Preparing for Your Home’s Photo Shoot

The Front Elevation Shot

 

This is the most frequently viewed image of your home and it is on this picture most shoppers base their initial interest.  First impressions matter and if this picture is not appealing, many buyers will not get past it. Your agent has probably already suggested many of these.

 

_____  Pick up everything that could be a distraction, in the yard, on sidewalks, in driveways and on patios and
             balconies :  trash, toys, sports equipment, toys, bikes, towels and lawn equipment, for instance.

_____  Trim shrubs and trees.

_____  Weed flower beds, rock gardens and/or any open spaces not covered in sod.  Remove any dead plants. 

_____  Fresh mulch will enhance your curb appeal.

_____  Mow and edge the lawn as close to shoot as possible.

_____  Blow or rake leaves and grass cuttings.

_____  Yard & Patio Furniture should be clean, well-maintained and attractively arranged.  Sometimes less is
            more, so removing some might create a more spacious look.

_____  On the day of the shoot, trash bins should be in the garage and no cars should be parked in front of the
            house or in the driveway.

_____  Fresh seasonal flowers are a bonus in the beds or in pots – especially near the front door.

_____  Repair doors, windows, shutters and other architectural features.

_____  Clean windows will help both inside and out.

 

See Your House with a Fresh Eye

 

Photographs don’t offer an explanation for distractions, so go through your house room by room and try to see it as a stranger would.  Remove as much clutter as you possibly can.  Be sure everything is clean and neat.  Here are some things you might overlook because you are used to looking at your own home.

 

_____  Is there too much furniture?  Model homes often have only enough furniture in them to indicate what the
            room could be used for.  Items like extra chairs, tv trays, small tables, foot stools, electronic equipment and
            such may be frequently used by your family, but they will clutter up a picture.  Hide them away in an attic
            or garage for the day of the shoot.

_____  Are there items which detract from the universal appeal of the home?  Personal items like pet beds,
           children’s toys and hobbies-in-progress are the very things that make a house your home, but if the items
           do not reflect the lifestyle of potential buyers, they could assume the house is not for them.  Box up these
           items and hide them away during the shoot.

_____  Are window coverings in good repair and fresh looking?  If blinds are broken or drapes are hanging
            unevenly, an empty window will be more appealing on the day of the shoot.  And be sure the windows are
            clean.

_____  Are there any burned out lights?  Light fixtures and lamps will enhance the photos if they are lit.

_____  Look for and correct distracting electrical connections, if possible.  If you can see electrical cords dangling
           along the wall from your lamps and electronics to the outlet, so can the camera.  This could be a negative
           signal to a buyer.  They might think the home does not have sufficient outlets or the outlets are poorly
           placed.  On the day of the shoot, just unplug as many of these appliances as you can and hide the cords.  If
           the cord belongs to a lamp which is critical for lighting, then adding an extension cord or redirecting to
           another plug might help.

 

The Day of the Shoot

 

_____  Smooth wrinkles and lines out of linens and cushions.  Our goal is to keep potential buyers focused on the
             features of your home, but small details distract the eye.  Sagging decorative pillows or wrinkles in a
             bedspread are tiny imperfections, but they could end up in the center of a shot.  The photographer takes

             several angles in the room to identify those that will best demonstrate the size of a room and its features. 
            Those bedspread wrinkles you thought no one would notice might be the first thing someone sees.

_____  Check under furniture, especially beds and sofas for items which might show up in pictures.  Stand across
            the room from furnishings which have spaces under them.  If you can see something, so can the camera. 
            While you may know it’s just your house slippers or your knitting, a potential buyer won’t and might assign
            a negative connotation to it.

_____  Vacuum rugs and carpets.  If you have deep pile carpets, crisp vacuum cleaner tracks look great in pictures.

_____  Check switchplates, door jambs and appliances for fingerprints.

_____   Check to be sure all wall decorations are hanging straight.

_____   Turn off all ceiling fans to avoid blurring of the fan blades.    

_____   Turn on all lights.

_____  Confine pets for the duration of the shoot.