How To Prepare Your House For Real Estate Photos
Realtors are some of the busiest clients I have. From marketing to selling and buying homes, and everything in between, they have a lot of work to do daily. As a real estate photographer, I have made it my goal to help my realtor clients, and below is a list of helpful tips and things to do before photo day.
Helping a homeowner sell their home and find a new home is far more than a few easy steps. But, realtors work hard to make it feel that way for their clients.
And guess what? I do the same for my realtor clients!
After a few years of working with clients of all different backgrounds, I have found that sharing a simple to-do list before the day of the photoshoot can go a long way. While I only share the actual document with clients, I am going to give you an insight into how to prep your home for real estate photos!
The Interior
The inside of the house is an obvious place to start. This is the part of the home that potential buyers are going to see and imagine whether or not they can live there.
If a buyer walks in and spots clutter everywhere, they may be less interested in imagining themselves in the space and rather wondering why the homeowners don’t clean up after themselves!
Hey…I get it. We can’t all have picture-ready homes at every moment of the day.
To capture buyers' attention, we want to photograph only the parts of the interior that truly matter.
For example, showing off the countertops without clutter means potential buyers can see the counter colors, textures, space, and more. It allows them to picture their belongings in the space, rather than the current homeowner's belongings.
What about the importance of staging a home to help buyers imagine how to use a space? Yes, staging a space with appropriately sized furniture is important for this. Some small items, like vases, general artwork, or clean towels, are perfectly fine to have in real estate photographs.
Remember, we just don’t want the potential buyers to see clutter. We want to give them some hints as to how they could fill in the spaces.
Here are some things I like to ask realtors to do before I arrive on the photo shoot day:
Turn on all lights. Including under cabinets and lamps (even fireplaces). Lighting up the space as much as we can inside the home will make a big impression in the final photos.
Replace any missing or burned-out lightbulbs. Another reason to turn on all the lights!
Turn off ceiling fans. The spinning blades can add a strange blurry effect on the ceiling in a photograph. Best to not confuse potential buyers or make anyone think there is a ghost.
Minimize clutter! Remove items from countertops, tables, and nightstands, like toothbrushes, dishware, soap or lotion bottles, personal photographs, papers, books, and even small kitchen appliances (toasters, small coffee makers, etc.).
Remove small throw rugs. Including doormats and bathmats. I know that one sounds odd, but sometimes the throw rugs can distract from the beautiful floor below.
Remove bathroom clutter. Beside the counter and sink area, any bottles or soap visible in the shower should be hidden away for photos. And, yes, let’s put the plunger and toilet brush away.
Pets? I love dogs and cats. But if they are present in photos for a home that’s on the market, that could deter potential buyers. Please ensure pets will be either kenneled or offsite for the photoshoot.
Decluttering and ensuring a home looks its best on the inside is very important for real estate photography.
Homes also have exteriors that need a little attention to be photo-ready. Let’s get into how to prepare the exterior of a home for real estate photography.
The Exterior
The spaces outside of a home are also very important for potential buyers.
The exterior can be a reflection of the interior, so it’s good to make the outside shine!
Curb appeal is a real design concern. If a home looks inviting on the outside, potential buyers can be pulled in. There may be some who like a project, but most buyers want that ready-to-move-in space.
When I shoot the exterior of homes I like to focus on the architecture, any natural landscaping, and the area surrounding the home.
Things that can distract from the photos include clutter, unkempt foliage, and dirty surfaces.
Here are the checklist items I give to real estate agents before a photo shoot for the exterior:
Minimize clutter! This includes water hoses, toys, cleaning supplies, recycle bins, and other miscellaneous items that are not directly part of the exterior area.
Arrange outdoor furniture as you would like it photographed. Any extra folded chairs can be put away, but make that cozy outdoor sofa look clean and inviting. If there is a patio umbrella, please open it!
Remove yard signs. Examples: for sale, home security, school, etc. I can do my best to avoid while photographing in some cases, but it is best to have those items removed completely for photos.
Sweep, please. It’s really important to remove leaves and other items in patio areas. We want to show off the patio and sitting areas as best as we can. Dead leaves, overgrown plants, and sticks can be distracting.
Pool? If the property has a pool, please ensure any toys or pool accessories are removed and the pool itself has been cleaned.
With these few tidying tricks, any home can be photo-ready quickly.
Before we start any real estate shoot we always do a walkthrough of the spaces. If we see anything that could potentially make or break the final photos we will bring it to the realtor's attention and see what we can do.
We know that not every home is going to be “magazine ready” for the photos, so we always strive to do our best when capturing a space.
By giving our real estate clients this checklist, they can work with their clients and prep the house before the photoshoot day, and contact us if they have any questions or concerns. We want to work out those details before we arrive so that the photo shoot goes smoothly!
If you are looking for a real estate photographer, and want to chat about your upcoming listings, contact me today.