The fact that your Realtor is using Juays Photography – Real Estate to photograph your property means that they are serious about the mandate that you have given them and are willing to invest in professional photography.
In order to maximize that investment you, as the property owner, need to do your part.
The first impression potential buyers get of your home is from the photos that accompany the online listing. With limited time and countless listings to review, buyers will quickly move on if photos don’t reflect well on your property. The following checklist is for you to use to help ensure your home is ready for photographing, as well as, showing to prospective buyers.
Exterior & Grounds
Picture Perfect
- Mow lawn, trim shrubs
- Sweep walkways/driveway
- Pick-up sticks, leaves
- Remove cars from driveway and in front of the house
- Hide trash cans
- Put toys, bicycles away
- Store seasonal décor
- Stow garden tools, supplies
- Remove garden hose, caddy
- Straighten deck furniture
- Clean pool area
Extra Perfect
- Fill planters with flowers
- Add a colorful flag
- Spread fresh mulch
Inside The House
Picture Perfect
- Remove all visible clutter
- Open shades, blinds
- Wash windows, glass doors
- Replace burnt light bulbs (use same temperature bulbs in each room)
- Place wastebaskets in closets
- Hide pet dishes, toys, beds
- Turn all lights on
- Vacuum carpets
- Sweep hard floors
- Turn off televisions & ceiling fans, put remotes away
- Remove newspapers, mail
- Remove all personal items e.g. photos
- Tidy/Hide all power leads
- Arrange DVDs, games, books neatly in shelves
- Open curtains/blinds to allow as much natural light in as possible
Extra Perfect
- Display attractive books
- Minimize knick-knacks
- Remove personal photos
- Consider hiring a professional home stager
Kitchen
Picture Perfect
- Remove art from refrigerator
- Store food in cabinets
- De-clutter counters, stove
- Stow small appliances
- Hide soaps, cleaning items
Hide dish towels, rugs
- Put away draining racks
- Organize open shelves
- Clean all backsplashes, range hoods & refrigerator (Especially if stainless)
Extra Perfect
- Place a bowl of fruit on counter
- Display fresh pastries
- Attractive place settings on island
Have the home fully cleaned, de-cluttered and in top shape before the shoot. Imagine the photo shoots retailers and catalog companies do to showcase their products. Would they release a catalog with photos of stained living room furniture or with improper lighting? Of course not – and neither should a home seller. A home is a product for sale, just like any other, and should be marketed as such.
Dining Room
Picture Perfect
- Straighten dining chairs
- Add centerpiece, candles
- Organize the china hutch
Extra Perfect
- Set the table for dinner
- Add a vase of flowers
- Add a bottle of wine, glasses
Bedrooms
Picture Perfect
- Make the beds
- Arrange decorative pillows
- Put away clothing, shoes
- Clean under the bed
- Clear surfaces of clutter
- Put away toys, books, games, tissue boxes
- Ensure bedside lamps are working
- Remove posters/stickers from walls
Bathrooms
Picture Perfect
- Make the bathroom sparkle
- Hang fresh towels
- Remove all soaps/shampoo/face washes, bath mats, toys, scales and trash bins
- Remove all tooth brushes, tooth paste, razors and hair dryers
- Clean tub and shower
- Clean mirrors/glass shower doors
- Close toilet lids
- Ensure toilet paper roll is not empty
It will take us 1 to 2 hours to photograph your home. Maybe longer depending on the size of your home and what our mandate is from your realtor. We will be photographing all of the main areas of your home, i.e. kitchen, dining room, family room, living room, bedrooms, etc. The goal is to photograph the best parts of your home to entice potential buyers into wanting to see more and pick up the phone to schedule an appointment with your Realtor to view your home or come to an open house. If you follow this checklist your home will not only be ready to be photographed, it will also be ready for open houses.