AI is far from the apocalyptic machine we’ve imagined in science fiction (at least not yet ).

With ChatGPT leading the way — gaining over 400 million users between February and October 2025 alone — it’s clear there’s more to it than just an “advanced Google Search.”

Personally, I see AI as an ultra-competent and dedicated Personal Assistant… who also happens to be terribly ignorant. It’s smart, fast, and capable — but only once you teach it what you need. That’s why prompting (giving instructions) matters.

For estate agents, this means we now have an extra set of tools to serve clients better — and one of them is particularly exciting as we continue to strengthen our online presence.

See… people might or might not exactly know how to use AI chats to their best advantage, so they have started to use it – ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Grok and the likes – as a replacement for their favourite search engine.

When the battle used to be for the best ranking in Google searches through ads and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), now the race is on to show up on AI-powered searches. And I am quite proud to announce that – thanks to a partnership with HomeSearch – LS Properties listings are now optimised to show up on searches done on ChatGPT and the likes.

The power of AI over a ‘regular’ search is that it interprets, compares, and recommends based on context. It explains the reasoning behind its suggestions and provides better-matched answers.

For instance, one of our listings in Woodley, Reading now appears instantly when users search through ChatGPT.

What AI Can Do for You as a Homeowner

That’s a glimpse of what AI can do for us as agents — but what about you as a homeowner?

With ChatGPT seeing such explosive growth, it’s worth exploring how it can help you maximise your home’s value, be it by solving small problems, or providing inspiration for your next project.

If you’re new to this:

• ChatGPT has a free plan that’s perfectly fine for beginners.

• And I’ll show you how to make the most of it through a few examples below.

Troubleshooting: Tackling That Snag You’ve Been Avoiding

Earlier this year, a couple of rooms in my house started to feel very hot even though the weather was mild outside. It did not take long to find out the radiators in these rooms were the culprit, but why?

I turned to my favourite PA – ChatGPT – dressed it with Mario the Plumber’s outfit with the following lines (also known as ‘prompt’) and went from there:

ChatGPT asked all the right questions about my heating setup — including the boiler’s make and model — and helped narrow down the likely causes. Because I was up for some DIY, it even walked me through safe troubleshooting steps.

Long story short: it helped me discover that a small actuator valve in my ground-floor heating circuit was stuck open. Once closed manually, the sauna days were over!

Had I needed to call a plumber, I’d still have saved time and money by knowing exactly what the issue was.

Restyle: Everyone Loves a Free Makeover

A well-executed redesign can be transformative — both visually and in terms of property value.

In one of my recent videos, I demonstrated how to use Zoopla’s Redesign feature to restyle any space in a listing (click here if you want to try it). It’s surprisingly satisfying — and slightly addictive — to see rooms instantly reimagined in different styles.

But what if your home isn’t listed online? You can still have fun experimenting with AI design tools. They all work similarly: upload a photo, choose a room type and style, and watch the transformation.

Here’s the same space reimagined using four different tools:

• The starting point — A dual purpose living and dining space

• RoomGPT.io— A warm and cosy makeover (though AI creatively added a sink near the dining area!)

• HomeVisualizer.ai — A bold, modern look… with a staircase to nowhere 

• VisualizeAI.pro — Scandinavian minimalism, complete with a new window (sadly facing the garage!)

• Roomvo — A sleek, modern update that preserved the room’s dual purpose.

You will find out that AI does not get it always right or might be extremely creative… e.g. adding stairs or doors to a wall. So the best use is as a source of inspiration rather than the generation of a complete turn key project.

Garden Planning: Your AI Gardening Partner

The garden is not my nemesis but I’ll admit that gardening isn’t my strongest suit either. My planting success rate is… modest. But AI has become my secret helper.

From picking the wrong plant for the climate to finer details like the orientation, how to seed, fighting slugs or matching the pH of the soil… there are lots of factors to take into account. And here again AI can be your best supporter.

By setting the scene using the RAFTSQ prompt structure above and explaining your goals (with photos if you wish), AI can create a tailored seasonal garden plan for your property.

