Selling Your Home – You Never Get a Second Chance to Make A First Impression

When you are looking for your next home you will probably look at loads of images – in estate agents’ windows, in property brochures, online, in magazines or perhaps even on Instagram. You might even have created a mood board of your dream house or maybe it was a picture of a property that prompted you to think of moving in the first place. But have you ever thought about the importance of photography when selling your home? So much of the home searching process these days is undertaken digitally that it means your photos are vital. Images lead to interest which lead to viewings which leads to offers and the more offers you get the higher the selling price. Here are just a few thoughts to get you started.

The Lead Images

When you search for properties on a portal such as Rightmove, you enter your search criteria and a list of properties comes up. Normally, in that list you will get two images (unless the property has what is termed a premium listing in case you see three images). You tend to scroll down and if you like a property you click through to see more images and read more information about the property. If those lead images aren’t appealing then buyers may not bother to click through and potentially you have lost an opportunity. You will often hear the phrase “kerb appeal” and it is so important. The lead image tends to be the front of the property and the living room or kitchen. Therefore the front of your property and it’s surroundings need to be attractive so that buyers are lead to click through to see more. Kerb appeal includes factors such as exterior maintenance, rubbish/ clutter and aspects that are attractive such as a nice porch, smart door and door furniture, flower beds or hanging baskets etc

The Remaining Images

Having created great kerb appeal so that buyers are attracted by the lead image and have clicked through, the remaining images need to continue the good impression and encourage them to book a viewing. It is important to convey a sense of the space that each room has and the purpose of the room. If a room is cluttered then buyers will assume it is too small.  If the buyers are unable to work out what the room is used for then this may similarly put them off. Bear in mind also that buyers may not pay much attention to the description in the property particulars or the room dimensions. You want to create an impression that will enable buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. I would also caution about having too many photos on your listing, people get bored and sometimes you just can’t see the point of a particular image. Having said that if your home has any stunning features such as a feature fireplace that make your home stand out then it is worth including those. It is worth considering what made you choose the property when you bought it because that may be a clue about buyers will be drawn to.

Professional

I am a firm believer in using a professional photographer and I would always check with the estate agents who give you your valuations if they use a professional i.e. external photographer. You never want photos to be misleading because when buyers view they will be disappointed and react negatively. However, a professional photographer who is experienced in property photography will have the quality of equipment and necessary skills to show your home at its best.

If you are moving up the property ladder and this is the first property you have sold then I hope this information has been helpful. If you would like to chat then call me on 07745 876182 or email me at info@homestyle4u.com. I cover Wirral, Cheshire and the North West. Why not follow me on Twitter @JudithHomestyle