Preparing Your Home for your Residential Real Estate Photography Shoot
Preparing your home for a photo shoot is the most important thing you can do to capitalize on your investment and move your listing fast!
- 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
- Use bulbs of the same temperature (ALL incandescent or ALL compact fluorescent)
- Turn all ceiling fans OFF
- Turn all TVs OFF
- Turn all computer screens 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
- Close garage doors
- Remove cars from driveway and front of the home
- Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves)
- Remove empty planters
- Use a broom to remove cobwebs from eaves and door frames
- Remove visible water hoses
- Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Remove personalized names from walls
- Remove wall stickers/posters
- Remove diaper genies
- Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
- Place food and water bowls in pantry or closet
- Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet
- Use a lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair
- Contain pets in a hidden crate or outside
- Clear back yard of pet waste/toys