How (not) to sell your house: perfectly ordinary looking Northampton property for sale has a surprise upstairs

Eagle-eyed viewers noticed an unusual sight in an upstairs bedroom – and took to Twitter to express their surprise.
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A property listing for an ordinary-looking house in Northampton has prompted hilarity among Twitter users intrigued by one of the photos on property portal Rightmove, which shows an unorthodox enticement for potential buyers in the bedroom.

The end-of-terrace house in the neighbourhood of Duston is on the market for £239,995.

It has a modern kitchen, which is semi-open-plan to the dining room and a separate large living room on the ground floor.

The listing also mentions under-the-stairs storage and a large back garden with decking area, accessed through French doors.

Upstairs there’s a family bathroom and the three bedrooms, one of which is en-suite, and which appears to have proved so cosy, someone seems to have been reluctant to get out of bed for the photographer.

In an unusual touch, the photo of the master bedroom shows a body-shaped form on one side of the bed.

Twitter users suggested the photo might have been of a “recalcitrant teenager”, refusing to get out of bed and joked “Sitting…or sleeping tenant included?”, while one user questioned “Are they even alive?!”

One user found another explanation for the suspicious lump in the bed, saying “I reckon it’s a maternity pillow… mine used to look like that”. Other photos of the property show a cot and a set of swings in the back garden.

The photo prompted users to reminisce about other unfortunate house viewing encounters they’d had, from being caught hungover in bed with underwear on the floor by an estate agent, to viewing an ex-student house with a polite student still in bed.

Someone else remembered viewing a property with “I hate my life” written on a wall.

Rightmove advises that a property listing’s photos can be make or break when it comes to attracting buyers.

“First impressions are everything when you’re trying to attract a potential buyer,” said Rightmove property expert Miles Shipside.

“Often people will make a decision to view a place based solely on the pictures alone, so to have the best chance of selling you should take advice from your agent and make sure the place looks the best it can be, where possible.”

They also offer the following tips for listing a property online.

  • Property listings showing between five-to-nine photos perform best as they give buyers and tenants a feel for the property. But make sure you put the best pictures of your property first.
  • Images of the inside of a property get the most views, so try using the reception room or kitchen as one of your first photos
  • Keep your summary description short and punchy top help attract applicants to have a closer look at the full property details
  • What is the stand-out feature of this property? Think about the person most likely to suit your property and focus on what would be the biggest draw for them

The estate agent Harrison Murray declined to comment.

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