On Rightmove and other property portals, your first photo decides whether anyone clicks, and the order of the rest decides whether they book a viewing. Yet photos are often uploaded in whatever order they came off the camera: a bathroom third, the garden last, the best room buried at number fourteen.
I photograph homes and rentals across Liverpool for agents, landlords and hosts. Here is how to order Rightmove photos so they tell the story of the home and keep buyers scrolling.
The short version
- Lead with your single most appealing image. Usually the front, sometimes the best room.
- Put the key rooms next: living space, then kitchen.
- Then walk through the home in a natural order.
- Save bathrooms and smaller rooms for later.
- Finish strong with the garden, a view or a twilight shot.
The lead image
For most houses, the front exterior is the right first photo. It shows the type of property, the street and the kerb appeal in one frame. But if the exterior is ordinary and the inside is stunning, lead with the best room. For flats, a bright living space or a view often beats the building entrance. For period homes, a characterful exterior usually wins.
The first five images
Many buyers only look at the first handful of photos before deciding, especially on a phone. Make those count:
Lead
Exterior or hero roomThe single best image of the property.
Heart of the home
Main living spaceBright, wide and inviting.
Kitchen
Often the deciding roomEspecially an open plan kitchen diner.
Main bedroom
Calm and spaciousStyled simply, bed made.
Standout feature
The thing that makes it specialGarden, view, fireplace, balcony.
Then walk the house
After the highlights, order the rest as if you were showing someone round: hallway, reception rooms, kitchen, utility, then upstairs to bedrooms and bathrooms, then outside. It helps buyers build a mental map of the home, and a clear picture makes them more confident about booking a viewing.
Common mistakes
- Leading with a dark or cluttered room.
- Several near identical shots of the same room.
- Bathrooms or toilets in the first few images.
- Leaving the garden to the end when it is the best feature.
- Portrait images that crop badly in portal layouts. Landscape is safest.
Better photos, better order
Ordering helps, but it cannot rescue weak photos. Bright, straight, well composed images of a well prepared home are what make buyers stop. See how to prepare your property for a photoshoot, and keep editing honest with what property photo edits are allowed.
If your photos feature your team too, estate agent headshots help sellers trust who is behind the listing.
Questions agents and sellers ask
What should be the first photo on Rightmove?
Usually the front exterior, as it shows the property type and kerb appeal. If the inside is stronger, lead with the best room or view.
What order should property photos go in?
Lead image first, then the main living space, kitchen, main bedroom and standout feature, followed by the rest of the home in a natural walkthrough order.
Should bathroom photos be near the start of a listing?
Generally no. Bathrooms and smaller rooms work better later in the sequence, after the key living spaces.
Should property photos be landscape or portrait?
Landscape is safest for portals, as portrait images can crop awkwardly in listing layouts.
More property guides: twilight property photos, relaunching a stale listing and property photography costs.
Listing coming up?
Let’s give it a lead image that gets clicked
Property photography and video across Liverpool for agents, landlords and hosts.