Different agent, different pictures, what a difference!

[Thisandthat2017]

I've stuck with my agent for the past 12 weeks as I thought that it probably makes no difference who you are with as everyone just looks at rightmove/Zoopla anyway. Right? In fact, I was thinking, I will go with an online agent and just do the legwork myself, saving thousands.

Today I may have changed my view.

This is a property in my area. Previously I had looked at it a thought, it's a bit scruffy - needs a bit of work and over priced.
www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/68627276

Today it has come on with a new agent (and a new kitchen floor) and I think it now looks amazing!
www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/62318101

So it has made me start thinking... Can a good EA really give you a better chance? I would love to hear success stories of changing EAs.

We’ve just bought a house that had been on the market with the current agent for a few weeks. It had previously been on for 6 months with a different agent.

Notreallyarsed had you previously overlooked it? What do you think the agent did differently?

Not sure why my links haven't worked???

I think what it proves is you need good photos. They are indeed much better in the second listing, however I’m not sure quality of photos and quality of agent are directly correlated.

They've redecorated quite a bit.
Plus used a fish eye lens on camera to make it look bigger.
TBH that wouldn't make much difference to me as I'd look at square footage and location not decor.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68627276.html/svr/1714;jsessionid=063B85086D861D68E2A9415F6316CC21?utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=smspropertydetails&utm_source=url

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62318101.html?utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=smspropertydetails&utm_source=url

But then theres that heartsink moment where you visit and it looks crappy. Good photos are a pull to view, but only up to a point. We looked round loads of scruffier ones once we realised photos are deceptive

Thanks for the links Bluntness.

You are right, it will be interesting to see if/how long it takes to sell...

I have taken mine off now, I cannot deal with trying to keep the place tidy with Christmas coming up. I am now free to stockpile presents in every available nook and cranny 😁. I will be watching the market carefully but still need to decide whether to go it alone next year ????

I am not sure if that's the EA or just a interior designer's advice.
They just changed the floor and some of the photographs.
When I sold my houses, there was no way, I would pay 12K each time for an EA.
I got a good photographer from a PurpleBricks equivalent and they did everything else. It helps that, I am heavily into interiors and knew how to style the place and was there to veto the pictures. one sold, to the first person who viewed it. It sold 5 hours after going live. Second one took 2 days to shift. I was arranging after work hours and it suited me.
On the other hand, I am arranging to view properties based on size, room configuration, street view etc before I even go to see all the interior pictures.
Maybe a interior designer/stylist would be worth their weight in gold.

@Thisandthat2017 yes, we’d been looking at another house on the same street but when the other was relisted with better pictures we requested a viewing.

The initial photos had made it look really dark and dingy and there was an enormous sofa in the living room, way too big for the room which put me off. The second lot of pics made a lot of the kitchen, bathrooms and utility room which were a major selling point, they didn’t look so dingy and actually in real life aren’t at all. But with the crap photos I’d never even have looked.

Wow the first lot of pics make the kitchen look awful which is a real shame as it’s gorgoeus in the second lot!

I don't think thete is much difference between the two sets of photos. Neither make it very appealing. But I do agree good photos can make a big difference - or vice versa.

Wonder which set of pics are closer to reality though.

The major point of selling is getting them through the door, and of course crap photos are never going to help. Photos that have been exaggerated to make the house look much better than it is does lead to disappointment though,

We saw plenty of houses where the photos made everything look bigger and less shabby than it was, and learned quickly to look at floor plans and room sizes.

That is so true. We are 200 miles from where we want to live so do a lot of our search online. Our favourite house that ticked all the boxes, and we were prepared to push our budget for, was actually a real let down. The pictures were great, this gave us high expectations and were massively let down. Needless to say it was knocked off our list and is still on the market.

They haven't redecorated - the only physical change is the new vinyl in the kitchen. The new agent has posted better photos and concentrated on the more attractive rooms. I like the office in the loo on the first link - made me laugh!

I don't think the photos are much better with the second agent

I like the office in the loo on the first link - made me laugh!

Same!

But CLAYTONS have not got a floor plan

Which IMHO is very important especially with such a strange layout

such as a toilet in the office (I know it isn't really but the 1st photos are funny)

It also should mention that HARRY POTTER is within walking distance

I know this is completely irrelevant, but do they have several clocks in the hallway stuck on the time of each child’s birth?

I hadn't noticed the multiple clocks! And it is in walking distance to Harry potter studios. We are closer though, maybe that's the key to selling my house 😂

They appear to all be teenagers too. What teenager wouldn’t want a giant mural commemorating their birth in the hallway?