10 Tips to Prepare Your Home to be Professionally Photographed

Homes listed with professional real estate photos sell quicker and for more money. The realtor you hire should invest in and cover the cost of a professional photographer to capture interior and exterior views of your home. Online searching is a critical part of the home buying process. It is the method most often used by potential buyers. Professional real estate photography gives your home the best first impression and ultimately results in the greatest amount of foot traffic to your home. To guide you in getting your home ready to be professionally photographed, we wanted to offer 10 very important tips on how to make your home photograph the best.

Clear driveway and side of house of vehicles, trash, and recycling bins

Removing vehicles from the driveway is easy enough, but make sure to park the vehicle out of view of the home. A vehicle that is parked in front of the home is often visible in the reflection of the windows in the exterior shots and can be seen looking out the windows in the interior shots. Neither of these scenarios is ideal, so we recommend parking vehicles a few houses down the street so that they are not visible. Trash and recycling bins draw attention away from the home and can be a bit unsightly. The easiest option is to simply store them in the garage or shed.

Garden hoses should be neatly coiled or stored away

The most ideal scenario is to store garden hoses out of view. Like trash and recycling bins, garden hoses have a tendency to draw attention away from the home. At a minimum, we recommend that they are neatly coiled, but if at all possible, we recommend detaching them from the house and storing them out of view.

Turn on all lights in the home – replace any blown out bulbs

Homes that are light and bright are most appealing to potential buyers. We recommend turning on all interior and exterior lights to your home. This includes desk and table lamps, ceiling fan lights, any cabinet under lighting in the kitchen, and any hallway and bedroom lighting. Make sure to replace any blown out bulbs. When doing so, it is best to match the same color temperature and wattage as the other lights. These simple adjustments to your home will go a long way in enhancing the final results of your professional real estate photography.

Open all blinds

As previously mentioned, the goal is to present the home as light and bright to potential buyers. Opening the blinds not only allows in the greatest amount of light, it also allows the viewer to see outside the windows. Depending on what the view is outside the window, your professional real estate photographer should know how to control the light in such a way as to either draw attention to or away from what is visible outside.

Remove magnets, papers, and decorations from the fridge

Many of us store magnets and other items on and on top of our fridge. All of these elements draw attention to themselves and away from the surrounding area. We want potential buyers to look at your kitchen and not what is stored on your fridge. Simply remove magnets and other items from the fridge and make sure the top of the fridge is clear of any items that may be sitting on top. This simple adjustment truly enhances the look of your kitchen. The kitchen is oftentimes one of the main selling points of your home.

Reduce/eliminate clutter from kitchen/bathrooms/showers – towels should be neatly folded

Most of us have hand soap, toothbrushes, and various toiletries visible in our bathrooms. Kitchen sinks often have soap, sponges, and paper towels near by. All of these items should be stored out of view. This includes any jewelry, extra rolls of toilet paper, and any signage that contains any phrases or cute sayings. A good general rule of thumb with homes is that less is more when it comes to professional real estate photography. Fewer items out on display means less distraction from what is really important — and that is your home.

If pets are present, store bedding, food dishes, litter boxes, and pet toys out of view

Let’s admit it. Pets are cute. They are part of the family. But keep in mind, some people are dog people and some people are cat people. Some people are allergic to pets. And while you may think your pet snake is really cool, chances are the people who view your home in person may not feel the same way. It is fine if these pets are at the home while it is being photographed, but ultimately we want to capture interiors of your home that do not include any elements that suggest pets are present. The goal is to make your home as neutral as possible to make it as enticing to the widest audience as possible. For homes where dogs are present, we typically photograph the backyard first and then put the dogs and their food and toys in the backyard while the rest of the house is photographed. For cats, we typically have them roam the house for most of the shoot but make sure their litter box and toys and food are stored out of view. Any pet bedding is most often stored in a closet.

Make sure beds are neatly made – remove any stuffed animals

Beds are generally prominently displayed in any bedroom that is photographed. Simple neutral colored bed linens most often photograph best. Beds should be neat and tidy – devoid of any stuffed animals. Pillows should look fresh and full. Use a throw, an accent pillow, or even a staged breakfast tray to draw attention into the room. These types of details set a mood and make the home warm and welcoming though they are certainly not necessary.

Store extra toys/miscellaneous clutter out of view

In bedrooms, take a quick look underneath the bed. Anything that is visible underneath the bed will show in the photograph of that room. Consider stowing any items that are underneath the bed in the closet so it is out of view. This also goes for any items that are stored on top of dressers, desks, tables, and shelves. A few simple decorative items can look very nice but try to avoid making any space look too cluttered. As mentioned previously, less is often more when it comes to the interior of your home. Really simplify your space and minimize what is visible. This will result in the best real estate photography of your home.

Remove any personal photos

One of the things that truly makes a house a home are the photographs we hang on our walls and have on display throughout our home. When presenting a home to a potential buyer, the goal is to help that buyer envision themselves living in your home. When there are photographs of your family in that home, it makes it clear that that home belongs to you and not to them. So, consider depersonalizing your home in preparation for having your home professionally photographed. Photographs that are displayed on shelves and table tops can momentarily be stored in drawers or closets. Photographs that are hung on walls can either be temporarily taken down or replaced with simple pieces of art. The other reason why personal photos should be removed from the home is that the real estate photos that are captured will be displayed online.

Ready to hire a real estate photographer?

Paul Rich is a highly sought after real estate photographer who offers real estate photography services to a number of realtors throughout the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA areas. He leads the industry in exceptionally fast turnaround times and consistently produces quality work. If you or someone you know is looking for real estate photography, check out Paul Rich Studio for your real estate photography needs. Make sure to inquire about our specialty edits too. We offer sky replacements, twilight enhancements, declutter edits, virtual staging and more.