Getting Your Home Ready for the Camera

Most buyers decide whether they fancy your house before they've ever set foot in it. They're scrolling on a phone, and your photos and video are doing the talking. So the hour or two you put in before the camera turns up is some of the most valuable time you'll spend in the whole sale.

That matters more than usual right now. The latest Rightmove figures show the number of homes for sale is at a 12-year high for this time of year, which means buyers here in Clayton, Wibsey, Queensbury and across the BD postcodes have plenty to choose from. If your listing doesn't stop the scroll, they'll simply move on to the next one. Good photography isn't a nice-to-have any more.

Start with a proper declutter

The single biggest thing you can do costs nothing. Clear the surfaces. Kitchen worktops, windowsills, the top of the fridge, the bathroom sink, the hallway table where the post and keys pile up. Cameras exaggerate clutter, so a room that feels lived-in to you can look chaotic in a photo.

You're not aiming for a show home that nobody could actually live in. You're aiming for calm and space. Box up the bits you won't need before you move, and get them out of sight. Under the bed, in the loft, in the boot of the car for the morning of the shoot. Rooms photograph bigger when the floor and the surfaces are clear.

Light, and lots of it

Yorkshire light can be flat, especially in the darker half of the year, so make the most of what you've got. Open every curtain and blind, pull them right back off the glass, and clean the windows if you've time. Turn on every lamp and ceiling light in the house, even in the middle of the day. It lifts the whole feel of a room and gets rid of gloomy corners.

Swap any dead or mismatched bulbs beforehand. A warm, even glow across the house reads as welcoming. One dark room with a dead bulb reads as neglected, fairly or not.

The details buyers actually notice

A few small jobs make a disproportionate difference on camera. Make the beds properly and straighten the cushions. Hide the bins, the washing-up liquid, the toothbrushes and the tea towels. Coil away phone chargers and stray cables. Shut the toilet lids.

Don't forget the outside. Kerb appeal is often the first photo a buyer sees, so move the wheelie bins out of shot, sweep the path, and tidy the front garden. Pull the cars off the drive if you can so the house itself is the star. If you've a tidy back garden or a bit of a view, and plenty of homes round here do, that's worth showing off too.

Give the camera a clear run

For video especially, think about how someone would walk through the house. Open the internal doors so the rooms flow, and clear a path so there's nothing to trip over or dodge around. A calm, uncluttered walkthrough helps a buyer picture themselves living there, which is the whole point.

If you've a pet, plan for where they'll be during the shoot, and pop the food bowls and litter tray out of view. It sounds fussy, but these are exactly the things a buyer clocks without quite knowing why.

Why the effort pays off

Homes are taking a little time to sell at the moment. The Rightmove data puts the average across Yorkshire and the Humber at 62 days to find a buyer, so you want your marketing pulling its weight from day one rather than losing you those early, keenest viewers. First impressions online are what turn a scroll into a viewing, and a viewing into an offer.

When I take on a house, I'd always rather spend a bit longer getting the presentation right than rush the photos and wish we'd waited. It's the cheapest improvement you'll ever make to your sale.

If you're thinking about coming to market this autumn and want a straight opinion on what your home is worth and how to show it at its best, I'm happy to come round for a look and a chat. No pressure, just honest local advice.

Thinking of moving? Get a free, no-obligation valuation at valuation.michaelbrownsett.exp.uk.com or call me directly on 01274 955 559.