1. Declutter

Eliminating the clutter in your home allows our team to produce images that make your home more appealing before a buyer even walks in the door.

We want your home to appear clean, calm, and welcoming, and decluttering is the first step in the right direction. Not only can extra clutter in your home be overwhelming and unappealing to potential buyers, but it can also make your rooms look smaller and distract from the great features you want viewers to notice. This is especially true for kitchens and bathrooms, where many small, daily-use items tend to collect.

2. Deep Clean

A fresh, clean appearance will make a big difference in your photos and leave potential buyers wanting to walk in and see for themselves.

While deep cleaning, here are some things to keep in mind. In kitchens, countertops and sinks should be cleaned and wiped free of crumbs, spills, and splatters. In bedrooms, nightstands and dressers should be dusted, and bed linens should be clean and made up. In bathrooms, toilet lids should be closed and countertops should be cleaned and wiped down. Dirty or mismatched towels and all toiletries should be hidden. All floors should be swept or vacuumed and hard services should be mopped. Limit the number of small rugs on your floor and make sure any that are visible are clean. It’s also always best to hide any evidence of pets!

Here is a list of areas that are often forgotten when deep cleaning:

• Glass Doors

• Mirrors

• Glass Showers

• Blinds

• Fans

• Baseboards

• Switch Plates

• Appliance Surfaces

• Splatters on Walls

• Backsplashes

• Pet Fur

3. Staging

Staging is the perfect finishing touch to create an inviting look that buyers are attracted to.

When selling your home, it’s all about presentation. We have loved working with some amazing professional stagers who can work magic in spaces that need a little love. While we would love to recommend a certified professional, we also understand that hiring a stager is not always in the cards for every listing, so here are a few general tips for staging your own home. Neutralize colors as much as possible. Light, neutral window treatments create a clean uplifting look. Use decor to enhance and not distract from the room. A few tasteful throw pillows can go along way. Check that all bulbs are working and are consistent colors, even in lamps. Decorate in groups of odd numbers or with symmetry in even numbers.

Here are a few things that professional stagers will recommend removing:

• Excess furniture

• Overbearing Colors

• Mismatched Linens

• Laundry Baskets

• Garbage Cans

• Extra Floor Mats

• Excess Decor

• Small Item Collections

• Holiday Decor

• Mail/Paperwork

• Dark Curtains

4. Front Yard

The front exterior of your home is usually the first photo a buyer will see.

We want yours to stand out among other listings that buyers will be browsing (most likely scrolling) through, and there a few things you can do to help prepare your front yard for a first impression. Make sure your grass, trees, and shrubs are manicured and that dead plants are removed from beds and planters. A fresh coat of black mulch makes a big impact. Cars, bikes, and garbage cans should be stored in the garage or hidden. A fresh coat of paint on the front door can transform the look of a home. Make sure all bulbs are working and are the same temperature. If you have great outdoor lighting, we can showcase that with a twilight appointment, which is scheduled just before sunset to capture the evening glow of your outdoor spaces.

Front Exterior Checklist:

• Cut Grass

• Trim Shrubs/Trees

• Remove Dead Plants

• Fresh Mulch

• Hide Garbage Cans

• Remove Bikes/Toys

• Hide Vehicles

• Check Lightbulbs

• Clean/Paint Front Door

• Clean/Paint Garage Door

5. Back Yard

Taking care of the back yard will ensure your home presents well from end to end of the property line.

Preparing backyard areas for professional real estate photography sometimes gets forgotten with so many interior preparations, but these are areas that can make a big impact on the sale of your home. Patio furniture should be matching or coordinating and arranged neatly. Grills, outdoor electronics, appliances, and hot tubs should be clean and uncovered. Pools should be clean and free of cleaning supplies. Pools and hot tubs with jets, waterfalls, lighting, etc. should have all features turned on, especially for twilight photos. Grass should be manicured and any beds should be topped with fresh mulch. Outdoor decor does not follow the same neutral color rule as indoor. Bright pops of color in pillows, flowers, or tasteful accent decor can add a lot to a space. However, limit the amount of smaller items such as wind chimes, bird feeders, etc.

Decluttering is important outdoors, too! Here are things to hide from your photos:

• Broken Furniture

• Folding Chairs

• Dead Plants

• Toys

• Garbage Cans

• Bikes/Sports Gear

• Excessive Decor

• Trash

• Cups

• Paint Cans

• Building Supplies