Staging a house for photos

Key Takeaways:

• By staging your home for real estate photography, you can increase its visual appeal for potential buyers looking through listing photos.
• Cleaning and tidying are at the heart of preparing your home for an ad photo shoot, but going beyond that can certainly take your home to the next level.
• Real estate photography is not limited to interior photos or standard photos. Talk to your real estate agent about the different types of media options that can increase the appeal of your home.

Preparing your home for a photo shoot is one of the most crucial steps in preparing to sell your home. Whether you are selling a house in today’s competitive real estate market Tacoma, WA or Buffalo, NYStunning, high-quality images are essential because they serve as the first impression for almost all potential buyers.

Understanding how to stage a home for photos can greatly increase the appeal of your listing, helping you attract more interest and potentially achieve a faster, more profitable sale. In this Redfin article, we present twelve actionable tips to ensure your home looks perfect and stands out online.

Why it’s important to stage your home for real estate photography

Staging your home before a photo shoot is an essential step in the selling process. Professional real estate photos are a buyer’s first impression of your property, making high-quality, well-staged images critical to generating interest and a quick sale. By following a clear plan for staging a home for photos, you will ensure that your home is presented in the best light to potential buyers.

How to stage a house for photos

When you’re preparing to stage your home for real estate photos, Sebastian Petrescu with Elevated photosa real estate photography company, says it is “aiming high.” He recommends: “Find inspiration by looking at photos of other interiors that really nailed their photo shoot.”

Well, here they are twelve tips that can help you aim high when it comes to making your home look as attractive online as it does in real life.

1. Declutter and perform a thorough cleaning

As a single, essential cleaning tipthe priority is to clean and stage your home. Removing personal items, unnecessary furniture and general clutter will instantly make the space look larger, cleaner and more attractive.

After cleaning up, perform a thorough cleaning, focusing on each surface. This includes sweeping, vacuuming, mopping and dusting. Make sure you focus on every part of your home, including baseboards and air conditioning vents.

2. Replace burned out bulbs

Before the photographer arrives, make sure all lights and bulbs are working and have a bulb with the same color temperature. Non-functioning or mismatched lamps can result in inconsistent lighting and unnecessary shadows in the final images.

3. Make your beds wrinkle-free

Neatly made beds immediately enhance the appearance of a bedroom. Use fresh, crisp bedding and arrange pillows with purpose. A clean, well-cared for bed suggests a neat, luxurious space.

4. Tidy up the front and back of your house

Sebastian says that the cleanliness of the outside of your home is absolutely as important as the inside. Curb’s appeal has a significant impact on initial viewing; That’s why Sebastian recommends “blow away any dust or debris with a garden hose.”

Additionally, you’ll want to do some basic architecture and store loose items like toys or tools.

5. Paint walls a neutral color

Neutral wall colorssuch as light gray or off-white, provide a sleek, modern backdrop that appeals to a wide range of buyers. This choice allows buyers to easily visualize their own décor in the space and helps brighten up rooms in photos.

6. Invite natural lighting

Light is crucial in real estate photography. Open all curtains, blinds and shutters to maximize natural light throughout the house. The goal is to make every room look light, airy and inviting.

7. Remove unnecessary furniture

Fewer pieces of furniture create a better sense of space. Remove overly large or bulky objects that can make a room feel cramped so the photographer can capture the true size and feel of the room.

8. Put away personal photos and belongings

Remove personal items, including family photos, unique artifacts and diplomas. This depersonalizes the house, allowing potential buyers to see it as their potential future home rather than someone else’s.

9. Clean and shine equipment

In the kitchen, clean all appliances and make them shinewhere close attention must be paid to stainless steel surfaces. Remove magnets, notes and other clutter from the refrigerator doors. Spotless appliances suggest a well-maintained kitchen.

10. Dust vents and easy-to-miss crevices

Don’t forget small details like dusting vents, ceiling fans, baseboards and other easy-to-miss crevices. These small details can be surprisingly noticeable in high-resolution photos.

11. Wipe mirrors, windows and other glass surfaces

Clear windows make a big difference for real estate photos. Don’t forget to clean the inside of the windows with a window cleaner and dry paper towels. Additionally, clean and polish all mirrors and glass tabletops to remove stains and ensure a flawless, reflective surface that enhances light in the room.

12. Hire a professional real estate photographer

After completing your staging, hiring a professional photographer is the final step. Their expertise, specialist equipment and knowledge of composition and lighting ensure that the best features of your home are captured, creating images that stand out in the housing market.

How much do professional real estate photographers charge?

Although real estate photographer fees can vary significantly, Sebastian Petrescu recommends choosing a photographer based on their portfolio and overall service. When evaluating a photographer’s services, check the entirety of the services they offer, as real estate agents may recommend different media forms to market your home.

Sebastiaan says: “Often real estate agents need more than just photos. They may also need videos, social media video, maps, antennas, iGUIDE (virtual tours), video transitions from dusk and day to night, the on-camera officer doing the narration, etc.

For example, a seller who only orders photos and doesn’t use drone photography will likely pay less than someone who buys both. Be sure to consult your real estate agent about their recommendations and your photographer about their specific pricing.

Your home is now photo-ready to hit the market

By following these twelve practical steps, you can effectively stage your home for photographs and maximize its visual appeal to potential buyers. A well-staged, professionally photographed home can help position it to succeed in a competitive market.