Making Your House Look it’s Best is Essential

Staging to Sell

Last week I talked about the importance of using a professional photographer to give a great first impression to buyers when they’re searching the internet for homes. This week I’m going to go over some of the things you, as a homeowner or a real estate agent, can do to get that home ready for photos and tours!

Staging is an important step when listing a home for sale, and just as important when preparing it for photographs. Potential buyers need to be able to see themselves living in the house, and properly staging it achieves this objective. Staging helps the buyer focus on the house itself rather than the personal items of the seller. Proper staging & preparation doesn’t have to cost a lot of money either!

All Rooms

Be sure all light bulbs work (and are the same color!)
Remove any pet-related items (beds, food & water dishes, toys, etc.)
If the house has pet smells, consider having the carpets steam cleaned (not a bad idea even if you don’t!)
Clean your house from top to bottom – the cost of hiring a professional is worth it!
If you have gym equipment in any rooms, and it can be moved, put it in the garage.

Kitchens

Clear clutter off counters
Remove counter-top appliances (especially if you have more than one per counter)
Remove photos, magnets and other things from the refrigerator
Hide any electrical cords, phones, etc.
Clear the sink of all dishes, wash cloths, sponges, soap dispensers
Hide any trash containers

Bedrooms

Best Real Estate Photographer

Make all beds, tuck in sheets, remove excess pillows
Remove all clothes
Hide electrical cords, phone chargers, etc.
Clean off bedside tables, leaving only a book, lamp and maybe a clock or phone
Remove any excess furniture (rockers, cribs, etc.) to make the space look larger

Bathrooms

College Station Real Estate Photographer

Remove any toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap or other items on the sink tops
Take all bottles, soaps, wash cloths, loofas, etc. out of the shower or off the tub
Small plants, candles or decorative items can spruce up the bathroom
Put away any toys you have in or around the bathtub
Wash and fold towels neatly that hang on towel rails
Clean mirrors completely. Mirrors show streaks in bathrooms really well!
Scrub those shower walls and glass doors! A grimy door will turn people off quickly
Hide trash cans

Living Rooms

Hide all remotes, game controllers, etc.
Remove newspapers and magazines
Hide loose cables, speaker wires, charging bases, etc.
Clean and declutter any shelves
Remove everything from end tables except lamps
Put away any personal photos

Dining/Breakfast Area

Clear all tables or set with place settings
Add a center piece such as candles, flowers or other decorative items
Limit the number of chairs around the table – too many and it looks crowded
No extra chairs in the corners of the room, put a plant there instead

Exterior

Remove cars from driveway
Power wash driveways and sidewalks if necessary
Consider having the roof power washed if it’s needed
Mow lawn, have shrubs trimmed
Sweep all walkways, porches, decks
Hide trash cans
Put away any all toys, bicycles, garden hoses, sprinklers
Clean and straighten porch and patio furniture
Clean grill and remove the cover
Have pool cleaned and put away pool toys, straighten chairs
Make the front porch welcoming – new doormat, potted plants
Plant blooming flowers in front yard beds

Day of the Photo Shoot

On the day of the shoot, prior to the photographer’s arrival, make sure all curtains and blinds are open, all lights are turned on, all ceiling fans are off, close all toilet lids, lock up any pets, and turn off all televisions.

Closets/Garages

While we don’t normally photograph closets and garages, people will want to look in all of them when they tour your house. So try to declutter those as much as possible, keeping at least 30-40% of the space free so they look more roomy. If you need to rent a storage unit while your house is on the market, it would be a good investment.

Final Thoughts

Staging and decluttering your house will go a long way in helping buyers see themselves in your house, and will also let them know that the house has been taken care of!

Should You Use a Professional Real Estate Photographer?

A Professional Real Estate Photographer Can Boost Your “Web Appeal”!

First Impressions

Like your mom always said, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.”, and that still holds true, especially for real estate listings. A professional real estate photographer can help you do just that! Make that great first impression!

When selling a house, increasing the visual appeal of your listings is imperative. It can result in decreased time on the market and a higher selling price. You only have one chance to grab a buyer’s attention with your listing!

The days of home buyers calling a realtor to compile a list of potential homes from the MLS database for them to review are gone. Thanks to the rise in popularity of and sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, buyers today overwhelming use the internet to search for properties when shopping for a new home.

The first thing a buyer looks at when searching for homes online are the photos. Study after study shows that overwhelmingly, photos are viewed first in real estate listings. Great photos are so important these days that most buyers won’t even look at a listing without photos. And if they’re bad photos? They’ll just click through to the next house. Even when listings include photos, up to 50% of buyers don’t even look at the agent’s description of the property. They ONLY look at the photos before moving on or wanting more information on the property. If you can catch the homebuyer’s eye with a stunning photo, they’ll want to see more. If not, they’ll go back to their search list and go to the next home.

Increased Sales Price and Shorter Time on the Market

According to this study by Ruxta Realty, homes get more online views and sell for a higher price than homes without photos or those with less than flattering images.

In addition, the extra money spent for professional photos will pay off after you’ve sold the property, in future listings! When people see that you aggressively market your listings using professional photography all the time, they’ll be more confident in contacting you to market their home. So using professional images in every listing, regardless of the price point, shows future clients you’re consistent.

Hiring a Professional Real Estate Photographer

When a client hires a realtor to market their home, they’re hiring a professional who knows how to sell houses. When you hire a professional real estate photographer, you’re also hiring a professional. Someone who knows about architecture, real estate and knows how to best photograph homes. Professional real estate photographers take photos of houses for a living, day in and day out. They have the ability and the knowledge to capture your home’s best features.

Professional real estate photographers have the technical expertise and the equipment to make even the darkest spaces look warm and inviting. Using special lighting techniques, advanced architectural lenses and Photoshop proficiency, professional photographers bring a unique skill set to the photo shoot. Their expertise will make your home look extraordinary. A professional real estate photographer knows what angles, lighting setups and staging is needed in each living space, to make buyers interested in the photo.

When hiring a professional real estate photographer, you are assured that your home’s BEST features will be advertised, while its less than heavenly features will be made to appear beautiful as well. Real estate photographers have the ability to make the ordinary home look extraordinary.

Drone Photo of the Week

Jones Crossing – College Station, TX

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Holiday Hours 2017!

Variety is What Keeps it Fun!

Whether we’re shooting gorgeous residential properties, aerial images or commercial properties, it’s the variety, and challenge each day, that makes our “job” not seem like work at all!

Give us a call and let us help you with all your architectural & aerial photography needs!

Build Your Own Door!

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle

Another Great Summer Week of Shooting!

Summer Sunset over Aggieland!

Busy Weeks are the Best!

Staging Your House to Sell!