So you’ve scheduled your professional photography appointment for your listing. But is the property photo ready? Here’s how to know.
First, try to think of the overall picture.
Mediamax Master Photographer John Koliopoulos suggests, “Put yourself in the shoes of the home buyer.” Do they want to see your personal belongings sitting around? Often there is a misconception that all of the floors need to be mopped and every corner dusted, when really the most important thing is to de-clutter.
John says, “There’s a big difference between preparing for photography and being ready for a showing.” While you may want to put in the extra time to make sure everything is vacuumed and dusted for a showing, those things likely won’t make a big difference in the photographs.
Recently John arrived at a property to find boxes stacked in the living room, a towel slung over the shower door and clutter throughout the house. Removing these items from a room, while taking very little time, can make all the difference in how the home shows in photos.
Here’s another example where a small stack of paint cans and materials left in the living room made getting a great shot of the room impossible from every angle.
John says, “Pick a space you don’t plan to have photographed and move all the items you don’t want shown into that area, shut the door and forget about it.“
“Less is more” really does apply when preparing your home for photography. Anything you would use in your every day life should go. One major advantage of this minimalistic approach is that buyers are able to really see the major selling points of the home. John suggests getting rid of big rugs that may cover up a beautiful hard wood floor, or taking magnets and papers off of that stainless steel refrigerator.
The most important thing is to make sure the home is ready well in advance of the photographer’s arrival. Don’t save the bulk of the work for the day of the photo shoot. John’s biggest piece of advice is to “think of preparing the home for photos as part of the moving process. The more you get packed and put away prior to the photography appointment, the less there is to do when moving.” Sounds like a win win!
For more of our tips on how to prepare your home for photography, visit our client resources page here.