First impressions are everything! Most buyers start their home search process online searching for properties. That’s why it’s so important that your listing photos look spectacular. It takes a lot of work to prepare your home to list it on the market and we will need your help to make it look perfect.
Eye-catching listing photos capture more attention and bring more buyers to your property. Listing agents will often hire a real estate photographer to take professional photos of your property. Before the photographer arrives, you have an important role. It’s generally your responsibility to prepare the home for photographs. A few hours of preparing the home will go a long way in bringing more buyers, a quicker sale, and a higher sale price.
The First Rule of Real Estate Photography – Declutter
You’re selling your home, which means you’re moving.. so let’s get a head start! Everything you don’t need or use on a daily basis should be packed up into boxes and neatly stored away in storage rooms or closets. This might be a good time to add some shelving to these areas. Home buyers love organized storage areas. Decluttering will make your space appear larger and will be less distracting, allowing potential buyers to envision where their things will go. It may also be a good idea to sell any unwanted items or furniture that you will not be bringing with you. Doing this now will relieve stress by having less to do later on.
General Cleaning And Preparation
- Clean all the windows
- Sweep, mop, and vacuum the floors
- Clear off, wipe, dust, and wash all surfaces
- Replace burnt out lightbulbs – try to have them the same brightness and color
- Turn off ceiling fans
- Temporarily store pet dishes, toys, beds, etc.
Kitchen
- Remove magnets from the fridge
- Clear all countertops.
- Clean dirty dishes or store them in the dishwasher
The countertops should be completely cleared off. Put all countertop appliances in the cupboards. when the kitchen counters are cleared off it makes the kitchen look more prominent and makes the space appear more open. Keep only a few decorative items and a soap dispenser next to the sink. Items like knife blocks or utensil holders are fine but stow away the toasters and coffee machines.
Bathrooms
- Clean and scrub the tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets
- Clean the bathroom mirror
- Clean any grout and scrub the floors
- Stow away any personal items
- Clear off the bathroom countertops
- Close the toilet lid
- Stow away any toilet brushes, plungers, and waste baskets
The bathroom should shine. Clean the tubs, toilets, and sinks. Put all personal items, shampoo bottles, soaps, shaving razors, and other items into a bin or basket that you can fit underneath the bathroom sink. The bathroom counters should also be clear except for some toothbrushes, a soap dispenser, and any decorative items.
Bedrooms
- Make all the beds
- Put laundry in the hamper and out of sight
- Clean up kids toys
- Clear all nightstand or dresser surfaces
- Tidy and organize any walk-in closets
Bedrooms should be neat and tidy with the beds made. Dirty clothes should be in the hamper and then placed in a closet. Similar to the kitchen and bathroom, all surfaces should be cleared off except for a few things. Items such as lamps, alarm clocks, and a few decorative items are fine.
Living Room and Family Rooms
- Straighten furniture and couches
- Clean fingerprints off the TV
- Clear off any table surfaces except for lamps or decorative items
- Remove excess furniture and accessories
Exterior
- Tidy up yard and landscaping
- Sweep patios and decks
- Hide all garbage cans
- Cut the grass
- Rake any leaves
- Do small siding and exterior repairs
- Clean the gutters
- Park vehicles away from the property
- Trim hedges and weed flower beds
- Coil up the hose or store it away
Curb appeal is one of the most important factors when preparing your home for photos. This is often the first photo a potential buyer will see when scrolling through listings. If any exterior repairs are needed, now would be a good time to do some minor touch ups. Fix any small blemishes on the exterior. Make sure the gutters are cleaned and aligned properly. Maintain the yard space by cutting the grass, trimming any hedges, and sweeping the patios and walkways. Vehicles should be parked away from the property to give a better focus on the home and to show the amount of parking space.
Swimming Pool Areas
- Get rid of dirt off the bottom and remove debris floating on top
- Remove cover, floating chlorine dispenser, pool sweep, and pool toys
- Straighten lounge chairs and tables
- Open any umbrellas
What To Expect
Be Prepared to Reschedule
Photographers work around the weather. A flash rain storm or unexpectedly windy day makes it impossible to fly a drone for drone photography and exterior photos look best on a clear day. An early snowfall that will melt within the next day? We might want to postpone so we can take advantage of the better weather and better exterior photos. Of course, these are rare circumstances and not the norm, but it is well worth the wait to make your home look its best.
Be Prepared To Leave For A Few Hours
It generally takes 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the home. It’s best to go out and do some grocery shopping or grab lunch and give the photographer time and space to do their work. We will be shooting from many angles and it’s sometimes difficult to see if an image picked up part of a person hiding around the corner. Trust me, even photographers sometimes get caught in an image, especially when the 3D virtual tour scanner does a full 360 degree scan. Pets should come along too. As great as we are with animals, even the friendliest of house pets can get upset when an unknown stranger walks up to them and kicks them out of their area. We also don’t like disturbing them.
Preparing for photos is a big undertaking but well worth the effort. Much of the tasks are things that will have to be done eventually so getting a head start will make the entire process feel less rushed in the end. You’ll have less preparation for your first showings and you’ll come home to a nice clean and organized space.