How to Prepare your Home for Real Estate Photography
Are you selling a home and need to sort out your real estate photography? You don’t need to hire a stylist to make your house look attractive to potential buyers. Just read our tips and invest a little bit of time!
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Heard it before? This old saying certainly applies when selling your home. Potential buyers see numerous ads filled with tempting real estate for sale. So invest some time to bring your home to its full potential before you release it on the market.
Buyers often look at pictures and floor plans as the first step in their search. That’s why many sellers hire a professional real estate photographer to shoot beautiful pictures inside and outside their home.
Before the photographer arrives, you have an important role. It’s generally your responsibility to prepare and style the home for the photographs. A few hours of cleaning, arranging and decluttering can help you receive beautiful, appealing photographs, for an attractive real estate listing and a faster sale!
Where to start?
While you do not have to show every part of the house in a real estate listing, most agents and photographers will prioritize these standard images:
- Wide-angle shots of bedrooms, kitchen and living room
- One photo of the main bathroom
- 1-3 shots of the backyard and a couple of shots of the front yard and entry
- Shots of features such as the laundry room, garage, and pantry
It’s a good idea to speak with your real estate agent or photographer to determine which areas of your home will be showcased, then start preparing.
General tips when preparing your home for real estate photography:
- Clean the whole house (vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean countertops,
clean windows) - Replace all burned-out light bulbs
- Remove personal photographs (or replace with general landscape/object
photographs) - Make all beds
- Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring and get a cleaner look
- Put all clothes in closets
- Consider removing some furniture to make the house appear more spacious