Are you a homeowner ready to put that “For Sale” sign up or maybe you’re a real estate agent working with a new seller. Either way you want to sell fast! Selling a home can be competitive when there are so many real estate properties. Having great MLS listing photos can only be achieved when you prepare for a real estate photography shoot.

Besides a local MLS there are tons of other sites that can showcase your property for sale. With an easy way for a buyer to see hundreds if not thousands of homes there’s one thing for sure. Great photography are usually their first means of selecting which houses they are interested in. Great looking listing photos improve the chances of your home to sell faster by being attention grabbing. It’s simple the more eyes that see your house pictures the possibility of more leads. This will increase quick offers.

Yes there are great real estate listing photos, and well there are some poorly photographed as well. You don’t want to be the ones getting low amount of interested buyers or Getting a professional real estate photographer will give you that edge. So how do you prepare for your real estate photo shoot? Let’s talk about 10 tips to prepare and get that photo shoot done right.

Review your current state of the house

Go through the inside and outside of the house. You can prepare a list of rooms or areas. Consider what rooms need. For instance new paint, arrangement of furniture, landscaping, etc. A “staged” home will definitely look better in real estate photos and when buyers come through. You can even consult with an interior designer to give you some advice.

Get rid of the clutter

Whether if it’s inside or out remove any clutter that you know for sure should not be in any pictures. It’s standard to remove remote controls, pictures on refrigerator, shoes, bags, small appliances. Have pets? Remove their bowls and other pet related items. Outside remove hoses, toys, bins, bikes, etc.

Clean the home

Remember going through your house for potential staging? You can run through the home again to make sure everything is clean. Clear and clean kitchen countertops and appliances. Dust everything. Clear up any stains. All beds should be made. Polish any stainless steel surfaces. You get the idea. You can consider hiring a housekeeping service to do a one time deep clean.

Get it straight

While you clean your home make sure pillows are arranged well. It maybe the photographer’s preference but go ahead straighten out any towels in the kitchen and bathroom. Some times they may not be necessary. Picture or art frames should be straightened on the wall.

Landscaping

Mow the lawn. Preferably the day before the photo shoot. Trim any bushes or trees. Keeping a tidy yard will provide a welcoming photo as most of the times these are the photos that are seen and mandatory.

Toilet Seats Down

Yes, you’ll be surprised how a small detail makes a huge difference. Think about how you would react in seeing a real estate listing with a toilet seat up?

Lightbulbs

Make sure all lights are working and have the same consistency of lighting.

Things to turn off, on and open

Before your photographer comes in they will usually want to have the home prepared. This is so they can come in and focus on what they do best...take the photos. All photographers will want the ceiling fans to be turned off. It’s always good to turn on every lamp and light fixture though it maybe up to the photographer to shoot in lighting or use natural light. Window blinds should be open to the flat position.

Have a Pool?

What a great amenity when selling your home. Make sure the pool is clean and remove the pool cover. Any visible equipment that you really can’t move then make sure it’s clean. Hide the toys and any debris laying around.

Driveway

If you normally have vehicles in the driveway you’ll want to park them somewhere else. At least out of the shoot of the front of the home.

With these 10 tips in preparing for a real estate photography shoot you are sure to get great looking photos for the MLS.