Here’s a prompt you can copy, paste, and personalise:

Role: You are an expert landscape designer with knowledge of seasonal planting, garden aesthetics, and property value.

Action: Create a planting scheme that balances beauty, low maintenance, and curb appeal throughout the year.

Format: Provide a month-by-month or seasonal breakdown of plant choices, with short notes on colours, heights, and care tips. Present in a clear, easy-to-read list.

Tone: Warm, knowledgeable, and approachable — written for a prestige homeowner who wants their garden to look elegant and well cared for, but doesn’t want overly technical jargon.

Specifics:

The garden is in Thames Valley, UK (mild climate, seasonal changes).

The scheme should include perennials, shrubs, and some flowering plants to give year-round appeal.

Prioritise plants that enhance kerb appeal and frame the property well.

Mix evergreen structure with seasonal bursts of colour.

Focus on options that don’t require intensive maintenance.

Questions (to tailor the scheme further):

You will ask me more questions about:

My garden, its size, orientation and the areas I would like to prioritise (front entrance, patio, borders, lawn edges)

The look I am aiming for, e.g. a more formal look (structured, symmetrical) or an informal one (natural, flowing).

Whether there are any other uses I am planning on doing with my garden. E.g. incorporate edible plants (herbs, fruit trees) as part of the design, scent experience, entertain guests, etc.

Closing Section: From Curiosity to Confidence

AI may feel like new territory, but in truth, it’s just another tool — one that rewards curiosity.

Whether you use it to diagnose a heating issue, restyle your living room, or plan your garden, AI can help you save time, make better decisions, and unlock your home’s potential.

Important: as advanced as AI might look, it DOES make mistakes. So don’t trust everything that AI tells you, be critical and always double check information before proceeding.

In the next editions of The Prestige Collection, I’ll continue exploring practical ways to use technology to elevate your home — without losing the human touch that makes it truly yours.

Have you tried using AI for something at home? we’d love to hear about your experience — leave a comment below, send us an email to contact@lsdlv.com or share this post with a friend who might enjoy experimenting too.

The post AI at Home: Practical Ways to Elevate Your Space (and Its Value) appeared first on LS Properties International.

But what is home staging and how to make the best use of it?

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Unlike interior design, which is an expression of personal taste and creativity, home staging is a strategic approach focused on showcasing your property’s best features and helping buyers visualise themselves living in it. It’s a marketing technique designed to appeal to a wide audience, creating a neutral yet aspirational look that highlights the space’s full potential.

It’s a bit like putting on your best suit or dress to attend a job interview. Although the recruiter will easily guess this is not the way you dress everyday, it will still send the right message that you want to look your best because you care about their interest.

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For vacant properties or homes that need a refreshed look, hiring furniture and accessories for staging can make a dramatic difference. This is what a company like Bradbeers Furniture Rental & Sales have specialised in. Empty rooms feel cold and smaller than they are, while a professionally staged space creates warmth, flow, and a sense of lifestyle that resonates emotionally with buyers.

Home stagers I have talked to are all great listeners, their work is their passion. They love paying attention to details and providing a taylored experience. Feedbacks like the following one left by a customer of Bradbeers should be the norm: “Absolutely blown away by the 1st class service that my family and I have received from Bradbeers furniture rental. From the first initial phone conversation and enquiry, up until the final piece of furniture was put into place, this service was first class from start to finish!“

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In this post, you’ll see examples of powerful before-and-after transformations where cluttered rooms become inviting, stylish spaces ready to impress potential buyers. This kind of staging helps buyers connect with the property emotionally and increases its perceived value—often resulting in faster offers and higher sale prices.

Although home staging can look like throwing new and stylish furniture in the rooms, its real value lies in the preparation and reflections behind the scene to anticipate how potential buyers will see the house. A converted barn listed by a partner agent had its dining room three rooms away from the kitchen, while the family room was just next to it. In that case, home staging could be anticipating that most viewers might question the distance between the kitchen and the dining room and simply swapping the two rooms for a more ‘logical’ flow.

