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Home Staging Tips Prior to Photo Shoot

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty

Usually, the first impression you make on a potential home buyer is the quality of the photos used in your listing.  Both home buyers and realtors make decisions to the property based on this first impression.  Understandable, it cost money to have professionally taken photos, but this normally this gets the seller a premium when the house sells.  Realize our society is a visual society, people react positive when products and/or houses are displayed at their best.  Following are a few suggestions how to prepare a home for a photo shoot:

  •   Make sure all mirrors, floors, and surfaces are spotless.  You do not want smudges appearing in the photos.
  •   Ensure furniture is properly sized for each room.  If oversized furniture is used in a room then it will appear to be       cramped.  Shift furniture around so the room looks open.
  •   Only have 2 or 3 items on a counter surface at most.  Make sure the items are place properly and have a purpose.
  •   Set dining room table that includes centerpiece, dishes, silverware, and napkins. 
  • Window blinds need to be open to allow natural light to come in.  Brighter rooms photograph better and appear to be larger        
  •   Have the right amount of color and object contrast.  Avoid too many colors, this may be distracting.  Best to have a single-color scheme.
  •   Insure the outside has been taken care of by mowing and trimming the yard, cleaning the pool, having settings on outdoor tables, and potted flowers near doorways.
  •  Remove window screens from windows on the front of the house at least.  Window screens tend to make windows look filmy and dark. You want your window to look bright and clear, therefore, allowing a lot light into the house. 
  •  Preferability use black mulch around your home, this will create a greater curb appeal.  In addition, prior to taking photos or showing the home, water the mulch.  This will give the mulch a darker tone and makes greenery around the home stand out. 
  • Create eye catching path to the front doorway.  Take photos from a higher vantage point, this makes the front entrance look more prominent.  It goes with saying, make sure the path is clear.
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Good morning, John Watts good list of suggestions for home staging...."the eye buys" so make sure those photos do their job...

May 17, 2019 06:53 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Those are valuable tips to sellers needing to ready their homes for market.

May 19, 2019 10:32 AM
Karen Rice Madison AL Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Madison - Madison, AL
256-348-1527 Call/Text

John Watts Online photographs have replaced the first showing, so photos need to be top notch to stop buyers from clicking on to the next property.  You've given some great tips here, that sellers can use to prepare their homes for photograph.

Jun 04, 2019 05:05 PM