Listing prep

How to prepare a home for listing photos and video

A room by room list to forward to a seller before a listing shoot. Most of it takes an evening, and every item done ahead is time the crew spends on the frames instead of on tidying.

Use what applies. A vacant house needs little more than the lights and the exterior. An occupied one needs the whole list.

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The checklist, room by room

  • Exterior

    • Cars off the driveway and away from the front of the house.
    • Bins, hoses, tools, and toys put away or around the side.
    • Lawn mowed and walkways swept a day or two before.
    • Outdoor furniture set out, with the cushions on.
    • Pool uncovered and clean, if it is open for the season.
    • Garage doors closed.
    • Seasonal decorations taken down.

  • Entry

    • Shoes, coats, bags, and umbrellas put away.
    • Mail and keys off the table.
    • Floor clear, and the door glass clean.

  • Kitchen

    • Counters cleared, apart from one or two pieces that belong there.
    • Dish towels, sponges, soap, and the dish rack out of sight.
    • Fridge front cleared of magnets, papers, and photos.
    • Small appliances put away.
    • Trash and recycling bins out of frame.

  • Living areas

    • Remote controls, chargers, and cables out of sight.
    • Pillows straightened and throws folded.
    • Coffee tables and side tables cleared.
    • Toys and games put away.

  • Bedrooms

    • Beds made, with the bedding smooth.
    • Nightstands cleared down to a lamp.
    • Closet doors closed.
    • Clothes, laundry, and bags off the floor and the chairs.

  • Baths

    • Toilet lids down.
    • Counters cleared of toiletries, razors, and toothbrushes.
    • Bottles out of the shower and the tub.
    • Fresh towels folded, or none at all.
    • Bath mats and scales put away.

  • Garage

    • Doors closed for the exterior photos.
    • If the garage is being photographed, cars out and the floor as clear as you can get it.
    • Bikes, tools, and bins pushed to one wall.

  • Pets

    • Pets out for the shoot, or able to move into a room we have already finished.
    • Bowls, beds, toys, and litter boxes out of frame.
    • The yard picked up before the exterior photos.

  • Lighting

    • Every light on in every room, lamps and under cabinet lights included.
    • Burned out bulbs replaced, with bulb colors matched where you can.
    • Blinds and shades set to the same height through the house.
    • Ceiling fans off, because a moving blade blurs.
    • Pool and landscape lighting on, if the listing has a twilight session.

  • What to leave out of frame

    • Personal photos and anything with a name on it.
    • Mail, bills, and paperwork.
    • Prescription bottles and medication.
    • Jewelry, cash, and other valuables.
    • Written alarm codes, passwords, and spare keys.
    • Anything the seller would not want online.

On the day

What the crew handles

The seller does not need to worry about any of this.

  • We work room to room in a set order, so anyone at home can move into a space we have already finished.
  • Every room is shot as bracketed exposures and blended in the edit, so the room and the view through the window both hold detail. The lights still help, so leave them on.
  • The floor plan scan, when it is in the package, happens on the same visit.
  • Aerials, when the package includes drone, are flown when the weather and the airspace allow. We check the airspace for the address before the day.
  • Color, straight verticals, lens corrections, and cleanup of sensor marks are handled in the edit, after the shoot.
  • Twilight, on the Signature package, is its own short visit at dusk.

The whole shoot, prep to delivery

Questions

Questions we get about listing prep

How do I prepare my house for real estate photos?
Turn on every light, set the blinds to the same height, clear the counters and bathroom surfaces, move cars off the driveway, and put away anything personal: photos, mail, medication, and pet things. Then go room by room through the checklist on this page. Most of it takes an evening.
Should all the lights be on for listing photos?
Yes, every one, even on a bright day, with any burned out bulbs replaced. Lamps and under cabinet lights count. Set the blinds and shades to the same height through the house and turn the ceiling fans off, because a moving blade blurs in a photo.
What should I do with my pets during a listing photo shoot?
If you can, take them out for the shoot. If not, they need to be able to move into a room we have already finished. Either way, bowls, beds, toys, and litter boxes go out of frame, and the yard gets picked up before the exterior photos.
How long does a listing photo and video shoot take?
Most homes take about one to two hours on site. Twilight, on the Signature package, is a separate short visit at dusk. A house that is ready when we arrive keeps that time on the frames rather than on tidying.

Keep reading

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Book a 20-minute call.

Tell us what you are trying to do. If it is a fit, we send an agreement and pick a date.

Replies within one business day. Signed agreement on every job. You own the finished work.

Prefer to write? Send us a note at studio@thecoremedia.co

Core Media Co.523 Lake Avenue
Saint James, NY 11780studio@thecoremedia.co

Based in Saint James. Working across Smithtown, Huntington, Port Jefferson, and all of Suffolk and Nassau County.