How to prep your sales property for photos

When listing your house or condo unit for sale, especially in a buyer’s market as is the rule in Chiang Mai, of course you’ll want to get a competitive edge in order to lock in a speedy turnaround and top dollar.

At the same time, after checking the price is right, would-be buyers will be after catching a first glimpse of the place. Now, whether your ad appears in an estate agent’s window or –odds-on in this digital age- through the internet, science tells us that you’ll have but a matter of seconds to score that all-important first impression.

And, worth a thousand words indeed, the sure-fire way to wow a potential purchaser is with a professionally photographed property. So far so good, but you’re going to have to put in a bit of time, muscle and perhaps even a small layout readying your property for the camera…

GRIME BE GONE

It almost goes without saying that every inch of your property should be sparklingly clean ahead of being snapped so:

OUT WITH THE CLUTTER

When glancing through shots of your property, potential buyers need to be able to focus on the room itself.

Without de-cluttering so much it makes the place appear unlived-in, clear away any mess and tidy up by:

Hiding stuff like kid’s toys, remote controls, laundry baskets and airers, portable fans, rubbish bins [garbage cans], clothing and footwear, bathroom scales, toilet brushes, magazines, post [mail] and DVDs as well as any electrical cables and wires
Making the beds using neatly pressed linens
Emptying the kitchen sink of dishes and leaving nothing on the work surfaces
Closing all cupboard/cabinet doors and drawers
Putting the toilet seat/lid down

NOTHING PERSONAL

Because prospective buyers need to imagine living in your property with their own things, leaving too much of your own stamp on the place will turn them off s

MAX OUT THE SQUARE METREAGE

Especially in living and dining areas, create an extra sense of roominess by:

DRESS FOR THE OCCASION

Termed ‘home staging’, throw in a few finishing touches like:

OOZE KERB APPEAL

If it’s a house you’re selling, you’ll need to tend to more than just the interior spaces; particularly at the front of the property, the idea is to create an inviting outdoor oasis for lounging or entertaining so:

Move any vehicles/push bikes from view and shut garage doors
Wipe down and dress up any patio furniture
Remove every scrap of rubbish [garbage]
Pull up weeds and dead plants, mow the lawn, cut the grass, prune trees/shrubs and rake up fallen leaves
Store garden tools (including hoses) and containers so they’re out of sight
Spruce up decks/yards/porches/driveways