Home Preparation

COVID-19

Why is it so important ?

“Most of the search is online. You’ve got about five seconds to get the potential buyers to look at the house before they go on to another one. That’s how critical photography is.”
A listing’s photograph either makes or breaks a sale — a lesson many real estate professionals learn the hard way.
We have prepared this guide to assist you in your efforts.

COVID-19 PROTOCOL

This means :

 Reschedule your shoot if any occupants are  Ill or have been in contact with COVID-19

 Disinfect common surfaces including :

    - Doorknobs & Light Switches

    - Tables & Countertops

 Use approved disinfectants at: cdc.gov

  Respect social distancing guidelines: Keep home vacant during photoshoot if possible.

 The photographer will not touch personal

items during shoot.


 Remove items you don’t want shot

 Turn on lights before shoot

Turn off fans before shoot

Process

Agents and/or homeowners are expected to have the property cleaned and staged prior to the photo shoot. Listings are expected to be cleaned and in "Photo-Ready" condition prior to your scheduled session.
If the property is not ready to be photographed you should make every effort to reschedule 24 hours prior to the shoot.

This means :

Any special considerations (what to leave in; what to leave out) have already been discussed

Having immediate access to the property

  Pets are never included in photos and need to be out of the way during the shoot.

Any staging has been completed and the stager has left the building


Any construction, painting, cleaning, etc.. has been completed and all contractors have left the property

The property is clutter-free

As we're shooting, we make reasonable effort to make a room look “magazine ready”, which includes remove small, stray objects from the rooms; however, please note that this does not include tasks like :

Making beds
Cleaning, dusting or de-clutter
Moving large or heavy items, or arranging furniture. 

Touch personal bathroom supplies (shampoo, toothbrushes, etc.)
Remove toys or yard items
Photoshop vehicles, walls, damaged walls, power lines, etc.

Due to liability of potentially damaging furniture, flooring, walls, decor, etc, I do not move furniture, treadmills, kitchen appliances, dog crates, etc.
I will at my discretion, adjust blinds, shades curtains, or turn on or off lights as deemed necessary.
Be sure to read this home prep guide prior to my arrival so that the best possible photos can be captured.
Areas Not Photographed (unless there are special feature to hightlight):

Garage
Attic
Basement
Toilet Rooms (In Master Bathrooms)

Closets
Kitchen Pantry
Storage Sheds
Laundry Room

Home Preparation

If you do nothing, 
do these things

In general

Hide the clutter

Kitchen

Clear countertops completely

Bedrooms

Make all beds and fluff the pillows

Light

Replace all light bulbs with matching bulbs

Remove kids toys, sports balls, soccer goals, etc
Keep windows clean
Clear refrigerator doors of magnets, papers, photos, etc
Clear nightstands of all personal items

Clear Store all clothing out of view
Remove all personal-care items from showers, bath tubs
Remove food, water bowls, beds/toys, litter boxes
Move garbage cans out of sight, beware of trash day

In General

Lights

Turn ON all lights and lamps

TV

Turn off TV & computer screens

Bedrooms

Make all beds and fluff the pillows.

Garbage

Move garbage cans out of view

Real Estate Photography Kitchen

Thoroughly clean all areas of the house:

Vacuum carpet,
Mop hard floors,
Clean countertops,
Clean windows, inside and outside
Clean mirrors and anything that shows the dirt on it

Turn off ceiling fans and make sure they are clean
Remove remote controls
Tidy/hide all power cords/cables
If you have a fireplace be prepared to light it
Remove seasonal decorations that might date the photographs
Remove small floor rugs in kitchem, bathroom and by front & back doors to reveal the flooring

 Open all curtains and blinds in the house uniformly (replace broken ones)

If a window has a view, raise the blinds completely for a completely unobstructed view

 Replace all burned out light bulbs

Replace all light bulbs with matching bulbs (ALL incandescent or ALL compact fluorescent)

 De-clutter rooms which may be excessively furnished

Place all shoes/jackets in closets
Place all clothing items in closets
Remove personal items or photographs (or replace with general landscape/object photographs)
Remove piles of newspapers, magazines, junk mail, bills, and other assorted paperwork from counters

Front - Exterior

The front of the home is usually the first picture buyers will see and arguably, the most important shot of all!
Home buyers will make a decision to look at more photos of your house if they like what they see.

Cars

Remove all vehicle and bikes from your driveway 

Toys

Remove kids toys, sports balls, basketball goals

Garage

Close garage door

Trees

Prune trees and shrubs, especially the ones obstructing the view of your house

Move garbage cans out of sight, beware of trash day
Remove all gardens tools & equipments, hoses and sprinklers (turn them off during shoot)
Turn ON front porch lights
Clean/wash windows
Mow grass & trim shrubs as needed
Power wash driveway, walkway, mailbox
Open all front window blinds and curtains and make sure they look the same from the outside
Remove empty planters and replace dead plants or flowers
Remove seasonal decorations that might date the photographs
Blow leaves and debris off driveway & yard

Backyard

The backyard should present a place to relax

Clean porch
Clean outdoor furniture (tables, chairs, cushions, etc.)
Remove covers from well-maintained grills and smokers; Cover neglected ones
Set up patio furniture and open patio umbrella
Mow grass and trim shrubs as needed
Open all front window blinds and curtains and make sure they look the same from the outside
Pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
Remove yard signs
Clean fountains
Blow leaves and debris off driveway and yard
Remove toys, sports balls, bikes, basketball goals...
Prune trees and shrubs, especially the ones obstructing the view of your house

Twilight Photography

Twilight photography is impressive and creates a dramatic presentation.
These tips are in addition to the Front Exterior tips. 

