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How to Prepare For Your Photography Appointment

You’re almost there! You’ve signed your listing paperwork, and hopefully met with a stager to discuss how best to display your home. Next up – the photography appointment! Staging and photography go hand in hand. Even the most beautifully-staged home will look much worse in bad photography – and even the best photographer can’t make an un-staged, cluttered home look like a masterpiece. At PREMIER, we contract with some of the best real estate photographers and stagers in the city to make sure that your home looks as appealing as possible to potential buyers.

These days, over 90% of buyers start their home search online by looking on MLS.ca, social media, or brokerage websites for properties that suit them – and the key to bringing these buyers through your front door is good photography.

However, even our outstanding photography team needs your help. Here are some things that you can do to ensure that our photographers capture your home’s good side.

1. Make your bed

While you may have pulled the blankets up and tidied the pillows, a little more effort will go a long way. Remember, every home buyer on the internet is about to tour through your bedroom. White or neutral sheets and coordinating bedding will look the best in photos – and make sure that all stuffed toys are hidden under the bed or in the closet!  Here’s a great video on how to make your bed photo-ready.

2. Don’t forget the bathroom!

Bathrooms and kitchens play a huge role in a buyer’s decision process. Any amount of dirt could very well turn them off. Before photos, and regularly while your home is on the market, give your bathroom a good scrub.

Some other things to consider:

• Take out the trash before photos, and before showings!
• Use plain white garbage bags instead of grocery bags in your trash bin.
• Remove everything from the counters (and wipe them down). For your listing photos, all your countertops should be completely bare – no toothbrushes, toiletries, or soap.
• The same goes for your shower! Remove all unnecessary toiletries. You can put them back after!
• Use clean, neatly-folded, matching or coordinating towels and hand towels.
• Make sure that the toilet lid is down! Not just the seat (although we’ve seen that too!) – the whole lid should be closed.

3.  Show your kitchen some love!

Just like bathrooms, kitchens are huge deciding factors for buyers. Buyers consider your kitchen as a barometer for how dirty the rest of your home is.

Our beautiful listing at 1811 Hunters Run Drive in Orleans has a showing-ready kitchen! The countertops are sparkling clean, and bare except for a nice knife block and some small, manicured plants.

• Again, remove everything from the counters! One or two small appliances (like a coffee maker or a stand mixer) or a nice knife block can stay out if they’re clean.
• Remove everything from the fridge and freezer doors! Magnets, calendars, and kids’ art  should all go away for the photos and showings. De-personalizing a home can allow buyers to imagine themselves living in the home.
• Wash, dry, and put away all dishes! If you have a counter-top dish rack, put that under the sink for the photos as well.
• Wipe down appliance doors, and polish them if they’re stainless steel.

The bedroom, kitchen, and bathrooms are three major areas that buyers judge in photos. Even if you haven’t worked with a stager, these tips can help you make your home look the best it can for photos and showings!