Make the Best of Your Home's Photo Op 

It’s often true that “A picture tells a thousand words.” That’s why there’s one day in the sale of your home on which you particularly need to be on your game, because the results are perhaps the most crucial aspects of your home’s marketing. We’re talking about photo day.

By the time you reach that day, you should have completed all the prep work, following advice we offer here, here, and here. In a nutshell: If it’s dirty, clean it; if it’s broken, fix it; if it’s ugly, get rid of it, and so on.

What the camera captures will be the cornerstone of your listing the entire time your home is on the market. Before choosing to see your home in person, most buyers will see your listing online, and they will likely go directly to the photos. Those photos will often determine whether or not someone wants to see your home in the first place.

For starters, we always recommend that a professional home photographer takes the photos. Smart phone photos will not cut it in this competitive market. That’s why we hire a professional home photographer at no extra cost to our sellers. These professionals typically use the latest and best equipment and often have the technology and wherewithal to ensure shots are the best that can be taken.

Once all of these arrangements are in place, run through this 10-step checklist to ensure you’re really ready for the photographer.

1. Your home already should be in market-ready shape. Double check any work, such as painting or repairs to make sure they’re complete. If you’re using a stager, everything should already be in place.

2. Make sure everything is clean, swept, vacuumed, dusted, wiped down. This goes without saying, but it needs repeating over and over. This should be a daily—or at least semi-daily—occurrence the whole time your home is on the market.

3. Ensure all shades, blinds, and curtains are open (unless there’s an unattractive view out of a given window).

4. You should have already ensured that all lights work and no bulbs are out, but now you need to turn all of them on.

Continue reading here.

Christopher Prawdzik and his wife Angela Logomasini are licensed Realtors® with Samson Properties in Alexandria and are members of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® Top Producer’s Club. Operating as D.C. Region Real Estate, they serve the Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland real estate market and offer comprehensive real estate services, including 4½% full-service listings.

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