Internet search when buying a home

[Viola]

Most peoples inital search for a new property to buy or let starts on the internet. You will notice some properties have great informative pictures, some have a lot of pictures but the pictures aren't great and doesn't necessarily show a property to its full potential, and some have only one or two pictures or none at all.

When you are looking for a property does it make any difference to you what pictures are shown on a property?

Do you make a decision to view a property partly or solely based on photographs?

Do you even bother looking at the details of a property when there are little or no pictures at all?

Or

Does this make no difference in your initial decision to view a property?


How important is the quality of the photographs ie de-cluttered rooms, flowers, basically doing whatever needed to attract people and show a properties true potential. Do these fine details attract you to a property more?

I am not asking if photos effect a decision to actually buy a property, but just to even get you through the door in the first place

[Dan S]

Hi Viola

I would suggest that photos are THE most important factor when first time buyers decide to view a home. They're also a lot more savvy than a lot of sellers take them for!

I would propose that the most common issue is if ANY room doesn't have a photo of it and there are more than one view of another room.

If the seller's taken the time to upload 2 pictures of the same kitchen, it's difficult to imagine they've omitted any photos of that pokey second bedroom for any other reason than it's pokey!

I'd be interested to hear what other people think the common tricks are...Ill throw a very sneaky one out there - the 'wide angled lens' shot. Very naughty!


It includes all the things you should watch out for.

Dan

[Simon Plumber]

I use lots of programs to check property.

The best is property bee if you use firefox browser, it hacks the rightmove and find a property site and shows the sellers changes to price, how long it has been on the market and much more.

Property snake does much the same in a different format.

Bing Maps gives you valuable 360 degree photo views round the property.

Land registry prices also helps

[Michelle Alden]

Hi

I would definitely invest as much time as possible in taking the best photos possible. It does not take too much time nor does it cost too much money.

I know that I personally need to see how the place looks and get a sense of the size of the place from photos. Visually attractive photos will go a long way in attracting people to come and view the place, It is worth the effort!

[editha]

I'm in Canada, looking for a retirement home in England, using RightMove to suss out the property market. Photos are very important to me. When we do come to buy, we'll be looking for a property in several areas of the country and won't have the time to look at properties which are an unknown quantity.

I'm often frustrated by the lack of photos or poor quality. Where a property clearly needs updating, agents frequently only display exterior photos, or of one or two selected rooms. Even where the property is a "doer upper" (as they say here in Canada), it is still useful to get an idea of what the interior looks like before viewing.

[jodieB]

yeah i definately agree that photos are massively important when im looking i dont even bother with a property if it doesnt have photographs, because i wonder whats wrong why wouldnt there be any.. its also important to have photos of every room at the best angles and clean and tidy, i dont understand why people put photos up of dirty messy flats and houses...

[Dan S]

Although, I must say it's actually a positive thing for the buyer if the seller has posted photos of messy rooms with their possessions strewn all over the floor.

It means they're not trying to hide anything and clearly aren't the business of making a property look nicer than it is (thus wasting your time going to view it). Although this would never happen, I believe it should be a requirement to publish a floor plan if you're selling a home.

It would save everyone a lot of time in viewing!