These days, almost everyone is carrying around a high-resolution camera in their pocket. This means, of course, that real estate buyers in the Seattle area expect to see amazing home listings with top-notch, high-quality photographs. From Kirkland real estate to Belltown, coordinating with a professional photographer for your home sale is usually the best course of action. Even though you’re letting the pros handle the actual photographs, you will still be responsible for getting the home ready for taking center stage, and that’s a big responsibility that you don’t want to fumble. In fact, more than half of Realtors surveyed by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) say that their clients tend to be unprepared for
photographs.
If you want your space to be camera-ready, here’s a short list of steps you can take to make sure that your home is set up perfectly for its photo shoot.
Cleaning and decluttering the space
While it’s not the most fun part of selling a home, cleaning is one of the very first steps in any successful home sale. You can do this task yourself or bring in professional cleaners according to your preferences.
When it comes to decluttering your Kirkland home, this process is a little bit more of an art form, as you want to create a space that is open and free of unnecessary clutter but not awkwardly sparse, dull, or bland. In addition, be sure to depersonalize the home by removing personal items like photographs, sports trophies, refrigerator magnets, diplomas, and other memorabilia. That way, potential buyers will have an easier time imagining that your home is their own.
Lastly, be sure to do a quick once-over cleaning right before the photographer arrives. Dust every surface, clear away any lingering spiderwebs from the corners, perform one final vacuuming session, and clean the windows so that they let the sun shine through without a smudge.
Staging and curb appeal
Staging is one of the most important preparatory steps in any home sale, and this is even more true for luxurious, high-end homes where discerning buyers are expecting the very best.
Expert staging entails making the home look universally appealing by arranging furniture and decor in an inviting, aesthetically pleasing way. Staging will help buyers visualize their lives within the space and imagine how each room can be used for their purposes. For these reasons, staging is essential, and it needs to be done before taking listing photographs if you want to generate maximum interest in your listing.
When you’re staging, you’ll want to do so with a creative, detailed eye to ensure that your property will stand out in its listing photos. You can seek guidance from a professional stager if you’d like, and you could also get some tips from your agent or the photographer.
As far as the basics go, you want each room to look fully furnished and ready for occupancy, with a sense of style and function. Your home’s listing will probably include one or more exterior photos alongside images of all of the main rooms in your home. While you do not have to meticulously stage each and every room, be sure that the primary areas of your home — especially the kitchen, living room, and main bedroom — look as neat and inviting as they possibly can.
Remember to spruce up the exterior of your home to amplify your curb appeal. This process will include some basic landscaping, staging the outdoor space with lawn chairs or tables, planting new flowers, and performing pristine lawn care. Try to plan your lawn care routine around the photo shoot so that all grass and trees are freshly trimmed; you want everything to look picture-perfect.
Lighting
Lighting is a truly essential element that makes a home feel more inviting and open. Make sure your home is well-lit throughout, as you want to eliminate any awkward shadows or dark, closed-off spaces in the listing photographs. It’s crucial to provide bright, even lighting throughout every room. Allow natural light into your home as much as possible, and also include lots of diffuse electric light sources wherever the windows can’t reach. You can use mirrors strategically to reflect light and open up the space.
Overall, the goal is to create a bright and welcoming home in spite of any uncooperative Seattle weather. You may want to purchase a couple of extra lamps for this purpose. Your photographer will be well-versed in using lighting techniques to showcase all of your home’s most incredible features and design. You want your listing photographs to highlight everything that makes your home unique, from its open interior spaces to its elegant architectural elements.
Preparations on the day of the shoot
Once your home is magazine-cover-ready, be sure to do one final check on the day of the photoshoot to make sure that everything’s in tip-top shape. Do one last check for dust, debris, smudges, spills, and clutter. If you are still living in the home, be especially careful to ensure that each room is tidy before the photographer arrives. Make your bed, hide your toiletries, and try to make sure that your home looks more like a showroom than an occupied residence. Your photographer and agent will likely have additional advice, such as not parking your car in the driveway and moving trash cans out of view.
Get additional tips from an expert agent
Aside from fantastic listing photos, an experienced agent is just what you need to get your Kirkland home ready for success on the market. If you’re hoping to make waves in the Seattle area, get in touch with top-notch broker Jeff Reynolds. With a specialty in luxurious and upscale condos in Seattle and the Eastside, Jeff knows all the tools of the trade to get your home showroom-ready. Backed by 18 years of experience in greater Seattle, Jeff can guide you down the road to success. Reach out today!
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock