How to stage your home to get better photos and a faster sale
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The first time a potential buyer sees your house online, they will form an opinion of it, so your best chance as a seller is to create the right first impression - and there are many things you can do to help the buyer make the right decision, says Arno Mocke, professional photographer at Chas Everitt Southern Cape.
Today people mostly start their home search online, he notes, so the first thing you need to do is make sure your home will stand out from others visually - with the best photographs or videos possible.
“However, the camera often ‘sees’ things differently than we do, especially in a space that is familiar, so you will most likely need to prepare your home before it is photographed for an online listing - with guidance from your agent and a professional photographer,” he notes.
Meanwhile, Cape Virtual Tours photographer Rebecca Marais-Granger has these simple guidelines to help you get started on making your home look exceptional online:
Pack away any personal belongings like cellphones, chargers, laptops and other valuables. Remove paintings or photographs or other items that you don’t want shown in the photos. Remove fridge magnets and other items from the fridge and keep the space on the surfaces in the kitchen free and uncluttered, with only essential appliances visible. Remove toothbrushes and toiletries in the bathrooms and always place the toilet seat down.
Tidy away all clutter such as piles of books next to the bed, although a few magazines neatly stacked is fine. Pack away the children’s toys in the cupboards or on the shelves and remove spare handbags and scarves hanging from cupboards or chairs. Make sure all dishes are washed and packed away. Put away personal documents in your study and leave the desk as clear as possible. This applies to all surfaces and bedside tables. Also clear away any belongings or pets’ toys lying on the floors or under the tables.
Check your garden and patio area. If you have a pool, remove the pool cleaner and the pool cover (if possible), and make sure it is as clean as possible. Also remove all pool cleaning equipment, hoses, lawnmowers and garden tools from the outside area. Make sure that all the pet blankets, cushions and food bowls have been removed or are outside any photograph angle. Arrange your patio furniture neatly, make sure your lawn has been mowed and stow away your refuse bins out of sight.
Mocke also has his own recommendations for adding those “extra special touches” before your home is photographed:
Position a bowl of fruit in your kitchen or on the counter to brighten it up.
Place a vase of flowers on your lounge or dining room table. This can be moved to the main bedroom or around the house where necessary.
Set your dining room table with crockery and cutlery, napkins and candles.
Place patio furniture as if you were about to use it, with the table set with a cloth, tea tray and a few magazines, for example.
Place a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and two glasses on a counter, or a jug of water with slices of lemon and a few glasses.
Put cushions on the outdoor furniture and rolled towels on the sun loungers, and open the sun umbrella by the pool.
If you have a fireplace, light a fire - or switch on the gas flame - and if you have a fountain or water feature, turn on the water.
“Then, if you are having the home professionally photographed, remember to switch on all the lights and check that all the globes are in working condition. This will add warmth to the photos, even if it is daylight outside,” says Mocke.
If you want your home picture perfect, contact Chas Everitt Southern Cape today on 028 514 2202. Our experts will be happy to advise you on how to use photography to sell your home faster and for the best possible price.