How to Prepare Your Home Interior for Listing Photos

This post was first published on Coldwellbankerelite.com

Did you know that one of the most important steps you can take when selling your home is creating great listing photos? High-quality listing photos are a strong asset for sellers because buyers see the photos of a home before they ever step foot in it. The quality of the photos—how inviting the staging and lighting are, how clear the pictures are, etc.,—plays a huge role in generating interest and first impressions.

Great listing photos can be created with a few key tips. We’ve covered how to create great listing photos for your home’s exterior; here, we’ll cover how to create photos for your interior! Keep reading to find out how you can create listing photos that bring out the best qualities of your home to attract more sellers.

Clean, clean, clean!

Let’s start with one of the most important steps: making sure your home is clean. The positive aspects of your house’s interior will suffer if your photos depict dust, dirt, scuff marks, mold, and clutter.

The kitchen and bathroom usually generate the most mess, so put extra TLC into making these hearts of the home as spotless as possible.

• For the kitchen: scrub countertops, the stove, and appliances that show fingerprints.
• For the bathroom, scrub the showers, toilets, and replace moldy shower curtains.
• To make these rooms appear larger and more open, store food products and household items in cabinets or under the sink.
• To make appliances like refrigerators appear more modern and clean, remove magnets and stickers.

Remove pet items

If you have a pet, make sure all pet items are stored away out of sight. For prospective buyers who are allergic to pets, seeing pet items in photos can instantly make them worry about how much fur is in your house. It’s best to avoid this possibility and make your space as allergy-friendly as possible.

De-personalize

It may seem counterintuitive, but personal touches like kids’ toys and unique memorabilia actually make your home less “homey” to potential buyers. People want to be able to envision themselves in your home. It’s easier to do this when your rooms contain only the necessary furniture and minimal clutter. The principle “less is more” really comes into play here.

• Start by removing and storing excess furniture that clutters the rooms or makes rooms hard to navigate. Removing some furniture is the easiest and cheapest way to instantly create an illusion of more space, which buyers will appreciate.
• You may also want to remove personal items like photos, signs, and memorabilia.
• If you’re working with a professional stager, you can always consult them to get their advice on whether something is good to stay or go.

Remove mats and runners

While these are essential in your day-to-day living, most mats and runners are best removed from listing photos. Floor mats and runners make spaces appear smaller, can create a feeling of clutter, and do not photograph well.

Cue the lights! 

The quality of a photo depends a lot on lighting. You can take advantage of both natural light and artificial light to create an inviting atmosphere. This step is also important for open houses and walk-throughs.

• For natural light, open up all the blinds and curtains and let freshly cleaned windows do their job.
• Artificial lights can generate warmth for dimly lit areas of a home or rooms without much natural light.
• Make sure that you replace burned-out bulbs so that you’re getting the most out of your lighting!

Last but not least. . .  

Consider getting a professional real estate photographer to take your listing photos.

As mentioned in many of these steps, a professional photographer can be a wonderful asset. Photography principles like lighting, staging, and the right angles to take photos are best handled by the pros. Since your listing photos are the first impression buyers will have of your home, professional photos go a long way.

Because it’s so important for listing photos to look professional and highlight your home’s best features, our agents hire professional real estate photographers so that sellers’ homes look their best!