When it comes to marketing your home for sale, a picture is worth a thousand words. High-quality images of your home (and ideally a virtual tour) are a critical aspect of a good marketing strategy.
If you’re working with a Guelph Realtor, hopefully he or she will enlist (and pay for) the services of a professional photographer. But whether or not it’s a pro behind the camera, you’ll need to prepare your property for the shoot. Here’s how:
Exterior
Curb appeal is critical. Every Realtor has taken a buyer to home at some point, only to have the person flatly refuse to head inside, just based on a poor impression from the home’s external appearance. The opposite effect happens, too.
To boost curb appeal for photos, undertake the following tasks:
- Tidy up front and back yards by edging, cutting the grass, and sweeping.
- Take stock of your gardens, shrubs, and trees. Get out the pruners – or the axe if need be! – and consider planting some seasonal annuals, particularly at the front of your house. Topping your gardens with fresh mulch adds a quick visual boost to garden beds, too.
- Pay special attention to your home’s entry way, freshening up any plants, welcome mats, wreaths, or other porch decor.
- Remove any cars or bikes from the driveway, and close the garage door.
- Put garden equipment and hoses away.
Interior
When it comes to your home’s interior, again there are some general Staging activities to complete in order to get ideal photo results:
- Clean and declutter thoroughly.
- Remove waste backets from view temporarily.
- Turn off ceiling fans and televisions.
- Let in the light, by opening all curtains (unless the view is a negative), and turning on the lights. All light fixtures should have the same bulbs – bright, soft light works well with interior photographs.
- Escort your pets out of the photographer’s line of sight while he or she is working.
In addition to those basics, here are a few specific tips for:
Kitchens
- Clear counters off and go for a very minimalist look with regard to countertop appliances, etc.
- Remove any photos and papers from your fridge.
Bathrooms
- Clean off counters and think ‘spa like’ when it comes to items like soaps and hand towels.
- Close toilet lids before shots are taken.
- Open shower curtains, particularly if the interior of your tub looks spic and span.
Bedrooms
- Make beds (and consider sprucing up with new linens if yours are a bit tired).
- Ensure that all clothing is put away.
Garage
- Generally, this isn’t a spot of the house that translates well in photographs. Unless your garage is specially-finished and, for example, has special allure for car lovers or has a professional-looking workshop, forego adding these photos to your marketing repertoire.
Finally, a quick word on security, because it’s important to remain security-conscious while you are listing your home. Consider putting high-value items out of sight while photos are being taken – or ask the photographer if he or she can obscure specific items using photo editing software.
