As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. This saying also applies to property photographs on an estate agent’s website. Those photos are the first thing a potential buyer sees and that potential buyer will make a decision whether to view your house or not based on that first impression. 

So, whether you’ve got a small studio flat in the heart of London or a big country manor on the books of an estate agent in Essex, those marketing photographs need to be good.

Let’s have a look room-by-room on how best to dress your home to make that first impression count. 

Front and back garden

We’ll start with the outside. Your front garden not only sets the tone for what’s inside your home but also for the immediate vicinity. You might have the only unkempt front garden in the road and are lowering the tone of an otherwise upmarket neighbourhood, but if all your potential buyers can see is weeds and rotten fencing, they’ll wonder what kind of area it is. 

Move cars out of the way, mow the lawn or weed the patio and give the path a good sweep. If your fence or wall needs a bit of a freshen up, give it a lick of paint. Likewise the front door. 

Tidy up any toys, bicycles or junk from the back garden and hide it all away in the shed or garage. 

Living room

Your living room should entice people to want to live in it without it looking too obvious that you already do. 

Straighten any throws on the sofa, plump up the cushions (chop them a la Mrs Hinch if you really must) and turn the TV off. 

If you’ve got a fire or woodburner, light it to give a homely feel and place a vase of flowers on the table. Hide any children’s or pet’s toys (along with the children and pets!) 

Coffee tables can sometimes become the recipients of a load of clutter, so tidy up all those bills, coffee cups and remote controls out of sight. 

Bedroom

Your favourite bedding might be a psychedelic explosion of colour. That won’t be to everyone’s taste though, so put neutral linen on your bed, keeping it fresh and contemporary. 

Tidy all your clothes away, make sure nothing can be seen under the bed and keep your wardrobe doors and drawers shut. 

Clean all mirrors and tidy away any toiletries and other personal effects. 

And while we’re on the subject of mirrors – remember mirrors are reflective so take care about what they might be capturing in the photo! 

Bathroom

Although all bathrooms have them and no-one should be offended or put off by them, not everyone wants to see a toilet roll, so hide them away. Also, keep the toilet seat down and clear away all your toiletries, razors and toothbrushes. 

Just like the neutral bed linen, if your favourite towels wouldn’t look out of place on a beach, swap them for clean, fresh, neutral tones and lay them out nicely, not crumpled on the floor in a soggy mess. 

Make sure the mirrors are clean and, again, be careful what’s reflected in them. 

Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home but when you’re marketing your property at its best, it needs to be clean and uncluttered, like it’s never been used. 

Make your worktops look more spacious by removing all but the smallest of appliances from them, move the bin out of the room, take the magnets and your holiday postcards off the fridge and make sure there’s no washing up in the sink. 

A bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers will give your kitchen a fresh and inviting atmosphere. 

In general

We’re sure you’ll think of the best ways to make your home attractive in the photos but because you’re so used to your home, there are things you probably don’t even notice. 

For example, has there been a bare bulb hanging from a ceiling in a room that’s been without a lampshade for so long you don’t even notice it anymore? Put a lampshade on it. 

You’re used to living with photos of your friends and family and they might have pride of place on your fireplace. Potential buyers don’t want to see evidence of the family already in the house though, so put the photos out of sight while the marketing photographs are being taken. 

Natural light is always best for showing homes in their best light, so open the curtains but make sure you clean the windows first. 

Remember, people don’t always use their imaginations when they view a property and take things on face value. Like we said at the beginning of this article, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Let your property’s first impression be a good one.