When selling or renting out a property, we want the listing to stand out at first glance. Ideally, it should be more eye-catching than other listings. Great photos can help with this! But how do you achieve them?
It might seem simple—just hire a professional photographer. This step is important, but it’s not the only one. Along with modern technology, photos can do a lot, but to be successful, the property needs to be prepared before the photographer arrives. Here’s how to do it!
The key word for this preparation is homestaging. Don’t worry, the process isn’t complicated, but it does take some time. Where to start? The first step should definitely be cleaning. Get rid of all unnecessary items, put shampoos away in cabinets, fold your clothes, and load dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Make the property impersonal; potential renters or buyers aren’t interested in which brand of laundry detergent you use. Polish the windows, faucets, and kitchen counters. While cleaning, fix any issues in the property—broken handles won’t look good in photos, and you’ll need to fix them before handing over the property anyway, so why not do it now?
After cleaning, it’s time for decorations. Don’t skip this part; the property should look inviting so the client wants to move in immediately. Make the beds, fluff the pillows, arrange towels in the bathroom, and put fresh flowers in vases. Go through each room in the house and look at it critically through the eyes of a potential buyer. Does the room look cozy? Is it tidy? Remember, less is sometimes more—use neutral colors and decorations. Beige bedding is more effective than purple with flowers, for example. Done? Great, now it’s time for the actual photos.
When taking photos, don’t forget about good lighting. It’s best to shoot on a sunny day, but it’s still good to turn on all the lamps and chandeliers. A professional photographer will handle this well. Also, don’t forget to take photos of the hallway, the exterior of the house, and the garden.
Final Tips:
Simplicity is beautiful—don’t overdo the decorating.
Ask the photographer to take detail shots as well; you can use them for promoting the property on social media.
If you’re not confident in styling the property yourself, find a photographer who prepares the property on their own.
When creating the listing, think about the order of the photos to create a virtual tour of the apartment.
