Tips to Make Your
Property Shoot-Ready
Interiors
- Thoroughly clean whole house (vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean countertops, clean windows)
- Turn all overhead lights and lamps on
- Change all burned out light bulbs
- Use bulbs of the same temperature (all incandescent or all compact fluorescent)
- Turn all ceiling fans off
- Turn all TVs off
- Turn all computer screens off
- Hide cords and remotes
- Open blinds/window treatments to let in outside light
- Remove personal photographs (or replace with general landscape/object photographs)
- Tidy shelves
- Hide trash receptacles
- Make all beds
- Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring
- Place all shoes/jackets in closets
- Declutter, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
Exteriors
- Close garage door
- Remove cars from driveway and front of home
- Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves)
- Remove empty planters
- Use broom to remove cobwebs from eaves and door frames
- Remove visible water hoses
- Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
- Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions
- Pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
- Clear out kid’s toys, balls, frisbees, etc.
- Clean pool
- Remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose
- Hide pool cleaning supplies
- Turn on pool fountains/water features
- Remove trash cans
- Clean up pet waste
Special note about pets and people - I love dogs and cats, but they don’t mix with expensive photography equipment! Also, per MLS rules, pets and people cannot appear in photos. Please keep pets secured or off property. If you plan to be at the property during the photoshoot, please be in an area where you will not accidentally appear in the photos. Garages are good places to store extra items, as I won’t normally shoot the garage.
Twilight Shoots
- Turn on all interior and exterior lights
- Turn on pool fountains/water features
- Turn on all pool lighting
- Turn on spas, and remove spa covers