Are you market ready?

With the best will in the world our customers often state they are ready for photography but more often than not we need to stage the home to make it look its best. When we say staging we mean ensuring the property is ready to be showcased across the portals to thousands of potential buyers or tenants.

Getting the marketing right is absolutely vital instead of cutting corners with a “that’ll do” approach because the consumer will make their mind up in seconds on whether they want to view a property or not.

We have adapted to the virtual world and have invested heavily in technology that helps us provide marketing that stands out. We want to put you in the best possible position to get your property sold or let because you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Below is a handy whistle stop guide for making the most of the marketing if you are.

Creating the first impression

Blinds and curtains need opening to let in as much natural light as possible
Adjust the furniture, ask yourself if it will look better in a different position, moved slightly or removed altogether temporarily.
We try and avoid lights on due to the yellow tinge but white spotlights still work well
House plants are quite popular and add character to a home
Is the house clean and tidy? Make sure there are no under crackers left out in eyeshot
Perhaps add candles, flowers or any other ornaments that set the tone for an inviting feel

The front & rear shots

We’ll work with you to chose a clear weather day for photography where possible
Let us know what time the sun hits the house and which sides
Shooting without shadows works well even on grey days
If there often vehicles in the way (yours or neighbours) they need moving
Get bins and any other miscellaneous items that will clutter the picture out of sight
Mow the lawns, weed and tidy the gardens, dispose of excess foliage
Ensure there exterior fabric is presentable and windows look clean
Close all doors

Lounge & dining areas

Set the table up for dinner if you have nice plates, cutlery, condiments etc
If there are any photos you don’t want on display, move them or let us know to blur them (just be mindful the video tour may pick them up
Make it look homely/cosy, get the fire on etc, remember what attracted you the home in the first instance
Stage the room by removing unnecessary items, toys personal items, clutter
Fluff up the cushions and place them accordingly
Now’s time to show off the nice features, lights, flooring, beams, ornaments, log burners so we’ll try and spot what we call a “lifestyle shot”

Bedrooms

Make the beds, try and keep them crease free and tucked in
Fluff up the pillows adding any additional throw cushions
Any bedroom items need to be out of shot or stored away to de clutter
Drawers, wardrobe doors, cupboards closed and if possible clutter off the shelves

Kitchen

Completely clear countertops free of utensils, appliances etc
Remove bins
Close all cupboard unit doors
Remove fridge magnets
Clean the sink so it sparkles and empty of the dishes
Hide pets bedding, toys and food and water bowls
Add some fresh fruit in a bowl or flowers as these can be used in lifestyle shots

Bathroom

Basically what we want to create is something as close as possible to a show home finish. To see what a difference a picture can make visit our marketing sliding tool here Marketing – Votta