Home Prep Checklist

Help your clients prepare their homes....

Agents who go the extra mile to prep homes for real estate photography make all the difference for their clients. Below we have some tips and tricks for getting a house ready before your photographer shows up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello! I’m Ryan Nemec of Nemec Photography. Thank you for trusting me with taking photos of your home.

My goal is to show how beautiful your home is so that home buyers know, just from looking at photos online, that it’s a house they could see themselves living in. To do this, I would love to ask for your help in preparing your property before I arrive to take pictures. I’ve put together some tips that can help you in this.

Again, thank you so much for hiring Nemec Photography and I look forward to working with you to make your home look the very best it can so potential buyers have a great first impression when searching online.  Thank you!

General Guidelines-Tips for the entire home

  • General cleaning and tidiness of the whole home (vacuum, mop, dust, clean countertops, clean windows, remove clutter)
  • Replace burned out light bulbs and ensure that the bulbs are of the same temperature (ALL incandescent or ALL compact fluorescent)
  • Turn on lights
  • Open curtains/blinds
  • Turn off ALL ceilings fans, TVs, computer screens
  • Consider removing personal photographs (replace with landscape/general art)
  • Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring
  • Move furniture to make the room look spacious
  • Remove pet beds, bowls, waste
  • If a fire place is installed, a lit fire can add a lot of appeal and coziness. (Photographer will not operate fireplace)

Exterior-Creating curb appeal and a backyard sanctuary

  • Choose an appointment time when the front of the house is shown in good, natural light
  • Move vehicles out of driveway and away from the front curb
  • Remove clutter such as bins, hoses, trash cans
  • General Landscaping (mow the grass, remove leaves, trimming)
  • Clean windows-especially if there’s a great view!
  • Consider removing solar screens to allow natural light to flood the interior. This can help a space feel more open and spacious.

Pool-Oasis in the Backyard

  • Ensure pool is clean and clear
  • Remove pool vacuum, hose and any other items such as floating chlorinators and pool toys
  • Hide pool cleaning supplies
  • Turn on water features, fountains, spa bubblers

Kitchen-The focal point of the home

  • Clear all worktops and counters

-No tea towels, knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.

-Hide all but one small appliance (such as a coffee maker)

  • Remove refrigerator magnets and pictures
  • Clean appliance fronts
  • Remove garbage bins
  • Clean and clear sink
  • Fruit bowls and flowers are a nice touch

Bathrooms-Clean and Bright

  • Clean and clear countertops
  • Wipe mirrors well
  • Remove clutter and personal items such as shampoo, soap, tooth brushes
  • Remove towels or neatly fold and arrange
  • Remove toilet paper
  • Remove floor mats
  • Remove garbage bins

Finishing Touches

  • Decorative touches like flowers, fruit bowls, place mats, etc. can make a difference
  • Straighten and space chairs around tables
  • Consider family pictures. Image resolution is really good these day, if you don’t want people to see you or your children, remove personal pictures. Consider replacing family pictures with art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twilight-The Golden Hour

Beautiful exterior twilight photos will help your house stand out and grab a lot of attention when potential home buyers are searching online. The soft and even light produced during the Golden Hour makes for beautiful pictures. Part of creating these amazing twilight or dawn photos is ensuring that the house is ready, because time is limited when we’re dealing with a setting sunrise or sunset.

Here are some twilight-specific tips to help prepare the exterior of your home:

  • Timing – Sunset/sunrise times change throughout the year. Expect the photographer to arrive 1 hour prior to sunset and stay 30 minutes after.
  • Follow the general “Exterior” prep guidelines above
  • Remove Exterior window solar screens. Part of the beauty of Twilight photos is being able to see some interior light coming through the windows, and solar screens can block much of this light.
  • Turn on Interior lights in rooms with windows
  • Ensure exterior lighting (including landscape lighting if equipped) is on and working properly. Check bulbs to ensure they’re functional.
  • Turn off sprinkler system to avoid wet looking areas…and to keep me dry!
  • Pool Twilight Considerations:
    • Ensure that the pool light is functional and on
    • Turn on pool features like waterfalls/spa bubblers/fire pits (photographer will not operate these functions for liability reasons)
    • Turn off patio fans

Contact

Contact us for more information and to schedule your listing photography session