IS YOUR HOME PHOTO READY?
Photo Day is my favorite! How do you get your home photo ready?
Preparing your home for a photoshoot can be exhausting!
The day the photographer arrives is one of the most anxious times of the entire home selling process. Everything has to be completely ready by the appointment time. It can be a lot of stress to sell your home, that’s why finding a good Realtor is important, we can guide you every step of the way!
As a photographer, it's common to show up on the day of a photo shoot to find the sellers frantically trying to finish the last steps. If you've ever been in this position, you understand the stress.
Realtors work hard to help our clients get to this point of the selling process without much chaos. They use checklists and coaching visits from stagers to make the home look outstanding before the photographer shows up.
Your home's marketing will dramatically impact your buyers' opinion of your house and your sales price. It would be best if you had the most professional photography and videography possible. This is why real estate marketing has changed so drastically over the past few years.
One of the most important things to know about your professional real estate photographer/videographer is that they are indeed artists. They can make your home look amazing with their skill sets.
When your photographer shows up, they will walk the house and spend some time searching out the most important aspects to highlight potential buyers. Seasoned professionals have developed a unique ability to identify the home's pros and cons. They know how to showcase the property's best attributes. Their experience and trade tools allow them to manipulate light and space to make your home look as big and bright as possible.
Since your photographer/videographer is an artist, you will get significantly more out of their services if your house is entirely ready when they arrive. Artists can get distracted if they have to rearrange and tidy rooms before a shoot. After all, that's not part of their job description.
You want their attention to be focused on a bright and clean home, not on the work it takes to get the house to that point. They're often on a tight schedule, and time spent doing your job is time they can't spend doing theirs.
To get the most out of your professional real estate photographer, follow the real estate photography pre-shoot checklist below. It will help ensure that your house is photo-ready and welcoming before you list your home or sale:
Interior:
Clean + clear kitchen counters. I recommend my clients only leave only few things out for staging purposes that are aesthetically pleasing, yet minimal in photos. The goal is a light + bright spacious kitchen!
Minimize + organize bathroom counters, sinks, tubs + showers. Again, leave only a few items that are pleasing to the eye to include clean matching towels, a pop of greenery + and attractive soap dispenser. store the rest under the cabinet, including personal items + toothbrushes.
Replace all burned out light bulbs … overhead lights, lamps + don’t forget any walk in closets or sconces.
Turn on all lights throughout the entire house to increase the brightness + ambiance of the home.
Open all window treatments to create a big open feel throughout the home for photos.
Remove all unnecessary furniture + decor to create an open flow throughout the home. This will also make each + every room appear larger.
Remove or replace floor mats, rugs + runners to create a fresh + cohesive aesthetic for photos.
Turn off all ceiling fans, tv’s + computers so as not to distract in the photos.
Clear appliances of magnets + clutter. Trust me you’ll thank me later for this!
Make all of the beds. Pile your finest throw pillows + a simple throw blanket at the foot of bed for a clean, I could relax in that room vibe.
Remove all photos + personal items, not just for your privacy but also to help a new buyer envision their family there not yours. This includes all monogrammed + personalized items.
Keep all shoes + jackets in closets, even if you have cute baskets, shelves or hooks for them. Leave them empty for a clean uniform look.
Clear all nightstands leaving only a lamp and maybe a small decorative plant.
Remove all pet items, all of it. I know thats difficult when you have pets in the home but buyers viewing homes online don’t want to see your pets toys, food or litter box. Bring back out what you must after photos but be prepared to put them away again prior to open houses + showings.
Exterior:
Tidy up yard + landscaping. Mow the lawn, pull weeds + lay down beauty bark. Keep it timeless + simple.
Sweep porches + decks. Add in some potted flowers + a new fresh welcoming doormat.
Clear cars from road + driveway. Listing photos don’t usually include photos of the garage (unless you have an amazing garage you want showcased!) so either keep your cars in the garage for photos or park down the street so the photos are clear of all cars.
Hide garbage cans + lawn equipment, again the garage or interior of a shed won’t be photographed so this is a good place to store these items.
Remove BBQ covers. If you BBQ is old or unsightly though, go ahead + move the whole thing out of sight for photos.
Open up patio umbrellas + clean your outdoor tables. Buyers really like to feel the ambiance of your outdoor living space … feel free to have some fun here! Set chairs up around your firepit, stage tables with place settings, a bottle of wine + a couple wine glasses, throw in some cozy pillows + a blanket too. The whole point is to make a buyer WANT to envision themselves living here!