Photo Ready Home

Get the most out of your professional home photo session and showings.

The pictures chosen to list your home in the real estate market are immensely significant.  Go through our checklist below for tips to get the most out of your professional home photos.  Apply some of these tips when it comes to showing your hone and hosting open houses.

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Let's start with...

1. Clean it...

• Remove dirty or clean laundry from the rooms (especially floors.)
• No finger prints or smudges in  glass surfaces, glass doors, or mirrors.
• No spider webs in lamps, corners, ceiling fans, doorways in the garage, behind laundry machines, or under the stair storage.
• The white stains in the faucet of your shower has to go...(hint:  use vinega.r)
• Make sure the dishes are put away, even if they are clean don't leave it in the sink.
• Empty out trash cans or keep out of sight.

2.  Uncluttered...

• You do not need 20+ products in your vanity while your showing your home or photographing it.
• Clear vanity.
• Remove fridge magnets.
• Keep it minimal in the showers  (no intimate products visible.)
• Keep the dining table clear of all your stuff, it looks better with just the table settings or a flower vase.  Not as your office..
• Keep the chairs in your dining table tucked in.
• No 100+ stack of magazines on your coffee table, 1 or 2 is plenty.
• Don't store 20 cereal boxes on top of the fridge.
• Straighten all lampshades and art work.
• Lower all toilet seats.
• Close all closet doors (remember during showings some buyers might open closets to see how deep they are; Do not store an avalanche of toys that will fall on guests, and do not leave visible valuables in or out the closet.)
• Make all beds.
• Hang all towels nicely.
• Keep ceiling fans off.
• Organize laundry room, it doesn't have to look like a laundry room from a magazine but do not leave trash and dirty laundry out or obstructing the path.
• Do not dump all your clutter in the laundry or the garage.  Store your items nicely for the protection on your belongings and to give a good impression of your home.

3.  Conscious decoration...

• Pump up cushions.
• Do not show certificates or personal records of delicate importance out in the open.
• Keep it PG-13 in wall art.
• Glass displays look fancier when you keep the displayed items to a minimal.

4.  Health safety...

• Seal all open bottles of any consumable liquids or put away or throw away.
• All cleaning products should be put away up high.
• Take pets with you.  Pets love you, they do not love the strangers visiting your home and can make home buyers feel uncomfortable or scare them away.  Take pets with you or put them in a safe place in your home where they can't reach guest.
• Put knives away.

5.  Lighting...

• Open up all windows and curtains for the photographer.
• Turn on all the lights but not the fans.
• Make sure all light bulbs are working.
• Make sure there are no missing light bulbs. 

6.  Outdoor care...

• Leave space in the driveway for buyers to park.
• For pictures, remove all cars from the driveway or front of the house so photographers can capture the front elevation of the home.
• Take garbage out of the driveway.
• Mow the lawn. 
• Put garden tools and BBQ tools away.
• Put away bicycles and toys.
• Remove empty planters.
• Sweep porch.
• Rake leaves.
• Turn on pool fountains.
• Put away water hose.
• Place fresh mulch or annual flowers in your garden.
• Remove any animal waste from the yard.

Much like meeting a new person,  your home must make a good first impression to home buyer.

When you are selling your home your are trying to appeal to home buyers.  All home buyers start their home search online, and the only way for them to judge if they like a home or if the home will fit their needs and lifestyle is by judging it through the images.  If the photographs you use to list your home are blurry or dark, home buyers will assume that is what the home usually feels like or that living in that home will be uncomfortable.  Opening up your windows and turning on the lights when you are showing your home and photographing it, will help showcase your home for the hidden gem it is.  Use our tips to help you find a good home buyer that is willing to pay your asking price because they see the value of your home.

Examples coming soon....