How honest are your photos?

This week I got shouted at.  Well maybe not strictly shouted at, but it was certainly a rant.  Luckily it wasn’t actually aimed at me, rather my profession in general.  The lady was a tenant in a house I happened to be valuing.  She is also a house hunter,  looking to buy a property and one which is rather frustrated by estate agents in general “wasting her time”.  I asked her to explain what she meant and sadly found myself agreeing with the majority of her points.

Let me tell you about it.   The bulk of what she had to say was aimed at estate agents marketing.

comforting

Truthful photos

Sometimes you get to think that as an estate agent you can’t win.  Do you make your photo’s great?  Or do you just take a picture?  I’m a believer in great photo’s but I will also stress honest photo’s too.  A photo is there to attract.  Some will say entice.   It’s there to sell a viewing of your house.  But as my frustrated lady said it needs to be truthful too.  Let’s call my lady Mrs Smith.

Mrs Smith was upset.  She’s viewed a house where the photo cleverly missed off the burger bar next door.  She’s viewed a house where the next door neighbour parks his camper van and blocks out all the light.  She’s even viewed a house where the decor is different to the photos and another where the photo’s are immaculate  yet on the viewing day it was exceptionally untidy and the bed was unmade.  She’s viewed lots.  Dare I admit it, but the last house was for sale with me.  ( We have had words with the owners since )

We discussed in-depth how Mrs a Smith felt a photo should look.  The word honest kept on repeating itself.  We looked online at various agents.  I wanted her view-point,  I wanted her feedback as it is all to easy to become blinkered as to what we think our potential clients want.

Wonky photos 

Wonky photos are definitely a no go area.  We both agreed on that.  It makes some houses look like they are built on hill or even worse subsiding!  Photo’s need to be straight.  Mrs Smith had viewed a house with wonky photos.  She viewed purely because she knew the street already.

I asked her if she hadn’t of known the street would she have viewed?  She told me probably not!

Dark photos

I think we can all agree dark photo’s do not do a house justice.  Remember photos are there to attract buyers not put them off.  A dark photo makes people automatically think the house is dark.  Sometimes that’s not true.   It can be simply that the agent didn’t use a flash or they aimed towards a window!  Mrs Smith wants a house which is bright.  Dark photo’s totally put her off.  They would put me off too!

Close up photography

Have you seen latest trend for close up photography?  What do you think?  I personally like it when it’s showing off a feature such as a fireplace or maybe an original stained glass window.  Mrs Smith how however hated it.  She pointed out examples where the agents photos focussed on a vase of flowers or people’s personal items and others where the room itself was actually blurred in the background.  She had a point when she told me estate agents were not selling a bunch of flowers.  They were nice photos though.  She however felt these photos were hiding something.  Maybe she is right.   If your home is really nice, show off the room!

Mrs Smith felt frustrated.  She had many other comments, complaints and insights as to how other agents work including the quality of viewers and lack of knowledge.  I’ll leave that for another time.  I did however leave this valuation with a clearer view as to what a real buyer is looking for.  Sometimes estate agents try too hard to innovate and be different.  Sometimes it can appear that they are not really interested or that they don’t really care.  When it comes down to it, we all want the same.  You and me.  We want honesty.  We want truth.  We want good old-fashioned customer service.

House viewers don’t want their time-wasting.  Time is precious, especially when you work full-time.  I fully understand that.  Do you agree?

I’m going to keep my photos honest and clear.  Mrs Smith is my benchmark.  I’ll ask myself each time now, would they pass the Mrs Smith test?

My name is Michelle.  I am a director at JDG Estate Agents.  I really want to help.  I want to help you move.  If you’d like to chat sometime please call me on 01524 843322.  You can also email me at michelle@jdg.co.uk

Speak soon

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price   New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Highest demand to lease office space since pre-pandemic

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove, reveals that the number of unique enquiries to lease office space is at its highest point since pre-pandemic, as businesses look for spaces that meet modern requirements. Demand to lease office space is 19% higher than the same period a year ago and…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Estate Agent Talk

Planning consultations for major infrastructure to be streamlined

Robert Bruce, a planning and infrastructure partner at law firm Freeths LLP, said he: “Welcomed the change as a significant step to speeding up the DCO process and the focus on the quality and effectiveness of the consultation, rather than box ticking and a risk averse approach to pre-application consultation due to the current legal…
Read More
Breaking News

‘The property ladder pulls further away’ warns Open Property Group

For many first-time buyers across England, the dream of homeownership continues to slip further out of reach. Despite rising wages, soaring house prices are making it harder than ever to get on the property ladder. A leading UK professional house buying company ‘Open Property Group’ based in Buckinghamshire UK, has raised concerns over the ongoing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Long It Takes to Buy a House in the UK: 5 Common Delays That Can Slow Down Your Home Purchase

Wondering how long it takes to buy a house in the UK? The average timeline ranges from 8 to 22 weeks, but even that can stretch significantly due to unexpected delays, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or caught in a chain. That’s why working with experienced professionals like Belvoir — one of the UK’s…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove to host Renters’ Rights Bill webinar with Guild of Lettings

Rightmove is hosting a live and interactive webinar session with the Guild of Lettings to help agents get Renters’ Rights Ready. The webinar will take place from 10:00am – 11:00am on Wednesday 23rd April. Susie Crolla, Managing Director for the Guild of Lettings, will be joining Rightmove to help agents with questions they may have about…
Read More