GREAT VISUALS, TOURS AND VIDEOS - A KEY PROPERTY SELLING TOOL

Internet, Facebook, property portals, web advertising...that's where buyers first make that connection with your home. Superb photographs, videos, and 3D virtual tours, are everything...but that needs you, the homeowner, to set the scene.

The majority of the world today operates remotely, or at least, initially. If you're looking to buy a home, you'll first look at photographs or a video on the internet...and when a property talks to you, you take it further. Bottom line, most people flick through unattractive photographs and move on to the next property.

When the photographic process is done well, it provides us, as sales consultants, with more leads on your property - in other words, more potential buyers - so we can get them to view your home. The more buyers your property appeals to, the closer it brings us to the goals we set out to achieve for you.

For sellers, whether photographs are taken by your sales consultant or a professional photographer, you can make all the difference by presenting your home well. There are three non-negotiable elements: no clutter, no dirt, good maintenance. The first two cost absolutely nothing, and the difference they make to that first impression, is everything.

At Wakefields, our goal in selling your property is always to secure for you the highest possible price in the shortest time - that's exactly what you want. So, presenting your home well assists us to achieve what you want.

Looking at your own home with a critical eye can be difficult. You're so used to that carpet or ceiling stain, that huge pile of magazines, or the cosy smell of your beloved dogs, you don't even notice them. This is your home, your sanctuary.

But now you need to step back - or ask a blunt family member to do so - and put it under the microscope. If necessary, make a list.

As property consultants who've been in the industry for decades, we know what people like, and what they don't. We also know what makes for great photographs/videos.

Clutter

Clutter blurs the shape of rooms and homes. It's hard to see beyond clutter, and - as you'll probably have seen in numerous books on the topic - clutter is tiring to live with, and tiring to look at. It saps your energy, and it'll do likewise to a prospective buyer.

De-cluttering is essential for great photographs, and for presenting your home well. It's especially important in small spaces - clutter makes rooms look far smaller.

Take it room by room. Gather up all those little items on every surface. Try it in one room, and see the difference. You're not removing character, you're removing clutter.

You'll be surprised how much you can get rid of - charity shops, Gumtree, community sites - and even turn it into cash.

Dirt

Clean up. It's essential.

We want to take photographs of an inviting, sparkling swimming pool, a neat verge, mown lawn, clean patio furniture. Everything needs a spring clean... from grubby rubbish bins, to clear windows, and spotless doors/security doors/burglar guards.

Clean says well-looked after. Grubbiness says the reverse.

Maintenance

This is a more complex topic. How far do you go? There are two elements at play here - one, visual maintenance for great photographs; the other, functional maintenance, for when prospective clients visit your home and show real interest.

The rule of thumb is to make sure all paintwork and woodwork is in good shape, the roof is in good condition, and any fencing/tilework/paving looks functional and clean.

Functional maintenance like dripping taps, faulty geysers, and rising damp will need to be attended to at some stage, so the sooner the better.

Bottom line

Focussing on those three categories will inevitably lead you to a fourth one...light. South Africans, in particular, love loads of light in their homes, and that quality shows in photographs. Blinds, shutters, cottage pane windows, net curtains and more...make sure they're lifted, opened, cleaned, even removed.

You'll certainly want to do that when prospective buyers come round, but it's just as important when the photographs are being taken.

At Wakefields, we want to give prospective buyers a feel-good journey through your home, via a series of photographs or a video. It's not only what they see in those pictures, but how they feel...and a sense of light and air goes a long way to making people feel good.

Buying a property rides a great deal of emotion. Don't underestimate that.

Our sales consultants are highly experienced in understanding what you need to do to show off your home. Ask their expert opinion, and even if you find that dog basket in the hallway very convenient and inoffensive, believe your consultant when he or she says 'It has to go.'

At Wakefields, we believe the best result is achieved when our agents work together with our buyers. Photography is such an important tool, and together, we can ensure that we produce the very best photographs. If you have any queries whatsoever, or would like some advice, please don't hesitate to ask us.