How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photos
Photography day is when your home starts becoming a listing buyers can actually see.
You do not need to turn your house into a model home. You do want to remove the everyday things that make the camera notice your belongings instead of the house.
For sellers in Niceville, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach, the goal is simple: clean, clear, bright and ready before the photographer arrives.
At This Milestone
What is happening
The photographer is coming to create the images buyers will see when your home enters the market.
What you need to do
Have the house clean, uncluttered and photo-ready before the scheduled appointment.
What I am doing
Making sure the listing information, photography and launch plan work together so the home is ready when buyers first see it.
We Want Buyers Looking at the House, Not Your Stuff
A camera sees a room differently than you do when you live there every day.
The dog bed you barely notice, the collection on the mantel, the magnets on the refrigerator, the laundry basket beside the dresser and the garden hose by the driveway can all become part of the photograph.
None of those things mean there is anything wrong with your home. They are simply distractions we can remove before the photos are taken.
If you are running short on time
Do not try to redecorate the whole house.
Start with the things buyers will notice first: cars, clutter, counters, floors, beds, bathrooms, blinds, lights and anything related to pets.
The Best Setup Is an Empty House During the Appointment
If possible, have everyone out of the house while the photographer is working.
The photographer will be moving from room to room, changing camera positions and photographing areas from angles that may not be obvious while you are standing in the room.
It is easier to work efficiently when the photographer does not have to wait for people to move from one room to another.
Please take pets with you if you can.
This is not just about keeping pets out of the photographs.
A photographer is an unfamiliar person walking throughout the house. Exterior doors may need to be opened as the photographer moves inside and outside.
We do not want your dog or cat to become frightened, slip through an open door or run away.
The safest and easiest plan is for pets to be off the property during the photo appointment whenever possible.
Do the Moving and Cleaning Before the Photographer Arrives
Photography time should be used for photography.
Do not plan on the photographer moving furniture, cleaning counters, making beds or deciding what belongings should be hidden.
Clean
Floors, carpets, counters, sinks, appliances, mirrors, tubs, showers and windows should be clean before the appointment.
Declutter
Reduce extra furniture, photographs, collectibles, toys, toiletries and everyday items sitting on surfaces.
Put Things Away
Cleaning supplies, laundry, pet items, garbage cans, bathroom products and kitchen equipment should be stored out of sight.
Check Every Room
Stand at the doorway and look at the room as if you were seeing it for the first time. Remove anything that pulls your eye away from the room itself.
Start at the Street
Before the photographer arrives, walk to the street and look back at your property.
- Move cars out of the driveway and away from the front of the home.
- Check the home's curb appeal from the street.
- Trim or straighten landscaping and potted plants.
- Blow or rake leaves from walkways and exterior areas.
- Turn off sprinkler timers so sprinklers do not run during photos.
- Move garbage and recycling bins out of sight.
- Put away hoses, tools, toys and outdoor equipment.
- Straighten fire pits, grills and wood-pile areas.
- Clean obvious driveway stains when practical.
- Put away pool toys and loose pool equipment.
- Tidy sheds and visible storage areas.
- Straighten deck and patio furniture.
Make the Whole House Look Consistent
Light and Windows
- Open blinds consistently throughout the house.
- Turn on lights and lamps.
- Replace burned-out bulbs.
- Replace noticeably mismatched bulbs when possible.
- Turn ceiling fans off.
- Turn televisions and monitors off.
- Clean windows and mirrors.
Clutter and Personal Items
- Minimize excess furniture and clutter.
- Reduce visible personal photographs.
- Put away cleaning supplies.
- Hide cords where practical.
- Remove visible pet bowls, beds, toys and other pet items.
- Tidy key racks, shoe areas and note holders.
- Secure valuables, firearms and other sensitive items.
- Empty visible trash containers.
Use Less, Then Straighten What Remains
- Reduce and align unnecessary furniture.
- Limit extra tables and footstools.
- Fold or put away loose blankets and throws.
- Straighten pillows and reduce extras.
- Reduce visible collectibles and small objects.
- Declutter the fireplace and mantel.
- Push dining chairs in evenly.
- Keep dining-table staging simple.
Clear Counters Make the Kitchen Easier to See
- Put away pots, pans, utensils and visible food.
- Clean appliances.
- Clean countertops and sinks.
- Put away oven mitts and dish towels.
- Hide soap, sponges and brushes.
- Store dish racks and extra countertop equipment.
