Welcome Homeowners
Prepare your home to CAPITALIZE on photo potential
Why Prep for Photography?
Make the First impression count
Online
It's where buyers start
The majority of home buyers start their search online, so it is important to make the first impression count! Follow these tips to prepare your home for the best real estate photos possible.
General
Tips for all areas in the home
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Thoroughly clean whole house (vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean countertops, clean windows)
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Turn all overhead lights and lamps ON
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Replace all burned out light bulbs
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Use bulbs of the same temperature (ALL incandescent or ALL compact fluorescent)
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Turn all ceiling fans OFF
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Turn all TVs OFF
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Turn all computer screens OFF
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Open blinds/window treatments to let in outside light
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Remove personal photographs (or replace with general landscape/object photographs)
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Make all beds
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Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring
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Place all shoes/jackets in closets
Exterior
Create "Curb Appeal" to sell your home
Front Exterior
This is usually the first photo buyers see
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Close garage doors
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Remove cars from driveway and front of home
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Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves)
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Remove empty planters
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Use broom to remove cobwebs from eaves and door frames
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Remove visible water hoses
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Remove trash cans
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Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
Back Yard
The backyard should present a place to relax
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Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions
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Pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
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Clear out kid's toys, balls, frisbees, etc.
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Clean pool
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Remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose
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Hide pool cleaning supplies
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Turn on pool fountains/water features
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Remove visible water hoses
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Remove trash cans
Kitchen
Generally the focal point, the kitchen deserves attention to detail
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Clear countertops completely. No knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.
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Leave out max of one small appliance (ex. coffee maker)
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Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, papers, photos, etc.
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Hide garbage cans in pantry or closet
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Remove dishes from sink, place in dishwasher
Dining Room / Table
Allow buyers to imagine a nice family meal.
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Clear table, dust and polish the table top
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Use decorative place setting if available
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Feature one center piece such as a bouquet of flowers
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Straighten all chairs and space them evenly
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Remove child seats/booster chairs
Living / Family Room
A Space to enjoy family and great conversation
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Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
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De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth (no more than 5 items, including art)
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Clean interior of fireplace and re-paint if needed
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Fluff and arrange furniture pillows
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Remove kid's toys
Bedrooms
A place of rest and tranquility
Master Bedroom
A good nights rest recharges the body and mind
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Make bed, including decorative pillows/shams if available
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Press bed linens and bed skirts
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Clear nightstands of all personal items
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Store away phone/tablet charging cables
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Remove all clutter from top of dressers
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Remove family photos from walls
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Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
Kid / Guest Bedroom
Don’t forget about guest bedrooms
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Remove personalized names from walls
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Remove wall stickers/posters
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Remove diaper genies
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Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
Bathrooms
Create a spa, inside your home
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Clear countertops completely. No soap, toothbrushes, medications, deodorant, etc.
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Put toilet seats down
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Close closet doors
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Remove shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. from showers and tubs
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Remove dirty towels - leave out only new, unused towels
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Remove floor mats
Pets
Pets are great, but their presence should be minimized
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Place food and water bowls in pantry or closet
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Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet
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Use lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair
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Contain pets in hidden crate or outside
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Clear back yard of pet waste/toys
Need Help
Staging Helps provide top dollar and a quick sale
Selling your home is like selling a product - it must be marketed correctly to reach a specific buyer. Although your furnishings and decor are great for your lifestyle, it’s important to optimize your home for the future buyer.
All of the tips suggested in the previous sections were approved by professional home stagers from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA).
A professional home stager can provide you with a consultation to help you prepare your home for sale and make sure your home shows at its best online through the photographs.
To find a RESA professional stager in your area, visit their website:
What to Expect
Setting Expectations for the Photo shoot
The house should be shoot-ready when our photographer arrives.
Hi I’m Jimmy Plessinger, owner of Real Estate Exposures. We look forward to taking photos of your home!
Jim Plessinger - President
I want the photos of your home to be the best they can be. This requires teamwork and cooperation that will result in an outstanding online presence when your home goes LIVE on the market.
Although we would love to help you style/design your home, we, unfortunately, do not have the skill set required to do so. When we arrive to take photos of your property, we ask that all staging and cleaning be done prior to our arrival. To efficiently maintain our busy schedule and deliver the level of service our clients expect, we can not spend unnecessary time at the home waiting for it to be cleaned, dusted, de-cluttered, etc.
Please review the previous sections for tips on preparing your home for real estate photography, and note that we are not responsible and will not partake in any of the following duties while photographing your home:
We Do Not:
- Move or re-arrange furniture
- Make beds, clean, dust or de-clutter
- Pick up toys or yard items
- "Photoshop" vehicles, walls, damaged walls, power lines, wall pictures, cords, etc.
- Touch personal bathroom supplies (shampoo, toothbrushes, deodorant, towels)
Ready to book? Have questions? - Contact us now!
Jimmy Plessinger
President, Real Estate Exposures
"Professional photography and virtual media has been proven to sell listings faster and for more money. At Real Estate Exposures we know this is your livelihood -- you're in great hands!"