Prepare your home for the photo shoot
The question I get asked by most homeowners when we schedule their home photo shoot is: "Do I have to remove or move a lot of things?" However, I think the ideal question to ask is: "Is my house in the best condition to be photographed?"
The question I get asked by most homeowners when we schedule their home photo shoot is: "Do I have to remove or move a lot of things?" However, I think the ideal question to ask is: "Is my house in the best condition to be photographed? In many cases, the answer is a capital NO and the #inmofails are counted in hundreds of thousands...
In the more than five years that I've been photographing #viviendasbonitas for MonapartI have found everything: unmade beds, leftovers from the previous night's dinner in the dining room, dishes to be washed in the kitchen, blown light bulbs, uncorked walls, filthy bathrooms... You name it, I have found it!
When a homeowner decides to put his house up for sale or rent, he must understand that his home becomes a product to be marketed.
Being aware of the transition from home to product is very important, because it will help the owner to change his or her mind-set and understand that the house should be presented in the best possible way in order to attract the attention of potential buyers/tenants and you should only use good photos to advertise your property. So, dear seller or lessor, repeat after me: "Is your house ready for the photo shoot?" If the answer is no, read on because these tips will help you:
1. Order, order and more order.
It is essential that your home is tidy. Without nuances. Whether you are an inveterate reader with books everywhere, a bohemian artist who works from home or a collector of Lladró figurines, the different rooms in the house must be uncluttered so that the photos can convey their true dimension. A cluttered and cluttered home always looks smaller than it is, so take the opportunity to sift through, get rid of all the clutter and tidy up.
In addition, the uncluttered environments invite potential clients to plan their new home more freely and to recreate themselves in the multiple possibilities of each room.
2. Cleanliness is beauty.
It is often taken for granted, but the truth is that not everyone has the same criteria when it comes to the minimum standards of cleanliness that a home must meet... As in the previous point, without nuances, the house must be "as clean as a whistle". The bathroom should look like a spa; the kitchen should be tidy, with no drains, rags, dirty dishes or pots and pans; the bedrooms should look like hotel rooms; the living room should be sparkling... Shall I go on?
3. Neutralises the environment.
Houses with a very pronounced personality are more difficult to market because it is harder for clients to project themselves into them. The main rule of staging is to "neutralise" the environment: Remove clutter, personal photographs, excess decorative objects and personal effects in bathrooms from view. The latter is a must.
4. The magic of Home Staging.
Empty flats or flats in need of refurbishment often look a bit dreary in photos, they look cramped and unwelcoming... Hiring a service of home staging can be a good practical and aesthetic solution to prepare your house for sale, because with a few pieces of cardboard furniture, a few plants here and there and some light touches, the same space will be well furnished, decorated and illuminated.
There are many home staging in the market. We know well Paula Blanc (Palma) and La Observadora Home Staging (Alicante).
5. Get your house ready.
Photoshop is not a miracle worker and a damaged flat cannot be saved with a good photo editing program. Potential buyers will see an old, neglected house and will walk away. Decide together with your real estate agent the improvements to be made: repair damages (peeling walls, damp, broken furniture, loose electrical wires, etc.), repair bathrooms and kitchen, ensure good lighting, paint... It is proven that the buyer values the improvements above their real cost.
6. Think green.
Nature is life, and decorating a corner of the living room or bedroom with a plant or putting flowers on the dining table will bring energy and joy to the space. You must make sure that the plants are in good condition and look beautiful on the day of the photo shoot, because having planters with dead plants has a very bad effect...
In a nutshell: A picture is worth a thousand words. From a text read, after a few days we only remember 10%, but from a photo, 65%. Without a doubt, when marketing your property for sale or rent, descriptive texts, search parameters, etc. are very important, but the main hook for active demand are the photographs. If you follow these tips to prepare your home for the photo shoot, it will look beautiful, captivate potential buyers/tenants, and you will receive more enquiries and viewings than if you don't.
Is your home ready for the photo shoot before you put it on the market or rent it out? If the answer is no, these 6 tips will help you know what to do before you put your house on the market and let EVERYONE see it.
