RESIDENTIAL

15 Tips to prepare home for real estate photos

It is paramount to have the absolute best photos taken of your home when listing in today’s market.

With buyer’s interest slowed and values adjusting downward as the market shifts, everyone wants to sell their home fast and for as much money as possible. As inventory is showing a steady increase, it is important to make a good first impression!

A major component of the home search in today’s world is searching and viewing properties online. According to a report by NAR, 97% of home buyers use the internet to search homes for sale, and buyers on average will spend 60% of the time viewing photos whereas only 20% of the time in reading the description.

Homes with professional photography sell 32 percent faster than homes with basic photography, according to NAR. Homes with more photos sell faster, too.

A home with one photo spends an average of about 70 days (or two and a half months) on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days (about 1 month) on the market. And it is all because the high-quality pictures highlight your home in its best light, attracting more buyers, and maximizing your profit.

Expert Tips for Getting Your Home Photo Ready to Sell

DECLUTTER

Less is more. Remove any extra or unused furniture. It will make a world of difference in creating a universally appealing property.
Minimalize personal decorations such as wall-hangings and other excessive items. Extensive décor can make photos look messy or too busy. (You want to maximize your space. Less will make spaces look larger and more welcoming to potential buyers who will have the ability to imagine your home as their future home.)
It is a good rule of thumb to remove 50 percent of all items in the home.
Take EVERYTHING off all countertops. This includes kitchen counters and all bathroom counters. The home must look neat, tidy, and well-cared for and maintained.

DEPERSONALIZE

As you prepare your home for selling, you want to remove your personality so that potential buyers can visualize themselves in your home, adding their own unique personalities.
Remove personal photos and portraits, trophies, framed certificates, personal collections, toys, and exercise equipment.
Remove anything on the fridge, on top of the fridge, and again, clear kitchen and bathroom counters and pull up decorative rugs. Doing so will keep the focus on the home and not any personal items that could be a distraction.

CLEANLINESS IS KEY

Everyone has different ideas and levels of cleanliness, and that is OK. A clean house to one homeowner may look quite different to another’s idea of a clean house.

Visualize a potential buyer walking through your home. A clean property is an appealing property. Think magazine quality from the inside out.
Wipe down cabinets, baseboards, appliances.
Replace lightbulbs keeping either cool or warm tones, for a consistent look throughout. Ensure you put the same warmth and level of bulbs in each room. This will improve photo quality.
Ensure the front porch and back porch area are immaculate. These are key to first impressions.
Make sure the front yard is tidy and has been mowed no less than two days before photos. Trim shrubs. Consider power washing for a clean exterior.

STAGE & SPRUCE THINGS UP A BIT

Consider your curb appeal. You may decide to add a wreath or paint the front door even.
Consider repainting your home or doing paint touch-ups where needed. Paint rooms neutral colors.
Swap out hardware and fixtures that need to be updated.