We humans are becoming more and more visual, in terms of how we assess things. People scan the listings of the property websites, like Rightmove or Onthemarket with incredible speed, sometimes not even stopping to read the description.

Consequently, photos are of increasing importance when it comes to making your property stand out.

We take great care with our photos, and like to think we do a better job than the average agent. But here are some things that you can do before we come to photograph your property – to give it that extra edge over the competition…

Let there be light

A lack of natural light can be a big turn-off for buyers, so think about clearing window sills, drawing back the curtains and giving the windows a clean. If you have net curtains, it might be worth dispensing with these for a while, particularly if you’re trying to appeal to younger buyers.

Be ruthless on the de-cluttering

Try to think about how a room will look from a buyer’s perspective. You may love your Beatrix Potter collection, but others may see it as a lot of clutter, making the room look smaller. What’s more, you want them to appreciate the room, and not be distracted by the things in it.

So be brave and have a ruthless clear-out before the photoshoot, and maybe ask a friend, who doesn’t live there, to give you a fresh pair of eyes on the contents of a room.

If you have a lot of stuff that you still can’t do without, consider putting it in storage for a while before the shoot and during the period of viewings.

Be frank with furniture

Unless you’re ultra-minimalist, most of us have at least one item of furniture too many in every room! So try to think about doing away with one piece of furniture in every room, or putting it into storage for a wee while.

When we visit to take the photos, we might suggest moving slightly an item or two, if it’s going to be in the foreground of a shot and appear disproportionately large.

Sparkle that kitchen and bathroom

It’s said that ‘kitchens and bathrooms sell houses’! Well, this is sometimes true of the bathroom, but almost always true of the kitchen – after all, it’s the ‘heart of the house’ for many modern buyers, who’ll spend a lot of time here.

So again, give these rooms a good de-clutter, bin any nearly-used bottles of shampoo, clear the counters in the kitchen and give them both a good sparkle.

Stage it like a pro

We’ve all seen how the property programmes and magazines make a room look inviting with some clever touches like wine glasses or flowers on a table! But these really can make a difference, helping people imagine having good times with friends and family in your property.

Look at it from the front

Go outside to the front, to the spot where potential buyers will first see your property – after all you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Remove any bins, bikes, storage boxes, old cars, boats, caravans. Give the lawn a mow, the path a sweep, the windows a clean, and the bushes a clip. Say goodbye to any dead branches or leaves on bushes or trees, and dig up any weeds.

The same applies to the back garden too if you have one.

Of course, all of these things may seem obvious, but look at these photos and you’d be amazed at how many people overlook them (although agents and sellers equally to blame for this lot!).