“Wow, what an amazing property. We have to check that one out…..”

These are the words every property vendor wants to hear!

Every picture tells a story, or so the saying goes, and when it comes to pictures of your property for sale, you want it to tell a good one.

Think about the buying process. Generally, the first filters a buyer will put on a property search are the location, price and number of bedrooms. When looking online, after clicking the ‘search’ button, the potential buyer will be presented with lots of relevant property images and a bit of descriptive text.

With this in mind, your property needs to stand out; you need to make sure the image of your property is one which makes potential buyers want to click and find out more. And when they do this, you want to present them with more quality images to make them want to go physically through the door and view the property for real.

Before our director Craig Andriessen got into real estate some 27 years ago, he was (and still is!) a very keen photographer. The combination of his two passions means he’s very experienced to talk about the subject, and he also knows which angle to use so the pictures bring out the best in your property.

Here are his top tips for preparing your house for a photo shoot:

Outside the house

Sometimes people are so focused on preparing the inside, they forget about the outside. We always try to time our photo shoots when the house is in the best natural light. Move vehicles away from the property, and make sure there is no clutter, such as bins, hoses and scattered kids’ toys. Mow the lawn, clean the windows and repair broken fences.

Inside the house

Once again declutter, and move furniture to give the feeling of space; this may mean removing excess furniture to another room while the photos are being taken. Make sure the room is well lit and give the place a homely, welcoming touch, such as strategically placed flowers in the living room and bowls of fruit in the kitchen. Clean carpets and floors, and remove dirty or old rugs – borrow or buy cheap new ones if the floor space does need a cover. As much as you may love your furry friends, remove any sign of pets such as food bowls, beds and their toys.

• Living areas

Tidy the rooms up. Remove scruffy throws from sofas, make sure cushions are smart and tidy, and remove any personal pictures and other items which might not be to everyone’s taste. Depending on the dining table and the size of the room, you might want to set it ready for a meal.

• Bedrooms

Make the bed and ideally, use neutral bed linen that compliments the room. If you do need to store items under the bed, make sure they are completely out of sight and shut all drawers and wardrobe doors.

• Kitchen

Clear all work tops and appliances, and make sure there are no tea towels or chopping boards on show. Also move bins out of sight, remove fridge magnets and clear the sink of any dishes. Once again, close all cupboards.

• Bathroom

Put the toilet lid down, arrange towels neatly and remove clutter like shower gels and toothbrushes. Also remove scales – people don’t like being reminded of their weight!

If you want to know more preparing your house for sale, or would like a free, no obligation quote, drop into the Cardiff office or give us a call on 02 4954 8833. Or send us an email to: mail@apnewcastle.com.au – we’d love to hear from you.

And don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for handy tips on selling your property or what to look for when buying a property.