Hide the Teenagers and the Toilet Roll! Why Estate Agents Want Your Home to Look Like Nobody Lives in It

Our take

This piece resonates strongly with South African sellers, where the gap between lived-in homes and listing-ready presentation has never been wider. With property portals — including Liivra — now leading with high-quality photography and virtual walkthroughs, first impressions are formed online before a buyer ever steps through the door. That raises the stakes for how a home looks, not just in person but on screen. For sellers in competitive markets like Cape Town's Southern Suburbs, Johannesburg's northern suburbs, or Durban's Umhlanga, presentation genuinely influences perceived value and days-on-market. Agents are right to push for decluttering — but Williams' frustration points to a communication gap: sellers need to understand the why, not just receive a checklist. For buyers, it's worth remembering that a styled home is a marketing tool. The bones of the property matter more than whether the bookshelves are curated. For landlords preparing rental units, the same logic applies — clean and neutral photographs attract more enquiries. The practical takeaway: if you're listing soon, focus energy on kitchens, bathrooms, and entrance areas — the spaces buyers photograph mentally first. Everything else is context.