Selling your home is like selling a product or service. It is important to make a potential buyer’s first impression count! Follow these tips to prepare your home for the best real estate real estate photography estate photos possible.

The following list is courtesy of Real Estate Photographer Ken Fine (www.kenfine.com).

General

  • Thoroughly clean whole house (vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean counter tops,
    clean windows).
  • Turn on all interior lighting. Make sure bulbs are same type.
  • Don’t mix LED’s, fluorescent, halogen, CFL’s and incandescent in the same room. Use all same type of
    light bulbs.
  • Turn all ceiling fans OFF.
  • Turn all TVs OFF.
  • Turn all computer screens OFF.
  • Open all blinds and window treatments.
  • Remove personal photographs (or replace with general art).
  • Make all beds and fluff the pillows.
  • Remove all small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring.
  • Place all clothing items in closets.

Exterior

  • Close garage doors.
  • Remove cars from driveway and front of home.
  • Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves).
  • Remove visible water hoses.
  • Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
  • Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions.
  • Remove all kid’s toys.
  • Clean pool.
  • Remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose.
  • Hide pool cleaning supplies.
  • Turn on pool fountains/water features.
  • Remove trash cans.

Kitchen

  • Clear counter tops completely. No knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.
  • You can leave out one small appliance e.g. a coffee maker.
  • Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, papers, photos, etc.
  • Hide garbage/trash cans.

Dining Room

  • Clear table, dust and polish the table top.
  • Use decorative place setting if available.
  • Feature one center piece such as a bouquet of flowers.
  • Straighten all chairs and space them evenly.

Living / Family Room

  • Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
  • De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth.
  • Clean interior of fireplace and re-paint if needed.
  • Fluff and arrange furniture pillows.
  • Remove kid’s toys.

Master Bedroom

  • Make bed, including decorative pillows/shams if available.
  • Press bed linens and bed skirts.
  • Clear nightstands of all personal items. No clocks, cell phones, etc.
  • Store away phone / tablet charging cables.
  • Remove all clutter from top of dressers.
  • Remove family photos from walls.
  • Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos.

Kids / Guest Bedroom

  • Remove personalized names from walls.
  • Remove wall stickers/posters.
  • Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos.

Bathrooms

  • Clear counter tops completely. NO sopa, toothbrushes, medications, deodorant, etc.
  • Put toilet seats and lids down.
  • Close closet doors.
  • Remove shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. from showers and tubs.
  • Remove dirty towels – leave out only new, unused towels.
  • Remove floor mats.


Pets

  • Place food and water bowls in pantry or closet.
  • Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet.
  • Use lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair.
  • Secure pets in hidden crate or outside (Do not allow your pets to wander loose while photos are
    being taken).
  • Clear back yard of pet waste / toys.

Click Here For A PDF Version Of This List

If you have any questions about selling your home (or buying one) in the Suwanee, Ga area. Contact Sherry Caplan today.