Top Tips

How to take photographs of your home

Photos are a buyers first impression of your home. High quality and clear photos are therefore essential. Initial interest is all about catching a buyers’ attention, but for the right reason. Whilst homebuddy do not claim to be professional photographers, we do believe that the following tips will help make your home more appealing:

• Use a decent camera to ensure you get high quality images. Most modern smart phones come equipped with a good standard camera.
• Tidy the house. Make it as clean and presentable as possible
• Declutter the room – make it as spacious as possible.
• If you’re room is looking a bit tired, could you give it a lick of paint? A fresh coat can really lift a property.
• Make sure there are no distractions in the photos– i.e. pets roaming around or somebody standing in the shot.
• Light is essential so open the curtains and turn lights and lamps on. You should do this also in any adjacent / adjoining rooms. Try to get as much light into the room as possible.
• Try photos with and without your camera flash for comparison
• Get the best possible angle of the room so it looks as spacious as possible. This may involve trying to stand higher up i.e. on a small stool or chair. However, please take care if you are standing on a stool or chair.
• Ensure that the buyer can clearly identify the nature of the room from the photo alone.
• Tidy the garden – make sure the grass is not overgrown. If possible, take outside pictures on a sunny and dry day.
• Take several photos and ask for the opinion of your friends and family on which to use.
• Most importantly – take you time. Homebuddy allows you to change your photos at any time, so if you’re not happy or the weather wasn’t right just take some more and replace the originals.

Videos

• Homebuddy also allows you to upload videos of your property.
• Videos on the homebuddy platform must be uploaded via You Tube. Please see our FAQ’’s for guidance on how to upload a video.
• When taking videos, we suggest you consider the guidance listed in section 1 above.

How to value your home and set a price

There is no magic formula for how to come up with a price for your property. Estate Agents will often compare similar size houses in your area and the historic current sale prices. Therefore, our tips would be similar to those methods used by an estate agent, such as:

Do your research. Compare similar houses in your street and local area. Consider:

• What are the current prices of similar houses in your street and local area?
• Can you find historic pricing on the internet? Long established websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla will often provide historic prices.
• How similar is the house to yours?
• Has a particular house been for sale for an excessive period of time? Could it be overpriced?

Local homes can also often vary, whether this is due to added extensions, loft conversations or even just a modernisation of internal décor. These factors often increase the value of your property. For example, if you are selling a three bed house and your next door neighbour has converted the attic so that it is a four bed, then it is likely that next doors would sell for more (but never guaranteed).

Don’t get greedy, be realistic but ensure that you are happy with the price you want to receive.

We suggest you consider at least 3 comparable properties.

If you’re completely stuck then you can use various online tools that are available free of charge. Whilst these are not as accurate as they like to make out, they can be used as an indicator of the sort of price you should be aiming for.

What information should you include in your advert?

Our platform provides you with an easy tick list of those key features typical in most properties and can act as a starting point. You can add as much or as little information as you require. Our suggestion from us would be to keep it simple and let the pictures speak for themselves.

Add a short description of each room adding what you believe to be the necessary key details such as size, special features, impressive views.

Key information you may want to include;

• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms/toilets
• Reception rooms
• Gardens
• Local amenities i.e. transport links, supermarkets, schools
• What makes your house stand out from the competition?

It is also a legal requirement to have an Energy Performance Certificate (“EPC”) when you sell your home. Ensure that your EPC is uploaded as part of your advert. For more information on EPC’s visit our FAQ section.

How to arrange viewings:

• Firstly, be flexible. Obviously, everyone has different routines and jobs and not everyone can do your first preferred time.
• When a buyer requests a viewing if you are unable to agree to their suggestion then respond with several times over several days. This gives the buyer options to work around you but also saves time in going back and forth suggesting individual times and dates.
• Try to be accommodating. Yes, a buyer viewing your property needs to be convenient and give you time to tidy but be aware that the buyer may have multiple viewings in the space of a few days. Don’t risk them finding a property before having the chance to view yours.

How to conduct your own viewings

• Remember, this is your own home. You know everything about it.
• Clean your home prior to the visit. Air fresheners and flowers always add a nice touch.
• Whilst we at homebuddy love all pets, some people don’t share our view. We would therefore always suggest that if possible, pets such as dogs and cats are kept out of the way for each viewing.
• Spend some time preparing before a visit. Make a list of positive / impressive features about the house.
• Take some time to think about key questions you would want answered. Think about what you want to know? What can you tell a buyer about the local area? What amenities are near by?
• Be engaging with the buyer, ask them questions. You can also use this opportunity to learn more about them and their situation i.e. are they selling a home? Are they in a chain? When are they looking to move?
• Don’t rush potential buyers and give them time to look around. Buying a new home can be a big deal for some people and it may not be something to entertain lightly. Due to the amount of money often involved, some people will prefer to take their time and ask questions.
• Follow up on the viewing. Remember, you are the salesperson, therefore we would recommend a casual / friendly follow up message using the homebuddy platform to enquire if they have any further questions or would like to make an offer.

Safety Tips

• We recommend that guided tours are provided in each room and that valuable small items such as but not limited jewellery or money for safely stored away.
• Always be vigilant and cautious. Whether you are conducting viewings or viewing a property, we never recommend that you do this alone. We would strongly advise that you are accompanied by a family member or friend. If you are alone, we would advise that you contact a member of your family or a friend to advise them of the meeting and to check in with you once it has ended.
• If you are considering submitting an offer in on a house, ask the seller for proof of ownership. This will be checked by your solicitors, but a bit of early due diligence won’t do any harm.
• As with everything in life, be cautious, whether you are buying or selling. If you have particular concerns, share these with your solicitor and ask them to make further enquiries.