Buying your second home, whether you’re downsizing or moving into a larger home to start a family, often depends on selling your existing property.
A recent David Wilson Homes survey of 500 Brits found that 27% are considering selling their current home, with almost half (47%) looking to upsize and 29% planning to downsize.
To support those looking to sell their home, David Wilson Homes also asked Brits what features in online property images would put them off a potential purchase. Here’s what they revealed.
What should sellers avoid when taking photos for a property listing?
The biggest dealbreakers for potential buyers:
1. Signs of a smoking
If you are selling your home, you should avoid any evidence of smoking, with 63% of respondents listing it among their top three biggest icks. There can be many signs that a smoker has lived in a property, ranging from obvious ones like ashtrays being left around the property to more subtle indicators like yellow stains on the walls or curtains.
To make your home more appealing for potential suitors, deep clean carpets, repaint affected walls, and air out spaces before listing.
2. Poor maintenance
Evidence of poor maintenance like peeling plaster or mould, is another major concern for potential buyers. If you are selling your home and aren’t planning to address these issues, it’s best to be upfront and honest rather than trying to disguise them in online pictures, whether that means painting over damp or editing out cracks in plaster.
3. Signs of pets living at the property
For 36% of Brits, signs of pets having previously lived in a home can be a real dealbreaker. Pets can leave long-lasting odours, while allergy sufferers may be concerned about potential allergens being embedded in carpets and upholstery.
There are several indications that a pet may have previously lived in a property, so make sure to remove pet-related items such as beds, bowls, and litter trays before taking listing photos, and ensure all surfaces and soft furnishings are thoroughly cleaned.
Top image mistakes sellers should avoid:
1. Dishes left of the side
A cluttered kitchen can be off-putting for prospective buyers, with 25% reporting that this could deter them from going to view a property in person. While it may seem like a small thing, unwashed dishes can indicate that a seller is untidy and may signal that your home has been poorly maintained.
2. Unmade or messy bed
Similarly, 21% said that an image of an unmade or messy bed would be a ick for when searching for a house online. First impressions are crucial when house hunting, and a tidy bed can help create a sense that your home has been well looked after.
3. Overly personal decorations
For 20% of respondents, overly personal décor such as excessive family photos, children's drawings on the walls, or murals, could be a deal-breaker. To increase your property’s appeal, opt for ne
utral decor and remove overly personal items before taking your listing photos.
How to take the best pictures for online house listings using just a smartphone
While estate agents and developers will often use professional photographers for shots of homes that will later be listed online, if you’re trying to sell your home on a budget, it is possible to take high-quality images on a budget armed with just a smartphone and a small amount of preparation.
To find out the best practices for DIY home photo shoots, we enlisted the help of interior photographer Oliver Kersh for his top tips for achieving a picture-perfect home.
1. Declutter space and remove personal belongings
The first step in preparing the house for photos is decluttering and removing as many personal belongings as possible from a shot, as Oliver explains. He said, “Homeowners often overlook their clutter because they’re so used to it being in their home, however buyers want to see the space available, and too much clutter can block their vision.”
Removing items like family photos and excessive clutter allows viewers online to get a true sense of the space without being distracted by decorations. helping prospective buyers to envision the space as their own.
2. Open curtains and blinds to allow as much light as possible
Oliver places particular emphasis on lighting in his images. He said, “Lighting is extremely important for interior photography. Good lighting enhances space, clarity and atmosphere, although this doesn’t necessarily mean having all the lights on in the home. Use natural light whenever possible, to brighten up the room effectively.”
To make the most of natural light in your photos, avoid shooting at midday, especially when sunny outside, as the lighting can be too harsh. Instead, opt for cloudier days when which will result in softer light bathing the interior of your home.
3. Shoot all images horizontally
Make sure to shoot horizontally as property listing sites such as Rightmove and Zoopla display images in landscape format, meaning you will avoid unprofessional-looking black bars on either side of your photos.
Capturing the full layout of a room can be particularly tricky but choosing the right angle can make a big difference. Oliver recommends: “wide-angle shots from the corner of the rooms help capture the full space and layout of the room, however, close-ups can also be used for highlighting unique property features.”
For tight spaces, standing in the doorway and pointing the camera into the room helps capture more of the space and provides a realistic view of what a potential buyer would see upon viewing the property.
4. Photograph from eye-level
Once you’ve prepared the room, the next step is to ensure you're capturing photos at the right height and angle to showcase your home in the best possible way.
According to Oliver, pictures from poor angles are one of the most common mistakes people make and he recommends avoiding “high shots pointing downward, which often make the room look smaller. Instead, aim for eye-level shots for increased realism.”
Oliver also emphasises the importance of using the right type of shots to present the space effectively. He suggests using mainly wide-angle shots to showcase space and layout.
Most modern smartphones offer multiple lenses and using the 0.5x wide lens can help capture more of the room in a single frame, making the space appear larger and more open.
5. Enable the HDR setting on your phone
HDR has been a standard feature on iPhones and Android devices for years. It enhances photos by capturing multiple shots at different exposures and blending them into a single image with balanced lighting. This technology makes it incredibly simple to get perfect lighting in the photos you take of your home.
On iPhones released after 2017, HDR is available by default, and on iPhone 13 and later, it is automatically enabled for all photos. To check or adjust the setting, open the Camera app and tap the HDR button at the top of the screen.
On Android phones, HDR settings may vary by brand and model. The best way to check is by opening the Camera app settings, where you should find an option to toggle HDR on or off.
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Methodology
David Wilson Homes surveyed 500 Brits aged 21-80 using the surveying platform One Pulse in February 2025
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