Clear out first, then furnish: a method for older flats

Grandma's old flat, a rental after the tenants have gone, or a house the seller still lives in. The photos mostly show furniture the new owner will throw out anyway, and buyers can't see the space past it. Instead of a new shoot after everyone has moved out, you can prepare the photos in a few steps that build on each other.

Why old furniture in a photo slows down a sale

• It makes the room look smaller. Packed wardrobes and bulky sofas take up the space buyers want to see.
• It sets the style. Buyers judge the furnishings, not the flat. Dark furniture then drags down even a bright room.
• It distracts. Personal items, pictures and bits and pieces catch the eye more than the windows, the floor or the layout.

Step by step

The order matters: each step works with the result of the one before. In Stagendo, every step is saved to the photo's edit history and you can go back to it at any time.

• 1. Empty the room. Either just tidy up small things and clutter, or clear out all the furniture. With older flats, clearing it out completely usually works better.
• 2. Renovate the interior, but only when it makes sense. A new floor or freshly painted walls show the potential. Use it as "this is how it could look", not as a description of the current condition.
• 3. Furnish the room. Choose the room type so buyers can tell what it's for, and a furniture style. There are 17 room types and 10 styles to choose from.
• 4. Improve the light. Finally, brighten the photo and balance the windows so the result looks fresh.

Which style to choose

For older flats, a light, neutral style with fewer pieces of furniture works well: Modern, Scandinavian or Minimalist. It lets the space stand out and appeals to a wide range of buyers. Save bold styles like Industrial or Boho for properties where you know exactly who you're selling to.

Where fairness ends

• Clearing out and new furniture are fine. Buyers know the furnishings move out.
• A renovation is a visualisation of what's possible. Say in the listing description that it shows a possible makeover.
• Don't change fixed features. Windows, dimensions, the view and defects buyers will see at the viewing must stay as they are.
• Label edited photos. Stagendo can add a discreet visualisation label when you download. Ideally, include the original photo in the listing too.

In short

With older flats, what helps most is clearing the room out first and then furnishing it in a neutral style. Use renovation as inspiration, not as a promise. Go step by step so you stay in control of the result, and always let buyers know what is a visualisation.