How to Prepare for Listing Photos- Is Your Home Photo Ready?

By Mark Spain Real Estate

Is your listing photography appointment approaching soon? Listing photos are key to marketing your home online. Take a look at our guide below to help you prepare for the best listing photos possible! At Mark Spain Real Estate, our team serves our clients at the highest level to prepare them to buy or sell a home with ease and confidence. Interested in buying or selling a home with us? Click here to contact us today!

How to Prepare for Listing Photos

General Preparation

Overall, the most important step to prepare for listing photos is to make sure each space being photographed is shown in its best light. Go through each room and clean or organize any spaces that will be photographed. Make sure to turn on all lights, ceiling fans, and replace any burnt out light bulbs. Also, it is best to open windows, blinds and curtains to let the natural light flow in and brighten up any room. It is important to declutter and depersonalize every room to ensure that homebuyers can really envision themselves living in the home.

Outdoor Preparation

Exterior photos are just as important as interior photos! It is important to make sure your front and backyard are looking its best. Move any trash cans, cars, and any lawn equipment out of view or into the closed garage. To enhance your home’s curb appeal even more, mow the lawn and power wash the driveway and pavement. If you have outdoor furniture, make sure it’s in good shape, protective covers are taken off, and properly staged. Potential buyers are not only envisioning themselves living inside the home, but also outside.

Living Area Preparation

Living areas are one of the most important spaces in a home, so showcase it well! To prepare for listing photos, make the living area feel cozy and welcoming. Homebuyers want to envision themselves spending time in this space with friends and family. Stage the living area by adding decorative pillows and cozy blankets to the couch. Turn on the fireplace to add extra warmth as well. In addition, move around or remove some furniture to ensure that the photos are being taken at the best angles. Sometimes bulky furniture can block space or make the living room seem smaller than it is.

Kitchen Preparation

The kitchen is an important deciding factor for homebuyers. To get your kitchen photo ready, remove all kitchen appliances such as toasters and blenders from the counters to free up space. Magnets and family photos on the fridge can be distracting and a deterrent, so remove those as well. Make the kitchen appliances shine in photos by wiping away any fingerprints or smudges. Be sure to remove all dishes from the sink and properly stow away in the cabinets. Add flowers and place mats to the kitchen table. In addition, empty the garbage can and make sure no food items are left out on the counters.

Bedroom Preparation

Be sure to make up all beds, fluff up the sham pillows, and close closet doors. If you want to showcase the master closet in photos, be sure to hang up clothes nicely and neatly stack your shoes. Remove laundry baskets from view as well. Keep nightstands and dressers clean and remove any personal belongings that you wouldn’t want to showcase online. Keep all chargers or cords out of sight and make sure tv’s are turned off as these can be distractors in photos. Wipe down ceiling fans to get rid of dust build up as well.

Bathroom Preparation

Put away toothbrushes, hair brushes, deodorant, medicine or any other personal items away. It is best to put these essential items in a small box that can be stored away easily. Wipe down mirrors, counters, sinks, and tubs to get rid of dirt, water marks and soap scum.  If you have a shower and tub combo, make sure the shower curtain is pulled back so it gets photographed. Remove any soap or bath products from view as well. Finally, close the toilet lid and empty the trash can.

After using these listing photo preparation tips, your home will be photo ready in no time! Mark Spain Real Estate provides our clients with professional photography to market their home. Interested in selling your home with us and have the best listing photos on the market? Contact us today!

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