- Tuck away cords from small appliances.
- Remove magnets, papers and clutter from the refrigerator.
- Move garbage cans and unnecessary floor mats out of sight.
Make the Bed and Let the Room Breathe
- Make every bed.
- Put clothes and shoes away.
- Put away or neatly arrange children's toys.
- Hide hampers and laundry baskets.
- Close and clear dresser tops.
- Declutter bedroom vanities.
- Clean mirrors.
Think Hotel Bathroom, Not Morning Routine
Your toothbrush, shampoo and hairbrush are normal parts of life. They just do not need to become part of the listing.
- Clean countertops and sinks.
- Clean mirrors.
- Clean showers and tubs.
- Put away toiletries and personal-care items.
- Use only a small number of clean, neatly arranged towels.
- Remove unnecessary bath mats.
- Put bathroom scales away.
- Clean toilets and close the lids.
You Are Not Preparing for an Inspection
Photography day is not about proving that the house is perfect.
We are not trying to hide defects, disguise the property or make a room appear to be something it is not.
We are removing ordinary visual distractions so a buyer can see the home clearly.
A clean kitchen counter does not change the kitchen. Moving three laundry baskets does not change the bedroom. Moving the cars does not change the driveway.
It simply lets the photograph show what the buyer is actually considering buying.
Before You Leave on Photo Day
- Cars are moved.
- Garbage bins are hidden.
- Sprinklers are off.
- Blinds are open consistently.
- Lights and lamps are on.
- Ceiling fans are off.
- Televisions and monitors are off.
- Kitchen counters are clear.
- Bathroom counters are clear.
- Toilet lids are down.
- Beds are made.
- Trash has been emptied.
- Pet items are out of sight.
- Pets are safely off the property if possible.
- Everyone has what they need and can leave the photographer to work.
Then stop.
You do not need to keep finding things to fix.
If the house is clean, orderly and ready, let the photographer do the photography.
You Are Here: Photography Day
Selling a home gets easier to follow when you know what is happening now and what comes next.
Photography Day
See the Complete Seller Journey
Preparation, photography, showings, offers, inspections, repairs, appraisal and closing fit into one seller roadmap.
Complete Seller Roadmap →Next Milestone: Your Listing Goes Live
Once the listing is active, buyers can find the home and showing requests begin.
Listing Goes Live & Showings →The Photos Become Part of the Marketing
Once photography and the listing information are ready, the home can move into the market.
The MLS, price, photographs, property information and showing access work together. Photography cannot rescue the wrong price, and price cannot make poor photographs disappear.
Our job is to give the right buyer a clear look at the property and remove unnecessary reasons to keep scrolling.
Questions Sellers Ask Before the Photographer Comes
Should I be home during real estate photography?
I prefer the house to be empty of people during the appointment when possible. It gives the photographer room to work efficiently without asking people to move from room to room.
What should I do with my pets?
Taking pets off the property is the best option when practical. Besides keeping them out of photographs, it reduces the risk of a frightened pet getting through an exterior door while the photographer is moving around the property.
Do I need to remove everything personal?
No. This is still your home. The goal is to reduce visual clutter and highly personal items so the house remains the focus of the photos.
Should I remove all furniture?
No. An occupied home can photograph well. Reduce unnecessary pieces, arrange the remaining furniture neatly and make sure buyers can see the size and function of each room.
Should the lights be on for real estate photos?
Have working bulbs in place and the home ready with lights and lamps on. Open blinds consistently and turn ceiling fans, televisions and computer monitors off.
What if I cannot get everything perfect before the photographer comes?
Focus first on the areas the camera will see most: exterior, counters, floors, windows, beds, bathrooms and visible clutter. The goal is a clean and clear presentation, not perfection.
Photography Day Means Your Home Is Almost Ready for Buyers
At each step, I want you to know what is happening, what you need to do and what comes next.
Today that means getting the home photo-ready. Next we put those photos to work when the listing goes live.
About This Checklist
This preparation guide is based in part on the real estate photography checklist provided to Uber Realty by Alluring Images, LLC and on Uber Realty's seller-preparation process.
The exact photography plan can vary with the property, weather, occupancy, photographer and listing needs.
Jim Whatley, Broker/Owner • Uber Realty LLC • 850-499-2940 • jim@uberrealty.com
Florida Broker License BK3174026 • Florida Brokerage License CQ1038333 • Equal Housing Opportunity