The importance of high-quality, professional-looking real estate images in the sale of your home cannot be overstated. Most buyers start their property search online these days, and listing photographs entice them to want to learn more. If you don’t photograph your house in its finest light, your listing is unlikely to gain any traction – and it may take a long time to sell. Great listing images, like most things, are the result of a lot of planning ahead of time. So have a look at these six tips for preparing your Bartlesville, OK home for real estate photography.
1. Depersonalize Everything
Depersonalize everything in your Bartlesville before taking real estate photos. The idea is for purchasers to see themselves in your home, with all of their stuff in situ and them living there. “[M]ost people are seeking for a clean slate on which to start over with no traces of prior occupants.” Remove personal belongings from the entire property.”
Here are some of the key things to do to achieve that empty-slate effect . . .
“Replace any photographs of family members or other sentimental artefacts on the walls with art prints or posters. Also, replace all of your towels with new ones to make it appear as though you no longer live there. Remove personal objects such as hygiene products from restrooms, toys from rooms, wind chimes from the patio, and anything else that is deemed a personal item.”
2. Clean the Kitchen and Bathroom(s)
Certainly, you’ll need to deep clean the entire house before taking real estate photos. But if your time or energy is limited, be sure to at least give the kitchen and the bathroom(s) plenty of cleaning attention.
Make sure to clear the counters as much as possible in the kitchen to emphasise the available counter space. “Coffee makers, mixers, and decorations on kitchen countertops can distract purchasers and make the kitchen appear cluttered.” Remove everything from the worktops save a few decorative objects and clean the entire surface area, including the appliance, kitchen sink, and backsplash.”
The same can be said for your bathroom (s). “Remove everything from the bathroom counter and arrange shampoo bottles, soaps, shaving razors, and other items in a basket that can be stored beneath the bathroom sink.” You want your bathroom to appear larger and more open. Countertops, sinks, toilet, and shower should all be cleaned. Place any ornamental towels neatly folded on the towel rack and a few for display items on the countertop.”
3. Remove All Pet Evidence
Many individuals adore pets, but others despise them or are allergic to them. As a result, when preparing your Bartlesville home for real estate photography, make sure the dogs are out of sight and that any evidence of their presence is removed from the photo locations.
“When you put your home for sale with images of your favourite family pet running around in the yard and lying on the sofa, prospective buyers may find this upsetting,” real estate professionals say. People believe that if you take photos like these, you’ll leave behind filth, odours, and dander that will need to be cleaned up. After all, some people suffer from severe allergies, and seeing a picture of a pet may immediately trigger them.”
They advise removing dogs from the premises during picture shoots, as well as “any sign of them, such as dog homes, bags of food, bedding, feeding dishes, and so on.” Contact a Bartlesville representative at (539) 664-8033 for further information on how to proceed.
4. Light It Up
Also, when shooting real estate shots, make sure your home is well lit. Good lighting and abundance of light can help to bring out the greatest qualities of your home. You’ll need both natural and artificial light to avoid shadows and have the greatest lighting possible.
To bring in as much natural light as possible, open all the drapes, curtains, and blinds. Then, after checking for dim or burned-out bulbs, turn on all the lights and lamps before photographing the interior. But keep in mind that you don’t want harsh, glaring light, so “choose lights that emit a pleasant, natural glow.”
5. Take up Floor Coverings
Another thing (which is often overlooked) you should do to prepare your house for real estate photos is to take up floor coverings.
Buyers want to view the flooring in person. In listing images, they aren’t very interested in seeing your area rugs, runners, and mats. Additionally, deleting them “allows for better light reflection and shows more depth in the images.” Moreover, removing floor coverings will avoid creating the impression that you’re attempting to conceal flaws in the flooring.
6. Work on Curb Appeal
Remember, too, that your real estate photos will be of both the interior and the exterior. And that means, of course, that you’ll need to work on curb appeal. Here’s what the pros recommend . . .
“Before the photographer arrives, mow the yard, prune shrubs/trees, pull weeds, rake leaves, and remove animal waste. Items like sacks of soil, garden hoses, lawn decorations, toys, random chairs, yard care equipment, and other clutter in the yard can turn off potential buyers, so hide them. Repair minor flaws, wash mud off plaster/siding, replace damaged gutters or screens, and wipe off windowsills if possible. You may also use eco-friendly green paint to patch up brown spots in the yard and apply fresh mulch around trees.”
And Lean on Your Agent’s Expertise
All of these items must be completed prior to photographing your listing. Local markets, on the other hand, differ, and what works in one may not work in another. That’s why, before the photoshoot, you should enlist the help of your local Bartlesville agency. So call us at (539) 664-8033 when it’s time to take real estate images of your Bartlesville home.