clear as much off kitchen surfaces as possible, large bowl of fruit to add pop of colour.

Suggestion upthread to take your own practice photos first is excellent, you see things in a photo that your eye skips over.

Amazing thank you!

My bedclothes will be bemused yet thrilled by the site of an iron I'm sure.

We have wonderful stripped original floors but I like the rugs - I'm surprised at the advice to get rid??

Do I need to lose family photos from the walls do you think? Not giant canvasses just 5X7 frames...

Yes, take all family photos down. The buyer wants to imagine they live there so they don';t want pictures of children they don't know on the walls. Make it look like a blank canvas.

Seriously easier to iron bed once made lol, sounds mad but it's what I did before each viewing. Viewer number 6 bought it.

My estate agents said rugs were good for viewings but not for photos as the don't show off the floors and can make the room look small.

All the above and: Tidy the front of the house - people often drive past to have a look before deciding wether to book a viewing. Clean the windows and frames. Clean the door the door mat. But some cheap plants or filled baskets. Hide or tidy you refuse bin area. If you have a drive or parking in front of your house - empty it so people can see its potential

Agree with the blank canvas. You don't know if your buyer is young or old, has pets, or children.

Clear away as much as you can. Then if you don't have them already, borrow a couple of nice vases, bowls, throws, cushions, impersonal pictures and lamps. Buy some flowers from Lidl. I also use Homesense for stuff to dress rental properties. (Lucky DD will go off to University with some nice white sheets and grey towels.)

These people dress properties well:
www.bournemouthbeaches.net/

Note white sheets, folded towels, cushions and folded throws to dress beds, and one or two tasteful items on main surfaces. Curtains are drawn about 25% so they don't look scrunched up. Lamps and lights are on. Doors are usually slightly ajar.

If the agent will be taking the photos, and can vary times, leave it flexible and have them come over when it is sunny. It makes a huge difference.

White ironed bed linen - no patterns