Real Estate Photo Shoot Tips/Check list

Tips for preparing your home for a property photo shoot 

Preparing your home for a professional property photo shoot is important to get the best results of your pictures.  Beautiful pictures will attract potential buyers to your home.  Take the time to get the most out of your property photo shoot and get your home sold!!

As you go through this check list you may feel concerned about removing an item from a room.  Maybe you have heard that a property will sell faster with furniture in the home versus a vacant home.  There is a big difference between staging a home and having unnecessary furniture and/or items on counters or shelves that can cross the line into making a home feel small or cluttered.  If you would like some assistance with staging your home please feel free to contact us and we can put you in contact with someone who can help you. 

Living/Family Room 

• Floors need to be vacuumed or mopped before the photo shoot and free of stains 

• All furniture needs to be freshly cleaned

  • Be careful with having too many blankets or decorative pillows on your furniture.

  • Remove unnecessary or excess furniture like rockers, child chairs, or anything that will block the view of a room

• Clean all the windows 

• Dust all ceiling fans, lamps, book sleeves, picture frames and anything that shows dust  

• Remove unwanted items off the floor like boxes, toys, small knickknacks

• Any coat or hat hangers need to be cleared

Formal Dining/ Kitchen Nook 

• Floors need to be vacuumed or mopped before the photo shoot and free of stains 

• Clean furniture and chairs 

• Clean windows and  make sure window coverings are free of smears  

• Dust all ceiling fans, lamps, cabins, picture frames, and table center piece  

Kitchen 

•  Clean floors and make sure they are free from stains or smears

•  Clean the outside and top of refrigerator.  Remove all items on the outside/top of refrigerator

•  Clean windows and window coverings

•  Dust all ceiling fans, lamps, cabins, picture frames,  and table center pieces 

• Remove toasters, kitchen aides, knives, blenders, clocks, coffee makers, towels, etc.  Having fewer distractions results in a cleaner, more appealing photo 

• Remove trash cans

Bathrooms

• Clean counter tops, sinks, towels and bath tubs

• Clean mirrors and ensure they are free of smears 

• Remove bathroom rugs, toilet coverings and towels  

• Remove tooth brushes, cups, soap dispensers, and scales 

• Remove all shower bath items that are not decorative

• Remove trash cans and toilet paper

Bedrooms

• Floors need to be vacuumed or mopped before the photo shoot and free of stains 

• Clean/wipe down all the furniture

• Clean windows and window coverings, ensure the windows are free of smears  

• Dust all ceiling fans, lamps, and  picture frames

• Make sure that the beds are freshly made and the bed sheets and blankets are wrinkle free

• Pillows should have matching pillow cases   

• Remove wrinkled art papers from walls 

• Remove items visible to an eye from  under the beds  (includes storage boxes)

• Remove toys from the floor

• Make sure any toy storage boxes are neat or taken out of the room for shoot

• Make sure all book shelves and other shelving are clutter free

• Remove any miscellaneous items from the floor

Outside area 

• Clean any weeds and cut back trees and bushes as needed. Yard should look neat and manicured

• Clean pool and remove any hoses or cleaners from the pool

• Clean all outside furniture

• Remove hoses or wrap them up neatly

• Remove toys

• Rake the yard and sweep the patios