1. Cleanse Your Home: When it comes to professional listing photos, it almost helps to think of your house as a model home instead of your personal haven. Your listing photos will appeal much more to prospective buyers if trade-in your personal knick-knacks and opt for minimalist chic-decor. Start by cleaning off shelves of crammed in books, de-clutter your end tables of unnecessary items and personal possessions.  Stash away games and toys. If you’re able to put your off-season clothes in your basement or storage, do that as well. By eliminating items from your closet that are not needed (for whatever reason), the end result will make your closets appear larger and more move-in ready!

2. Scrub Away:  Most homeowners are prone to leave their toothbrushes, cosmetic bags, razors, contact cases on the counter; but, when your are preparing to put your home on the market, personal items should not be out for the public to see; put them in a cabinet, or drawer for both listing photos and showings. Potential buyers are not viewing your home to see what type of toothpaste or eye cream you use.

3. Be Basic: When you’re selling your home, you want buyers to easily be able to envision themselves living there. So, after cleansing your home, remove even a little more of your personal decor. Think like a minimalist when it comes to the decor throughout your house. Remember you want your home to appear stylish, but it should almost seem like more of a model home than an actual home when buyers are walking through.

4. Natural Lighting: There is nothing worse than seeing a beautiful home listed for sale with dark unattractive listing photos. Dark photos will not do your home justice in terms of atmosphere, style and size, which will have prospective buyers move on to the next home. When you’re selling your home, do yourself a favor in not only opening the blinds before taking your listing photos, but also turning on all the lights in your home. Let your professional listing photographer decide any adjustments that may be necessary.

5. Crystal Clear: Before you take your listing photos, do yourself a favor, open all your blinds and go grab the Windex. Your window glass should be crystal clear, so clear that a bird might try to fly through it. Not only should the glass be clean, but the entire fram of the window. Buyers don’t want to see more work that they’ll have to do on the home they’re envisioning as they’re own. So, if you want your home to appear pristine in your listing photos, your windows should be streak-and-dust free!

6. Dig Out Your Curb Appeal: Thankfully the snow has mostly melted, fingers crossed there is no more on the way. With that said, make sure you keep your driveway, sidewalk, curb and front door stoop clear for the safety of prospective buyers – and, most definitely, for your listing photos, too.

7. Repeat Your Home Cleanse: If you think you’ve striped every personal item from your home, think again. Outdoor property like vehicles in the driveway, hoses left out for watering, abandoned patio furniture and even full trash cans may clutter up listing photos enough to turn off that just-right potential buyer. So, once you’ve de-cluttered inside… make sure you take a look around the perimeter of your home as well.

8. Remove Pet Items: Even if a potential home buyer is an animal owner, they may not love your dog or cat. So, to avoid any potential issues, it would be a good idea to put away your pet’s personal items, too. Hide any kitty litter or dog toys, along with food and water bowls. Although your animal is a part of your home, prospective buyers may not want to call them their own.

9. Conceal Your Cords: Lets be honest, our outlets are all jam packed with cords on-top of other cords and probably some more cords. However, if your outlets are visible, (i.e. not hidden behind furniture), it would be a good idea to unplug all of your cords and conceal them behind the given electronic. Listing photos do not need to show that you have 3 cords plugged into an extension cord which plug into your wall outlet. Your home will appear much more tech-and-buyer-friendly if your cluttered cords are conveniently unseen.

10. Put Away Valuables: Always keep in mind when you are selling your home that your listing photos will be online while your home is on the market. Therefore, remove valuables from visible site before the listing photos are taken and appear online for X amount of time.

When you’re selling a home, listing photos can play a major role in your home-sale success. Make sure that you’re putting your home’s best foot forward from that first listing photo. If you’re ready to put your home on the market, but you need a some assistance contact an experienced, professional real estate agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty. Our Agents will be happy to help you with any of your real estate needs.

Source: BHHS The Preferred Realty

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