The Day of...
Before the photographer arrives, there is some last-minute preparation you can do to make their job easier. Start by turning on all of your interior lights, including under-cabinet lights in the kitchen, and interior lighting in any curio cabinets or shelves. Turn off ceiling fans, open the blinds and curtains throughout your home. Natural light is great. If you have lots of light, show it off!
If you have a fireplace, light it, light any decorative candles as well. Clean up outside, move vehicles away from your home, out of the driveway, and clear the street in front of the house if possible. If you have pets and they are potentially aggressive, put them in a safe location away from any rooms being photographed.
general
- Thoroughly clean whole house (vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean countertops, clean windows)
- Turn all overhead lights and lamps ON
- Replace all burned out light bulbs
- Turn all ceiling fans OFF
- Turn all TVs OFF
- Open blinds/window treatments to let in outside light
- Remove personal photographs (or replace with general landscape/object photographs)
- Make all beds
- Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring
- Place all shoes/jackets in closets
front yard
- Close garage doors
- Remove cars from driveway and front of home
- Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves)
- Remove empty planters
- Use broom to remove cobwebs from eaves and door frames
- Remove visible water hoses
- Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
back yard
- The back yard should be an oasis to relax
- Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions
- Pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
- Clear out kid's toys, balls, frisbees, etc.
- Clean pool
- Remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose
- Hide pool cleaning supplies
- Turn on pool fountains/water features
- Remove visible water hoses
- Remove trash cans
kitchen
- Clear countertops completely. No knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.
- Leave out max of one small appliance (ex. coffee maker)
- Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, papers, photos, etc.
- Hide garbage cans in pantry or closet
- Remove dishes from sink, place in dishwasher
dining room
- Clear table, dust and polish the table top
- Use decorative place setting if available
- Feature one center piece such as a bouquet of flowers
- Straighten all chairs and space them evenly
- Remove child seats/booster chairs
living room
- Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
- De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth (no more than 5 items, including art)
- Clean interior of fireplace and re-paint if needed
- Fluff and arrange furniture pillows
- Remove kid's toys
bedrooms
- Make bed, including decorative pillows/shams if available
- Press bed linens and bed skirts
- Clear nightstands of all personal items
- Store away phone/tablet charging cables
- Remove all clutter from top of dressers
- Remove family photos from walls
- Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
bathrooms
- To be spa-like, the bathroom must be clear of all personal items
- Clear countertops completely. No soap, toothbrushes, medications, deodorant, etc.
- Put toilet seats down
- Close closet doors
- Remove shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. from showers and tubs
- Remove dirty towels - leave out only new, unused towels
- Remove floor mats
pets
- Pets are loving, but their presence should be minimized
- Place food and water bowls in pantry or closet
- Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet
- Use lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair
- Contain pets in hidden crate or outside
- Clear back yard of pet waste/toys
all the work will pay off
Professional real estate photography can help you sell a home faster. With a little preparation, you can make your photo shoot go seamlessly and show your home in it’s the best light. Take the time, do the work and it will pay off in the end!
One last tip, keep valuables in a secure location while the home is on the market. Professional real estate photography is shown to increase the numbers of people who request a walk through. With a lot of prospects viewing the MLS listing, you will need to plan for higher numbers of people walking throughout the home. Keep your valuables safe, secure and put of sight!