Preparing for Your Real Estate Photoshoot
Post by Jen Campos, designer
Are you looking to get the most out of the sale of your home? Professional staging is the best way to go, but if you don’t have the funds, there are things you can do to make the most of your real estate photography.
Here’s a few easy-to-do design tips & ideas with minimal to no cost:
Simplicity is key. Unlike designing a home to live in, you are designing to sell your home. Keep furnishings to a couple of basic pieces. Just enough to make the room feel inviting, but not make the room seem small. Move out any extra furnishings that don’t compliment the room or look too worn out. You can use your garage as a storage area. (We typically don’t photograph the garage unless it’s a special feature.)
Dining Room: A clean dining set with a vase of fresh flowers or a large bowl of real oranges. Do use fake fruit.
Bedroom: A well-made bed with a smoothed out comforter & fluffy pillows. Be sure to tuck in the sheets and nothing is hanging out at the bottom and the mattress or boxspring is not visible. A neutral solid color comforter looks best. If your comforter looks worn, consider buying a new comforter set.
Living Room: Sofa with a couple of accent pillows. Coffee table with 2 or 3 magazines or books stacked in the corner with maybe a small bowl of fruit or a simple coffee cup on top. An accent chair or loveseat. Side table with a lamp. Keep it simple.
Bathrooms: Mirrors and countertops need to be spotless! Place 2 fresh, clean, fluffy matching bath towels on a towel rack. Neutral colors that compliments the wall color works best such as white, creams or grays.
Kitchens: Again, countertops, stove, refrigerator, cabinets need to be spotless! Everything shows up in photos, especially on reflective surfaces. Remove all countertop items.
Home Offices: Hide cords, papers and clutter. A computer screen or laptop on a desk is nice. Bookshelf should have just a few neat books of the same size on each shelf. You can use a small vase or accent or bookend to prop up the books.
Remove personal items such as family photos, extra knick knacks, and anything that makes the room look cluttered.
Floors: If you have beautiful floors that you’d like to show off, consider removing area rugs.
Carpet: Be sure your carpets are clean. Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned.
Remove pet items such as beds, bowls, blankets, etc.
Clean, clean, clean! Vacuum, mop, dust, wipe away fingerprints, cobwebs, dirt, etc.
Outside: Be sure the grass is mowed. Trees & bushes are neatly trimmed. Removed anything that is unsightly such as trash & trash cans. Clean driveways & walkways, patios, etc. Clean pools & spas.
Vehicles: Move any vehicles away from the front or side of the house.
People & Pets: Plan on having one person (realtor or owner) at the property to allow access to the photographer when he arrives and locks up when the photography is done. Plan for everyone else, including pets, to be away from the house during the shoot, approx. 2-3 hours. Please confirm the shoot schedule with the photographer.
Be sure to have your home completely ready before the photographer arrives. Do not plan to move things while the photographer is there. In most cases, the photographer has a short amount of time to complete the shoot and will move quickly.
Remember, beautiful photos are what gets the attention of your potential buyers! Pick up a couple of home magazines for ideas. But remember don’t over do it like the magazines. Keep it real simple. You’re not selling the furniture or accessories. You’re selling the house.
Last quick tip. Make a plan and schedule your work. “Day One—Move unwanted furniture. Day Two—Pack up personal items…” When you take the time to make a plan, it helps relieve stress and keeps everything on schedule.
Happy selling!!