Using outstanding photography in your property listing can make all the difference when making an impression on home hunters, but it is often an area that is overlooked by sellers and Estate Agents.

At David Phillip Estate Agents in North Leeds, using great photography is key to us, as is capturing the best images possible, using high quality equipment (a professional photographer) and carefully considering what homebuyers want to see – the benefit of sunny Spring Weather which will be arriving soon and the beautiful gardens in Bramhope and the surrounding area also helps.

Here are a few guiding principles to be used when marketing prospective homes:-

A quality Estate Agent should never scrimp on the cost of a Professional photographer, some agents feel it is part of their role to take the photographs, and true, Smart phones are now advanced, but it is not just about a shoot and grab picture - An Agent’s time is much better spent communicating with clients and leaving it to the experts.

It is best to use horizontal landscape views, which are more pleasing on the eye than vertical – although a different set of photographs may need taking for use on social media.

Without furniture then a space is just walls, floors, windows and ceilings - furniture provides scale, lights and adds character – a personality. People decorate their homes to their own tastes, but this does not always appeal to the masses and sometimes the decoration can take over the room – a lick of neutral paint may do the trick prior to photos being taken.

A cluttered, messy photo can reflect lazy work from an agent – things to be removed from the kitchen, include fridge magnets, pet’s food bowls and cluttered bins - all cupboard doors should be closed and kitchen tops should be cleaned and de-cluttered.

The kitchen should be curated with a nice set of dishes, bowls of fruit and flowers rather than tea towels hanging from the cooker, and the dining room table should always set for dinner.

The lounge should be cleared of scruffy throws, children’s toys and DVD’s - piles of magazines can look unsightly and the TV should always be turned off.

Old towels are a definite no in the bathroom as are cluttered sinks, baths and shower-cubicles. The toilet seat should always be left down – small details are sometimes overlooked.

When taking photographs, it is important to emphasise each room’s selling point, it might be the natural light, the spaciousness or an unusual feature that will make the potential buyer curious to see more. A professional photographer will shadow and colour boost to improve the property.

In some properties it is difficult to photograph an entire room at once, so moving furniture around can capture the perfect angle, photographing through doorways and keeping internal doors open will make a difference.

Owners often overlook the outside of the property, the area that provides that first impression on the property portals – cars and dustbins should be removed, the lawn should be mown and windows should be cleaned – we call this good kerb appeal.

Working around the weather is key, and something we always try to do – the better weather, the more important it is for producing the best photos possible, particularly when gardens are just starting to see the first shoots coming through. If the weather isn’t perfect, then we have a photographic enhancement service that allows Estate agents to improve the look of photography, even if the weather isn’t perfect.

Only the best photos should be used, buyers don’t want to sift through an entire library of images. it is recommended that at least 5 pictures should be used to give searchers a flavour of every room, remembering that it is the first two weeks when a new property will get the most viewings and hopefully that all important sale.

So, if you are looking to sell your home and would like to have the perfect Spring photographs to enhance the look of the property, call David Phillip FRICS and we can undertake a free market appraisal of your property.

David Phillip Estate Agents, T: 01134 6767 400 W: davidphillip.co.uk A: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 9AN

Covering North Leeds, Bramhope, Adel, Cookridge, Otley and Po