How to Prepare your Home for Photography

Real Estate Matters with Tim Bro

Tim’s Photographer Alberto Lau wrote this article in the NY Times …

How to Prepare your Home for Photography

Here is a checklist on how to prepare your home for photography. Yes, it’s a lot of work, and it’s worth hiring a housecleaner! The effort will pay off in the presentation of your home, very likely attracting more views to your listing and better offers. During the sales period there is nothing better than maintaining your home in “photo-ready” mode to welcome potential buyers.

·         The house must be clean and free of clutter – less is more.

·         Clean all glass – all windows and mirrors.

·         Get rid of pet dishes and trash cans. Do not allow you pets to be in the pictures.

·         If you have large portraits of family members, take them down. Small (less than 5x7 inches) photos are OK because they will be so small in the overall picture nobody will be able to tell who it is. Remember, the pictures of the house will likely be used on the Internet.

·         In the kitchen get rid of towels, refrigerator magnets, sponges, paper towels, dish detergents, and excessive number of small appliances. Get rid of kitchen mats and vacuum where the mats used to be.

·         In bathrooms get rid of trash cans, toothbrushes, rugs, shampoo, hair conditioners, etc.

·         If you use your fireplace and know that the flue is open and there are no bird’s nests in the chimney, light a fire when the picture is about to be taken. An anterior with a fire in the hearth is always attractive. But if you don’t regularly use your fireplace, don’t bother. No sense in smoking up the house or setting a bird’s nest on fire!

·         Check all lamps and lightbulbs. Replace burned and missing lightbulbs. Turn all lights on. I prefer not to use supplementary lighting because it creates an artificial look.

·         Turn on all TV’s (sounds off). Golf, nature shows, are better than a black rectangle.

·         Clear cars from the front of the house and driveway. If necessary, place cones or signs requesting others not to park in front of the house.

·         Remove any trash or recycling bins from the view. Preferably, do not schedule the photo shoot on trash pickup day because neighbors’ bins may be visible.

·         Rake leaves off the front and back yards.

·         Verify working condition of any fountains and turn them on.

·         If your pool and/or spa has a cover, take the cover off. Remove leaves and debris from pool. Turn jets on  in spa

·         Take cover off barbecue grill – unless it is hopelessly rusty, in which case it’s better to move it off the frame of the photo.

Doing the above will make the photography session go smoothly and faster. The resulting photographs will make you proud, and you will have a nice keepsake.

To get started with your home sale or purchase, call Tim @ 858-354-2354, “The Right Choice in Real Estate”.

When Real Estate Matters, contact Tim.  BRE #01224576

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Real Estate Property Photo Shoot

PROPERTY PREPARATION:

1.       It is important to make sure that all areas to be photographed are camera ready before the Photographer arrives. Photographers are not responsible for tidying areas that are to be photographed. They are responsible for taking the best photos that the house has to offer.

2.       For indoor living areas that will be photographed, make sure that the rooms are clean and free of extraneous objects. Turn on as many interior lights as possible to brighten and warm up the room; if there is a dark area in a room, try to add temporary lighting. Natural lighting is always a plus!

·         Bedrooms - Beds are made, pillows fluffed. Nightstands, dressers and vanities should have minimum items visible. Walk in closets should appear organized and tidy. For kids rooms, toys and clutter should be put away. If there are mirrored closets or walls, be especially aware of the mirrors and what they are reflecting.

·         Living rooms – Surfaces should be dust free, carpets vacuumed, and pillows arranged. If there are televisions in the room, turn them on.

·         Kitchens – Minimize small kitchen appliances along with cleaners, paper towels and wipe down all counters and all appliances. The shinier the appliance, the better it will appear in the photo.

·         Bathrooms – Clean shower glass, towels neatly folded and simple as possible. Remove toiletries from view.

3.       For outside areas, make sure to clean and straighten-up. When capturing solid exterior shots, take advantage of the hours with the best lighting.

·         Remove cars from the driveway for a clear shot of the house.

·         Present pool areas in the best light – straighten deck chairs, remove towels and pool accessories.

·         Open patio umbrellas; remove covers on the BBQ and patio furniture.

·         Clear gardens of leaves and weeds.

In general,

--Make it look spotless!

             --Minimize personalized affects. Remember less is more!

             --If everything is in place, the shoot should only take about an hour.

--You can help streamline the process by making sure that everything is prepared in advance.

--Treat your Photographer as if he/she is a prospective buyer – be there for the shoot to make sure the images capture and portray your property at the absolute best it can be!

 --Have fun with the photo shoot!!!!!

 

For a free home evaluation or questions regarding the sale of your home contact Tim Brodowski @ 858-354-2354.

www.timbrohomes.us