Photographs will be one of the first things to take care of when you decide to list your home for sale.

These will be the very core of the marketing for your property, so it needs to be done right, particularly as these days most home buyer research is done online – you need to capture potential buyers as soon as they see your listing, otherwise they will be onto the next one before yours even gets a chance.

Photos are likely to be organised through your real estate agent, or with a professional property photographer, but whatever the case, there are some things you need to consider when it comes to what you need to do to make sure you house is seen in the best light possible.

1. Light it up!

When photographing homes, make sure the lights are on inside, as this helps to make the interior light and bright. If you have some great exterior lighting happening in your landscaping, make sure the photographer captures some evening shots as well.

Read more: Top 5 Picks for Home Design Inspiration

2. Time to tidy

Make beds, shoo the animals outside, put away kitchen bench clutter, straighten up photo frames, cushions and blankets, hide all your toiletries in the bathroom cupboard, take the washing off the line and just do your best to think like a person viewing your house for the first time (through photographs).

It should look organised, clean and distraction-free (if that means moving any clumsy objects out of the way for the photos, then do it).

3. Capture the strengths

Now’s the time to highlight all the great things your home has to offer a buyer – whether it is the large deck, the indoor/outdoor flow, or the original timber floor boards. Make sure these things standout in the photos, as you don’t want people to have to go searching for them when viewing the listing.

4. Hide the weaknesses

This isn’t about pretending any weaknesses don’t exist, but photos are just an introduction to a home and when someone is interested in the property, they will do a physical viewing.

It is best that the listing online doesn’t include anything that isn’t visually appealing, as this could put people off straight away, and it really is ideal to try and get potential buyers through the door where you have more of a chance to impress.

A quick note though – don’t completely ignore something that is majorly wrong with the home, as this could come across as deceitful or dishonest, which could create negative feelings towards the property (with potential buyers thinking ‘what else could the vendor be trying to hide?’)

5. Insist on a good photographer

Anyone can take a photo, but only a professional photographer with the right skills and equipment and has experience photographing homes will be able to make it look great. Yes, it costs money, but when you consider that your home is your biggest asset, it really is such a small investment to make. Photos get people interested in a home, and you won’t get a sale without any viewings.

Not sure if you’ve done enough? Jump online and check out some house listings to get more ideas on how other people have presented their home - some will have got it just right.