Prepping for estate agent photos

[TheCatCameBack112]

EA is coming on Wednesday to take marketing pictures. Our home was looking a little tired in some areas. We've been here 6 y and some of the rooms haven't been updated since we did an overhaul of decor and new carpets when we moved in. I'm aiming not to spend lots.

So far we have done the following

Outside:
Painted door step
Masonry paint freshen under windows
Cut hedges
Weeded driveway and outside our front wall
Need to cut lawn but it's been too wet

Hall/stairs/landing (was very tired)
Cleaned carpets with a rug doctor
Painted hallway light grey
Painted skirting and door frames

Bathroom
Resealed bath and shower
Need to touch up grout with a grout pen

General
Bought some plants
Touched up scuffed paint where we had the colours to do so
Cleaned upstairs carpets and mattresses
Covered DDs paint stained desk with some fablon stuff and did the bedside table to match
Had a bit of a chuck out and stored lots of stuff in cupboards
Put away family photos, knick knacks

Thinking about the critique threads of houses on rightmove I'm trying to ensure things are as 'done' as possible, and am very aware the photos need to be good.

Is there anything else you would consider (accepting you can't see my house!) to get 'photo ready'? Any advice for the actual photos on the day? Positioning, wise angle or not, lights on or off etc

Thanks

Toilet lid down

no bottle of bleach behind the loo

Kitchen surfaces absolutely empty except perhaps a bowl of lemons / green apples

all fridge magnets, bills etc removed

draining board totally clear

Don't have things stored on top,of your kitchen cupboards because it makes it look like there's not enough storage.

Kitchen
I hate seeing dish towels, oven gloves and washup detail.

Entrance/ Hallway
Wash / wipe your actual front door and get rid of any coats if there is a coat stand adjacent. Put them in @SquashPenguin 's car.
Polish finger plates etc, clean light switches
Shake/ vacuum door mat and leave it straight
Consider opening up your full storm door for the photos if that looks better/ more welcoming

Front Garden
Rake up leaves if you have to
Dead head any flowers that might get shown in the background
Consider a planter from the back, taken around the front if needs be

Put the toilet seat down, I hate to see one up 🙈, sounds like you've been working really hard, good luck with your sale

Thanks for your comprehensive list. You had a few things I've missed, I'll have to see if @SquashPenguin has room for all of my junk in her car!

I've got some pots in my back garden that I could bring to the side of the house (our front door is at side, not front), thanks for the tip.

Thanks for the tip re extension sockets. We have loads of them because we really don't have enough plugs (and we have teenagers with lots of things to plug! I will make sure they are out of sight

I love threads like this because they help everyone.
I've just thought of a couple of things that caught me out when I was trying to sell my DM's house.

Changing a bathroom bulb from 'warm light' to a 'daylight' can instantly boost a tiny bathroom.
Buying one brand new fluffy set of white towels and moving them from bathroom to cloakroom, was a winner as my white towels supplied from home looked dull and lifeless.
Also buying a couple of brand new lampshades was an inspired move.
And the Covi19 trick of rearranging the books in a bookcase to look orderly and neat.

Finally, DSis also added in a trailing plant to DM's bookcases and that was awesome.
Good luck, You will smash it!

Thanks @Mum5net I absolutely agree. There's so many small things you can change that cost little or no money. I read a really scathing thread recently on here with pages and pages of comments slating a Rightmove listing (tbf, the seller had asked for feedback) and there's so many little things that one person can live with but would be really off putting to someone else. Buyers obviously don't want to think about you brushing your teeth or drying your arse!

Update!

I got a call from my MIL today telling me she's seen my house on rightmove. How could this have happened, the photographer hasn't been yet? Well it turns out the valuer who called round last week when dh was home took some pictures 'to support the valuation report' and has gone and used them as the marketing pictures.

All of the things I didn't want, in full view on the pictures. Mop, check. Toilet seat up, check. Remotes on the table, check. Bottle of weed killer on the patio table. Car on the driveway. Pet bowls. Laundry bag. Check, check, check. I was absolutely frothing.

I called the agent and spoke to the sales manager and told him it was just unacceptable. He actually agrees and is sending an actual proper photographer on Friday at their expenses to capture some better photos.

The valuer took no measurements and the floor plan is completely wrong to top it off.

The listing has been taken off their website but is still on RM. So people may well have had their first sight of our house now, and you don't get a second chance at a first impression. All this work for nothing!

That is shocking! To be honest I think I'd be changing agents! This shows a level of incompetence and poor management withing the agency that I would have lost all trust in them.

Oh no! You must be furious.
I hope they go above and beyond for you, now..
But it’s not the worst. Your lovely home will still be amazing.
I’ve had houses I’ve ‘saved’ on RightMove disappear on me and come back.
Its a relief when the house reappears.
Maybe they will give you an enhanced listing at their expense, too.

@TheCatCameBack112 Did they retake on Friday? Our photographer needed a couple of days to edit our photos. Hoping things going smoothly for you

Thanks @Mum5net , photographer came back with a proper set up on Friday, and sent me the photos to approve yesterday. They are a million times better, as we have actually managed to do all of the things like move the cat bowls, tea towels, mops, cars out of the driveway etc. There were two pictures of a staircase that didn't add any value imo (to loft bedroom) so I have asked these to be removed, otherwise all good. I've added a couple of 'before' and 'after' shots to show how truly awful they were!

The listing should go live tomorrow.

Wow @TheCatCameBack112 the "after" photos look so much better!

Good Luck with selling the house, the updated photos look lovely.

Brilliant, good to have them looking as smart. Fingers crossed for quick sale.