I find Adobe Elements to be a great tool for adjusting photogrpahs. All of my final photographs get run through Adobe Elements. You can download the program at the Adobe website. Last I looked it was $99.00
The tool I find to be the most helpful is the transformation tool. I take your vertical or horizontal lines and makes them perpindicular to the frame if you did not get it right taking the photograph. The wider the angle the lens the more important it is to keep your vertical lines perpindicular with the frame. You can also correct, lighting, color balance and other photo defeciencies.
When this photo was taken care was not given to leveling the camera off, thus the fireplace looks like it is tipping over. Sub-consciencely buyers will wonder if there is something wrong with the home. Or at the very least they will focus on how bad the photo is, not on the important features of the room.
10 seconds on Adobe Photo Elements can correct that. Making a photo thats pespective is not so warped.
Poor color control was executed when this photo was taken.
Photo Elemwnts can help bring the color back to something that may be a little more natural. It is important to try and get the photo right when you are taking it or if possible go back and retake correctly. There is only so much Photo editing programs can do.
Again poor exposure when the photo was taken. Phot editing can brighten the photograph. Editing does degrade the phot and this is an extreme correction. Ideally try to get it right the first time.
The clone tool is a great tool to remove unwanted items from photos. Note the island it the first photo with magazines left on and removed in photo two. Literally, it takes no skill and about 30 seconds to remove the item.
Again, I would like to reiterate try to get the photo right when you take it. Adobe Elements is a great tool to add to your arsenal. I only touched on a few things that it does. Some of the examples I showed were extreme photos I pulled off our MLS..... Adobe Elements is good for small corrections but really work on getting the photo as close to perfect when you take it.
I like your example of the clone tool. I'll try mine out...next time the water hose sneeks into a photo.
This is nice to know, sometimes you can't get back to the house to take pictures again, and fixing the ones you have is much more an option.