Preparing your home for sale is one of the most important things you can do to achieve the best price for it. I don't mean spend a fortune, remodelling or re-decorating the whole house either. Simply put, make your house look the best it can be right now.
Every seller should insist on professional photography from their estate agent as this is proven to achieve a faster and more profitable sale for you.
My simple guide will help you get things done quickly and relatively easily for your photo-shoot in order to present your home to the world at it's best.
Declutter – Think minimalist - You'll notice that 'show homes' have very little 'stuff' lying around. They have neutral coloured, brightly lit walls and this minimal look attracts peoples attention. We all have 'stuff' lying around the house and for most of the time that's fine, it's just us seeing it. However, we want to maximise our sale price, so;
If you've got a friend who's willing to be very objective, without you falling out with them, they are usually great to have around and help you see through your 'stuff'
Get some boxes and clear away as much as you can from each room (you'll be packing before you know it anyway). Store them in the loft, garage, storage centre or ask a friends with space to help you out for a while with some space.
Move the furniture around to improve the flow through your home.
Think about personal stuff, photos, certificates, jewellery & keys. Take them down for now if you're not happy with everyone seeing them in the photos.
You don't need 25 coats and shoes hanging in the hallway either....On the day of the photo-shoot, lets just have 1 each (or less)
Just before I come round, grab a bag and head to the bathroom to clear all the lotions and potions, towels and toothbrushes. Bathrooms are a personal space and need to be clean and clear for the photo
Grab another bag for the kitchen and do the same. Clean and clear work surfaces to help people see themselves preparing food in this space....oh, and take all those magnets off the fridge please?
Why not set the table with your best crockery to help set the scene for your audience. They could imagine their first dinner party in their new home.....
Change that bulb that doesn't work, tidy up those wires trailing all over the place and now that you've cleared all that 'stuff' away, you'll be able to clean the floors and hoover the carpets a lot easier.....
If you've got a garden, this again needs to be cleared of 'stuff', tidy up the plants and flowers, mow the lawn and make it look as good as possible. If you have garden furniture, set it out and put the cushions on to help potential buyers envisage themselves enjoying the space.
Pets are amazing, however, if they're anything like mine, they also have loads of 'stuff' that might put someone off. Clear it away for the the shoot and minimise it for viewings.
I hope that helps and I look forward to photographing your beautiful home.