Preparing Your Home For A Photoshoot

Preparing your home for photography, videography, and showings is the single most important thing you can do as an active participant in marketing the property. 

Qualified buyers who are impressed with the presentation of your home will be willing to pay more for it. Your home’s first impression on the internet, as well as in person, is lasting and can make or break the sale.

Here is a checklist that will guide you as an agent, and your seller through the process of preparing your home for a photoshoot.

Kitchen 

• Clean and spotless! 

• All cleaning supplies stowed and not visible from any angle 

• All Garbage cans removed and placed in garage 

• No pet materials of any kind present 

• All counter tops cleared of anything except staging items/appliances like: coffee maker and toaster 

• Fresh flowers and fruit are nice 

• Refrigerator exterior cleared of everything 

• Minimize the chairs at counter, place settings are OK 

• Remove all throw rugs 

Baths 

The objective here is a fresh sparkling deep clean look. Be sure to open any shades or drapes that might be present and close any toilet lids and place a fresh FULL roll of toilet paper in the holder. CLEAN any glass shower windows and any shower tile. 

• REMOVE all items of personal use… toothbrushes, hair dryers, soaps, shampoos, scrubbers, body washes, razors, combs, brushes, nail files, clippers etc. Anything used for personal hygiene must be put away. 

• REMOVE all medicines over the counter as well as prescription 

• REMOVE all used towels as well as robes, floor mats etc. 

• REMOVE waste cans and scales 

• REMOVE anything with Manufacturer's Label 

• REMOVE all cleaning supplies and implements including the toilet brushes and any PLUNGER • KEEP and display fresh sets of matching towels 

• KEEP and display appropriate accents (flowers, vases, ribbon wrapped specialty soaps, small topiary, plants, art etc.) 

• KEEP and display small setting (vanity) stool 

General Items 

• Clean all windows inside and out 

• Remove all screens for the photography (hide in the garage)

• Open all blinds and shades in every room all at the same time prior to arrival of photographer • Trim those trees and bushes 

• Clean that deck and cement (pressure wash) 

• If needed paint the entrance exterior trim and door 

• Remove those old Christmas lights 

• Yes it’s OK to designate that small bedroom or half the lower level / game room for filled moving boxes 

• No, the photographer will not move things from room to room. Put them in the garage or that designated storage space. 

• Get rid of any extra furniture 

• Get all of the toys and kids things and stuff into the closets. 

• The photographer will not photograph the garage or any closets, use them to stow things 

Lighting Prep 

• Prior to (not after) the arrival of the photographer, turn on every light in every room all at the same time and leave them on. 

• “Every light in every room” is any fixture that lights, can lights, chandeliers, desk lamps, bedside lamps, floor lamps, under counter lamps, sconces, wall fixtures, ceiling fixtures. • It is best to walk around the home in a pattern from room to room taking note of any bulb that is out and replacing them with the proper size, wattage, type and temperature. • A note on the temperature of lighting. The best color temp to choose is one that is incandescent or as close as possible to that color temp. The worst are any kind of fluorescent bulb (those whit curlicue lamps) 

• Never mix different types or different temp bulbs in the same fixture like a bath fixture with fluorescent and incandescent mixed. 

• If a lamp is broken or purely decorative then fix it or put it in the garage. 

Exterior Prep 

• All cars removed from driveway and not parked in front of property 

• Garage doors closed 

• Garbage cans inside garage 

• All tools lawn equipment etc. in garage 

• Exterior lawn furniture staged per season 

• Pool open and all equipment inside (not visible) per season 

• All exterior light turned on and in working order expect for flood lights 

• All pets caged and under control and all animal waste cleaned and removed

By following these steps, you can go into your listing photos, video, or showings with confidence. Presentation is one of the most important steps when it comes to getting everything you want out of your property.