Lights

Turn on all exterior AND interior lights 

Firepit

Light the firepit or outdoor fireplace

Pool

Make sure pool lighting is operational

Windows

Keep windows clean

Make sure all interior and exterior lights are the same color and type (incandescent, etc…)
Turn on landscape lights
Make sure all outside lights are working. This includes any landscape lights, walkway lights, and pool lights.
Replace burned out bulbs or broken fixtures
Test lights prior to arrival and reschedule if needed
Turn on pool lights and patio lights for pool/patio shoots
Open all front window blinds and curtains and make sure they look the same from the outside

Pool Area

Clean pool and hide supplies
Clean swimming pool
Turn on pool fountains/water features and lights
Remove visible water hoses
Remove and put away any pool toys, floats, and cleaning equipment

The Kitchen

Generally a focal point, the kitchen deserves attention to detail

Real Estate Photography Kitchen
Clear countertops completely. No knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc. and leave a maximum of one small appliance out (ex. coffee maker)
Clear refrigerator doors of magnets, papers, photos, etc
Remove dishes from sink, place in dishwasher
Unless decorative, remove all towels from view
You can leave out one or two small appliances e.g. a coffee maker

Hide garbage cans
Remove pet bowls
Remove child/booster chairs
Remove soap containers,sponges, dish towels, etc
Clean windows and all shiny surfaces including all appliances
Clean stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops to ensure there are no fingerprints or smudges

Dining Room

Allow buyers to imagine a nice family or friend meal

Real Estate Photography Dining Room
Clear table, dust and polish the table top
Set your dining room table (optional).
Use decorative plates and wine glasses if available (optional)
Straighten all chairs and space them evenly
Remove child seats/booster chairs

Living Room

A space to enjoy family and conversation

TV

Turn off TV and put remotes away

Books

Remove magazines, papers, mail

Sofa

Fluff and arrange furniture pillows on sofas and chairs

Toys

Remove kid's toys or animal toys

Real Estate Photography Living Room
Declutter fireplace mantel
Clean interior of fireplace
Turn on or light the fireplace if you will be home during the shoot
Large empty walls do not look appealing to buyers. Buy decent frames for staging purposes
Clear up any wires or cords if possible behind the TV, stereo, or other electronics
Remove all toys, fans, game consoles
Remove exercise equipment
Arrange books, neatly
Turn off and clean ceiling fans

Bedrooms

A good night rest recharges the body and mind

Master Bedroom

Beds

Make bed including decorative pillows/shams if available

Electronics

Remove phone/tablet charging cables

Photos

Remove family photos

Lamps

Ensure bedside lamps are working

Real Estate Photography Bedroom
Make bed, press bed linens and bed skirts
Put fresh linens on the bed and have it neatly made
Clean under bed, make sure that items stored under beds do not show
Remove all clutter from top of dressers
Clear nightstands of all personal items
Ensure bedside lamps are working
Open window curtains and tie them back if needed
Store all clothing out of view
If you have an exceptional walk-in closet that you’d like photographed, please arrange clothes neatly.

Kid / Guest Bedroom

Remove personalized names from walls, door
Remove wall stickers/posters
Clean under bed, hide items stored under beds 
Organize smaller toys and books into cute baskets or wicker bins
Remove large toys, Pack ‘n Plays, and large play tables

Bathroom

Make your bathroom a SPA

Countertops 

Clear countertops completely

Toilets

Close toilet seats

Roll

Ensure toilet roll is not empty

Doors

Close closet doors

Remove all personal-care items from showers, bath tubs
Remove dirty towels, leave out only new, unused towels in one style
Remove floor mats
Remove toilet cleaning utensils
Remove shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. from showers and tubs
Make sure glass and mirrors are spotless

Offices

Declutter desk
Try to hide cables, cords and power extensions as much as you can

Basement

A finished basement can be a huge selling asset so don't neglect this part of your home.

Uncover and set up pool table
Clean and organize bar area
Set your popcorn and candy in front of TV/movie screen
Don't turn on the TV.

Holidays decorations

Holiday decorations are not recommended for real estate photos. 

Real Estate Photography Holiday Decoration

Remove yard decorations and visible lighting
Remove interior decorations including Christmas trees
Any decorations that are up should be kept to a minimum
Remove window decorations

Pets

Pets are great, but their presence should be minimized
Make your home appear as if it is pet free

Real Estate Photography Dog

Remove food, water bowls, beds/toys, scratching posts, litter boxes
Use lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair
Contain pets in hidden crate or outside : Please ensure that pets are not present during the photo shoot
Clear back yard of pet waste/toys

Ready to book your next photo shoot ?

BOOK
Emotion & Light

781-474-2122

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