The Property perfectionist

Most buyers don’t fall in love with a property at the viewing.

They fall in love online.

Long before they book an appointment, they’ve already made an emotional decision. They’ve scrolled through the photographs, imagined their furniture in the rooms, pictured themselves drinking coffee in the kitchen or hosting friends in the garden.

That’s why first impressions matter so much.

Yet many estate agents simply book a photographer and tell the owner to “have a tidy up.”

The problem is that photographers aren’t there to sell your home.

They’re there to take photographs. And move on as quickly as possible to their next job.

This is why I often arrive one, two, sometimes even three hours before the photographer.

Not because I’m an interior designer (although I suspect I’d enjoy that job).

It’s because I obsess over details.

The pile of coats by the front door.

The cluttered kitchen worktop.

Toiletries lining the bathroom sink.

Fridges full of magnets that boggle the eyes.

Phone chargers, extension leads and cables snaking across the floor.

Individually, none of these things matter.

Collectively, they distract buyers from what does matter.

The home itself.

So before the photographer arrives, I start editing the property.

I move furniture.

I declutter surfaces (using the pile of bags for life that live in my car boot!)

I simplify rooms.

I maximise natural light wherever possible.

Sometimes it’s as simple as moving a toaster.

Sometimes it’s rearranging an entire room.

Sometimes it’s spending 10 minutes deciding whether a lamp looks better three feet to the left.

That’s the part of my brain that never really switches off.

The properties featured here aren’t necessarily the most expensive homes I’ve sold.

They’re simply examples of homes where I obsessed over every detail because I understand something many agents overlook:

Buyers aren’t looking at rooms.

They’re imagining their future life.

Better photographs create more clicks.

More clicks create more enquiries.

More enquiries create more viewings.

More viewings create competition.

And competition is often what creates the strongest offers.

I’ve never believed that simply listing a property is enough.

Exceptional marketing doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s prepared.

Every cushion.

Every lamp.

Every worktop.

Every photograph.

And don’t get me started on bookshelves or drinks cabinets – I can spend an hour making sure these look great for the camera.

They deserve an article of their own!

Most agents will promise they’ll achieve the best price.

Bu few will spend three hours moving furniture before the photographer arrives to make sure your property is presented at its absolute best. This is one of the most important parts of doing all you can to help your client achieve the best price.

Thank you for reading.