Pictures are the first impression someone sees when buying a home. Get ready and get set for the photoshoot! You’re selling your home and the real estate agent has hired a professional photographer to capture the essence of the home. Keep in mind the photographer can only work with what he or she sees. It is up to the homeowner to assist the realtor and photographer in capturing the best features of your home.
Get Your Home Ready For Pictures
Where to begin? Curb appeal! The first thing a buyer will see is the outside of the home. It is up to you to assure the children’s toys are not lying all over the yard; the discarded flower pots are moved out of sight; the borders are mulched and flower beds and planters are looking their best. If you haven’t the time to do it yourself, hire someone to help. Mow the grass and make sure Ralphie, the dog, is nowhere in sight!
Pictures Provide the First Impression
Walking through the entry of the home, the prospective buyer’s first impression will be a lasting one. The photographer will be focusing on the open space of the rooms; the angle of natural light and lighting. The rooms need to be bright and welcoming with minimal personal items such as family photos.
Here is where one needs to declutter. Yes, children’s toys; fur children’s toys, and all those magazines or the laptop need to be out of sight and out of mind! Bookshelves should not have a lot of bric-a-brac to draw focus away from the beauty of the open space of the room in the pictures. Keep in mind ‘less is more’ when presenting the best features of your home.
Hire a Professional Photographer
Have you ever taken a really good look at your competition when getting ready to sell? Check out comparable listings online and look at the features that standout. What you don’t want the photographer to capture is a messy kitchen, unkempt bedrooms and sloppy looking baths. Yes, you live in your home but buyers don’t want to see cabinets piled with kitchen utensils; bedrooms with beds that look like you just crawled out of bed and bathroom with towels askew and makeup and tooth brushes on the vanity! MAKE THE BED and if you don’t have nice bedspreads, invest in a few or hire a stager to dress your home for a successful photo shoot.
While we are discussing ‘NOs”, please make sure the dog or cat’s food containers, water bowls and crates are NOT in the pictures! AND, the all-time NO, NO – make sure the toilet lids are down on the toilets!! Yes, it happens. Oh, and please pickup clothing on the floor around the rooms – no one wants to see dirty clothes. Don’t forget the closets. Yes, the photographer will be snapping pictures of your storage space including the closets and again it is important to present spacious closet spaces.
Remember the goal of the photos is to help the perspective buyer envision themselves living happily ever after in your home! A picture is worth 10,000 words!
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AUTHOR: Joyce Garrison-Ellingwood Pro Home Inspections
Inspectors licensing information: WV License # HI5820368-0620 MD License # 34197 VA License # 3380001839
We hope you choose Ellingwood Pro for your next home inspection! Our Certified Home Inspector completes home inspections in Allegany County, Maryland, Washington County, Maryland, Frederick County Maryland, Jefferson County, West Virginia, Berkeley County, Martinsburg, Bunker Hill, Hardy County, West Virginia, Hampshire County, West Virginia, Grant County, West Virginia, Morgan County, West Virginia, Frederick County, Virginia, Winchester City, Virginia, Shenandoah County, Virginia, Page County, Virginia, Rappahannock County, Virginia, Fauquier County, Virginia, Loudoun County, Virginia and Clarke County, Virginia.