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In her book “Sell High, Sell Fast“, Elaine Penhaul – founder of Lemon and Lime Interiors – explains perfectly how home staging is the outcome of a combination of steps that lead to a house that will attract the targeted buyers and make the most of the initial buzz that comes with a property recently just launched on the market.

The 7 steps she recommends are part of her ‘ADDRESS‘ system: Assess, De-clutter, Decorate, Re-imagine, Emphasize, Stage and Sell. While seeking professional help will speed things up, it’s all about preparation and also accepting the change that is about to come.

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No one better than you – as the homeowner – will be able to gauge the emotional impact making change to your home will have on you and the rest of your family. Recommendation is to start anywhere between 3 to 6 months from the expected date for the exchange of contracts.

Teaming up with the right estate agent will give you the upper hand with the crucial part of the preparation process which is to profile the potential buyers. If there is one key skill to look for in an estate agent, it would be that he or she needs to be a marketer on a mission to maximise your home’s value.

Someone who will understand the importance of knowing who you are targeting based on the potential and features of your house, someone who will be an active listener and value you sharing where you are coming from and what your goals are, someone will work with you to elaborate a personalized marketing strategy.

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Home staging as a tool is often questioned by sellers who try to keep costs down to a minimum. It is not easy to switch one’s mindset from ‘spending’ to ‘return on investment‘, especially for something so personal as a house we’ve lived in for many years. But this is exactly what developers have done and taken to an extreme turning every first home they build into a show home to convince people to buy houses that are not even built yet.

As a matter of fact, if you want to stage your house on your own but don’t know where to start, or want an example of home staging at its best, I always advise to go to the developments being built next to where you live and visit their show homes.

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Nietta Fox – owner of Aston & Fox Property Staging – stresses out how “staging helps a potential buyer form an emotional connection to the property, helping them envision the space as their future, rather than a piece of real estate simply vying for the highest bidder.”

It is a similar process as building rapport with people but this time with a property. In a similar fashion, home staging focuses strongly on the visual appeal but experienced home stagers will also pay attention to other factors such as smells, which on occasion will play a vital part in the buying process. Nicotine, pets and dirt accumulated over decades can put off the most decided buyer while a well vented house, the smell of freshly baked cake or coffee will leave a positive mark on their viewing experience.

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Home staging as a marketing tool – and not as an art – is practiced with measures in mind. Its main goal is to draw the maximum number of offers in the shortest amount of time. In the most successful cases, it can lead to a bidding war that could push offers beyond the guide price. If you plan on working with a professional home staging company, ask them to share their success stories.

They should be share numerous examples. Like this house initially valued at £170,000 which then received its first offer within 5 hours after being put on the market at the new asking price of £195,000, while the home staging – including re-decorating – for the whole house only cost £10,000. This is the Alma Street case study provided by Lemon and Lime Interiors.

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On the other hand, the circumstances leading to a sale are not all either planned or positive. It can mean that not everyone has had the luxury of saving money in anticipation of the immediate costs associated with the sale of a home, from hiring skips to removals.

Thankfully, most home staging companies are able to offer the option of payment on completion, in the same way estate agents operate. So this should give you the peace of mind of going for home staging.

If you’re preparing to sell your home, whether vacant or lived-in, your home is stale, or believe your circumstances require special consideration, let’s talk about how the right marketing strategy used in conjunction with proven techniques such as home staging will allow you to maximise your home’s appeal and selling potential.

Wishing you a pleasant property journey!

References

• Aston & Fox Property Staging: https://astonfoxpropertystaging.co.uk/
• Bradbeers Furniture Rental & Sales: https://www.furniturerental.co.uk/
• Lemon & Limes Interiors: https://lemonandlimeinteriors.co.uk/
• “Sell High, Sell Fast” by Elaine Penhaul (ISBN: 1781334781 | On Amazon)
• Want to read further or find a home staging company in the UK: https://homestaging.org.uk/

The post How Home Staging Differs from Interior Design appeared first on LS Properties International.