Preparing for Property Photography

We’ve all browsed a large number of property photography listings over the years and seen those photos with messy beds, dirty dishes, scattered toys and with falling walls (tilt angle). And these people wonder why they are not getting enough viewers to sell quickly. Professional real estate photography can do just as much, but the place should be prepared beforehand.

The main idea of selling a residential property is that you are selling someone’s future home: a shelter, a private space, a place to call HOME. Guess what? It should look secure, inviting and positive. And the buyers want to know if the property is well-kept.

Why Prepare Home for Property Photography

There are multiple reasons. As I have said, the main reason is to make it look inviting for the future buyer/renter. The other reason is that a photographer probably has another assignment after yours. And you don’t want him to rush the photos because the house isn’t ready and he has to waste time waiting.

There is a chance a photographer won’t be able to finish in time, and then there are three possibilities:

1. The photographer moves the next appointment making him feel bad.
2. The photographer may need to come again later. This may incur a call-out (re-schedule) fee. 
3. The photographer has a buffer between the assignments. The experience comes with time and self-esteem. Such a photographer knows how to value his time. He may charge for the overtime if it goes over the top.

And the owner/maid will still need to clean up and prepare the house. So I urge you to do it in time to get the most of the interior photography.

Preparing for Property Photography Check-List

Every home is unique, and the list may differ somewhat in each situation. However, there are some necessary steps you can take to make it nearly perfect for me to start doing photos.

Preparing Outdoors

1. Keep your driveway clear of all vehicles
2. Remove any clutter from the yard, like hoses, boxes, tools, etc
3. Make sure the grass looks at its best
4. Move your wheely bins somewhere out of sight
5. Sweep the leaves and clean the pool
6. Remove bbq cover and pool cover
7. Try to hose the area a day before to avoid marks and puddles

Two examples:

General Tips

1. Straighten the towels, pillows and picture frames
2. Turn off all TVs, laptops and ceiling fans. Clean up and turn off the washing machine
3. Open all curtains and blinds. Tulle is fine to keep
4. Make sure all lights and all light bulbs are present and working and replace if necessary
5. Also, make sure all bulbs are of the same colour temperature within each room
6. Hide all pet-related items
7. Try to hide all cords as much as possible
8. Do a general cleaning – dust the furniture, clean the windows and glass, vacuum
9. Arrange the property is free of pets and children (theirs and equipment safety)

Preparing Living Room for Photos

1. Declutter and hide all remotes and magazines
2. Clear the coffee table leaving one or two items
3. Hide all cords
4. Remove unnecessary pieces of furniture like extra chairs – this will make the room look bigger

Again, two examples:

Preparing Bedroom For Interior Photography

1. Make all the beds
2. Make sure the pillows match, there are no wrinkles on the bed linen
3. Also, puff and straighten the pillows
4. Tidy the bedrooms and remove all items that don’t look pretty even if functional. This includes fans, heaters, hangers, etc
5. Remove all clothes, toys, kids paintings
6. Check the back side of the door

Preparing Kitchens For Property Photography

1. Declutter kitchen counters. Remove most of the items including sponges, washing liquids (a few nicely presented items are ok)
2. Make sure kitchen sinks are empty
3. Declutter the fridge surface and remove any personal items around the house in general
4. Remove most of the things from the workbench, leaving a few pretty appliances and a bowl of fruits, for instance

Bad example:

An opposite case of a beautiful kitchen, nicely cleaned. Pay attention how most of the appliances are hidden.

Preparing Bathrooms

1. Clean and dry shower screens 
2. Wipe down the basin
3. Hang a few fresh, clean towels
4. Remove all bathroom items like toothbrushes, shampoo bottles, etc. 

I don’t want to post a dirty bathroom if you know what I mean. So here is a nice one.

Following these steps, you make sure I arrive at the prepared property and use the time most efficiently.

More on home staging at this link: https://porch.com/advice/home-staging-advice