Case Study: Albaney Terrace

In April 2021, I was delighted to be asked to photograph a wonderful show home in Tiptree, Essex. The Property Presenters invited me to take the photos once they had completed their full staging of the property. I thought it would be useful to share this as a case study, and it really demonstrates the power of property styling along with professional photography.

Why create a show home?

If you’re a property developer, you may well have created show homes in the past, or perhaps this is a new concept for you. Even relatively small developers are often opting to create a show home as they are finding huge benefits.

Buyers don’t have vision – it is believed that around 83% of property buyers cannot imagine a room looking any different to how it currently does. An empty room often makes it appear smaller, and buyers struggle to visualise how the space would work for them. In my experience as a former estate agent, I often found that buyers would tell me a room was too small when empty. For example, we once sold a property with two double bedrooms. One of these rooms wasn’t huge, but it was certainly a comfortable double room. Buyer after buyer viewed the property stating “the second bedroom is too small.” Eventually, the property did sell and I was amazed once I saw the property furnished how much you could fit in the room. It fitted a double bed comfortably, bedside tables, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, with lots of room left to spare. Unfortunately, by leaving the property empty, the developer delayed the inevitable sale on the property and cost himself money by having to reduce the price.
Create desire – it links nicely to me previous point, but buyers want a “finished product”. By staging a property beautifully with gorgeous accessories and stunning furniture, it “sells the dream” to potential buyers. It creates a desire, and excitement as the space looks so wonderful when it’s dressed. You could even sell the furniture and accessories to potential buyers once they move in, that happens regularly – then it’s win, win!
Better photos – it goes without saying that my photos are going to look far more attractive when photographing a fully styled property, dressed with furniture. I can also create stylish “lifestyle shots” that also create desire in buyers and will encourage more viewings. It’s not just about taking the standard “whole of room photos” but it’s about showing off the features of the property, capturing interesting angles and stunning views.

The Staging

The Property Presenters were contacted by developers, NAU Homes, at the end of January 21. Springfield in Tiptree was their first development consisting of 9 large properties. They had been very thoughtful with attention to detail and the finishings were of a high standard. This developer was totally on board with the power of staging, understanding that it was the best option for a quicker sale. Creating the dream, selling a lifestyle and ensuring that the final budget can include a show home will pay dividends.

Sometimes developers decide they only want to part-stage a property to keep the cost down. Whilst this is better than not staging at all, it can have a detrimental effect, leaving the potential buyers wondering what is wrong with the rooms that are left, and whether they are too small to accommodate furniture. Another home stager once told said that when she is asked for a part-stage, her reply is ‘Why which parts of the property are you not selling?’

After the initial quotation had been accepted, The Property Presenters designed a concept for their clients based on the architecture, target market and location, whilst also considering the preferences and aspirations of the developer. Inspiration came from within the property to decide on a colour scheme to complement the kitchen, bathrooms and flooring.

Amanda Green, Director of The Property Presenters, says “It is very important to us that the property is warm, welcoming and flows cohesively from room to room, psychologically encouraging the viewer to fall in love with the space and feel like they are already home. Every show home we design is bespoke, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all, every property is individual and unique”.

“Springfield was a fantastic show home to design. Our clients made the decision to purchase the entire show home contents so they can transfer it to another development in the future. We can then assist them to dress the next property and purchase extra items where required, maintaining an ongoing relationship”, Leigh Davies, Amanda’s fellow Director told me.

When The Property Presenters first started working together, they took their own staging photos, which at the time they felt were adequate. As the business expanded, they felt they would benefit from having professional photos, which has been a great decision and has helped to enhance their portfolio and better demonstrate the quality of their work.

“Angela is a fantastic property photographer, and we have total trust in her ability to take all the shots which enhance our projects, work for our clients and ultimately help to sell the show homes we design and install” concludes Amanda.

The Photography

I came in to take the photos just as The Property Presenters were putting in their final touches. My first impression was “wow”! These ladies have some serious talent and the place looked stunning. On every photo shoot, the first thing I do is walk around every single room, planning my main photos. I find this is a much more methodical approach that works better than going in to each room blind. It gives me time to really consider each room properly, the best angles and the shots just start appearing in front of me. I started in the upstairs of the property (don’t ask me why, but I often do this!) in the master suite. I wanted a combination of photos of the whole of the rooms from different angles, but also focusing on the different features too. As these photos would also be used for Leigh and Amanda’s portfolio, I also wanted to show off their work, so I took plenty of lifestyle photos, showing off the beautiful furniture and accessories they had placed.

I don’t put a limit on the number of photos I take, I simply take as many quality shots as I see, sometimes spending longer in certain areas of the property. Some property photographers provide a package based on the number of photos they take but I really don’t like working in that way. I base my prices on the size of the property, so I can take as many photos as needed. Often extra shots are required or there are just so many great features that I just can’t help myself!

I edited the photos within the next 24 hours and sent them over to The Property Presenters.