First impressions are important. When it comes to listing a home for sale, though, they’re everything. That’s why it’s so disheartening for a real estate photographer to show up at a home and find out that it’s less than ready for its close-up. Not every home deserves to grace the cover of a magazine. But buyers want to be wowed in some way when they arrive at the curb — it’s why it’s called curb appeal, after all. If you’re thinking of selling your home, here’s what real estate photographers have to say about what to do — and what not to do — when getting it ready for listing photos.
1. Add color to the yard.
Rob Moreno, a Boston-based real estate photographer, is a fan of adding some flowering plants in the front and the back of the home. As a real estate photographer, he encourages his clients — the real estate agents selling the homes — to make the home “wedding day ready” for photo shoots.
2. Power wash the exterior.
You can rent a power washer for the day, but your local handyperson or landscaper likely can do it for you quickly and reasonably, depending on the size of your home. “A dingy-looking house may come sparkling clean and make the color of the house pop with a proper power wash,” says Moreno.
Be sure to include garage doors, as well as other hard surfaces like decks and patios. Now’s also the time to touch up the exterior if there’s any evidence of peeling, and that includes the front door, says Moreno, who is always sure to snap a photo of the front door for listings.
