How to Snap the Perfect Staged Images of Your Home For a Fast Sale
Staged images of your home are make or break if your home is listed and you’re trying to sell in a hurry! Here’s how to perfect those shots of your home…
These days most people start the search for a new home by browsing the internet and looking at photographs of potential new properties online.
Staged images of your home can make it or break it if your home is listed and you’re trying to sell in a hurry. Your photos are what most people will rely on before coming to view your property.
Here are some tips on how to get the perfect shots of your home.
Remove Personal Items
When preparing to take staged pictures of your home for resale, it is important to remove any personal items from the space.
Items like family photos, political or religious books, collectibles or sports memorabilia draw the potential buyers’ eyes away from the space and instead to those items. These items can also be a turn-off to home buyers who may have a differing opinion or viewpoint than yours and you don’t want to turn them off from looking at the rest of your home.
It’s best to stick to the basics such as furniture and decorative pieces and use as many neutral colors and themes as you can. You can add pops of color and a sense of style with artwork or decorative couch pillows.
Get Rid of the Clutter for your Staged Images
Unfortunately, potential home buyers do not want to see staging pictures of lived-in houses, they want to see an ideal location where they can lay their own roots.
This means you will have to get rid of piles of magazines or newspapers, remote controls to the tv, and small tchotchkes. Removing these items will also give your home the feeling of being open, spacious, and not cluttered.
You can also add to the feeling of spaciousness by opening the blinds or curtains to let natural light in. Turn off artificial lights while taking pictures of your home to give it a warm and inviting feeling but be careful to avoid any direct light from the sun as it might glare in your photos. Adding sheer curtains to a window can help if you need to soften the amount of light shining in.
Also, be sure to clean any surface in your house that has a reflective finish. These surfaces will catch the light and show up in your staged pictures and any dust, dirt, or cleaning streaks will be very obvious.
Interior Focal Points
When taking staged photos of your home, there are a few interior rooms you should concentrate on.
The Kitchen
This is one of the focal points of your home that a buyer will want to see first. This is a crucial room for most people as friends and family spend a lot of time gathering in this location. You will want to take time to make this room feel warm and inviting and allow them to envision themselves in it.
Remove all small appliances from your countertops, clear the sink of dirty dishes, and hide your kitchen trash can. These items are visually unappealing. Be sure to give the counters and floors a good clean and once ready, add a few decorating pieces to enhance the space.
Dining Room
Not every home has a formal dining room, but you will want to stage your table for photos, even if it is just off of the living room. Clean up the surface of the table, get new cushions for the chairs, add some place settings, placemats, and a centerpiece and it will be looking good in no time.
Fresh flowers are also visually appealing so consider incorporating them into your centerpiece or atop a buffet table if you have one.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is another important room when shoppers are browsing houses for sale pictures.
Of course, just as with the other rooms of the house, you will need to remove any personal effects in the space, such as laundry hampers and photographs. Add some small lamps to your bedside tables, a mirror or small tidy plants on your dresser, and maybe a nice cushy chair in the corner next to the window. Then make the bed perfectly with a cozy-looking bedspread and pillows so that the room feels calm and comforting.
You can also use these techniques on the other rooms throughout the house, just on a smaller scale since those rooms aren’t as important as the master bedroom.
Bathrooms
Clear the bathroom vanity of all your personal items, tucking things underneath in the cabinets or medicine cabinet. Give all surfaces a good clean, set out clean folded towels and remove any garbage cans. Straighten up the shower curtain and floor mats and finally, place a new roll of toilet paper on the holder and you’re all set for your staging pictures.
The Exterior
When selling your home, the exterior sets the tone as the first impression your potential new buyer will have. It’s important to take as much time here as you do in setting up the interior of your home.
First things first, mow the grass and prune any bushes or trees you have in your yard. Get some newly potted plants or plant some flowers to give your space a nice lively look while keeping it fresh. Remove any unsightly things like vehicles, hose reels or children’s toys that will distract the shopper’s eye in the photograph.
If you have any outdoor furniture, be sure to give it a good clean and replace the old cushions with a new, fresh looking set. Repaint the exterior of your house in a neutral color for extra curb appeal and give the windows a streak-free clean.
Get Ready to Sell Your Home Fast!
These photography tips for how to take staged images of your home will help have your property sold in no time!
If you are ready to put your house on the market, please contact us and get ready to sell your house fast!