Real Estate Photography Checklist
This comprehensive checklist should help ensure your property is photo-ready!

Exterior Areas

[ ] Front and Back: Ensure all exterior areas are neat and presentable.

[ ] Vehicles: Remove all cars from the driveway and any other areas visible from the house. If comfortable, ask neighbors to move their cars from the street.

[ ] Personal Items: Clear all personal items from patios, porches, and garages. This includes toys, bicycles, garden tools, and seasonal décor.

[ ] Windows: Close and clean all windows.

[ ] Surfaces: Sweep walkways, driveways, porches, and patios.

[ ] Landscaping: Pick up leaves, sticks, and branches. Mow the lawn and attend to all landscaping.

[ ] Hoses: Remove all hoses.

[ ] Deck/Patio Furniture: Straighten and arrange all outdoor furniture. Clean patio furniture and open umbrellas.

[ ] Pool Area: Clean the pool area. Clean and remove covers from all pools, ponds, and water features.

[ ] Lighting: Turn on all exterior lights.

Interior: Main Areas

[ ] Personal Items/Clutter: Remove all personal photos, visible clutter from floors and horizontal surfaces, wastebaskets, trashcans, cleaning supplies, magazines, books, power cords, and any religious or political items.

[ ] Lighting & Ambiance: Open all shades, blinds, and window/door coverings. Replace any burned-out light bulbs. Turn on all lights. Turn off all ceiling fans, computer screens, and televisions.

[ ] Children's Toys: Tidy up or put away all children's toys.

[ ] Pet Items: Hide pet dishes, toys, and beds.

[ ] Flooring: Vacuum carpets and sweep hard floors.

[ ] Newspapers/Mail: Remove old or tattered newspapers, mail, and magazines.

[ ] Decorative Items: Display attractive books if desired.

[ ] Furniture: Remove and store excess or bulky furniture to open up floor space. Roll up and remove all floor mats from bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry areas. Consult a stager for decorative rugs. Less is more!

Interior: Kitchen

[ ] Appliance Surfaces: Clear all appliance surfaces of magnets, calendars, and personal items.

[ ] Counters: Declutter counters, stove, etc. Stow small appliances.

[ ] Storage: Store all food in cabinets.

[ ] Sink: Clear the sink of dishes and put away the draining rack.

[ ] Cleaning Supplies: Hide soaps and cleaning items, as well as dish towels and sponges.

[ ] Pantry: Clean and organize pantry shelves.

[ ] Overall: Remove everything but perhaps a few decorative items from the countertops and clean all surface areas, including appliances, the kitchen sink, and backsplash.

Interior: Dining Room

[ ] Chairs: Straighten and push in dining chairs.

[ ] Centerpiece: Add a centerpiece, candles, or a vase of flowers.

[ ] Dusting: Dust corners and furniture.

Interior: Bedrooms

[ ] Beds: Make all beds and arrange decorative pillows.

[ ] Clothing: Put away all clothing, shoes, and jackets.

[ ] Under Bed: Clean under the bed.

[ ] Surfaces: Clear surfaces of clutter, including nightstands and dressers.

[ ] Closets: Tidy closets.

[ ] Rugs: Remove decorative rugs.

Interior: Bathrooms

[ ] Cleanliness: Make the bathrooms sparkle. Shine all windows, glass, and counters. Clean mirrors. Clean the toilet and close the lid.

[ ] Towels: Hang fresh towels.

[ ] Toiletries: Clear counters of toiletries. Place all shampoo bottles, soaps, shaving razors, and other items into a bin that can fit underneath the bathroom sink. Remove everything from the tub and shower. You want the bathrooms to appear vacant.

Upon Arrival

[ ] Preparation: The property will be photographed as-is. Please refer to this checklist and be prepared prior to the appointment.

[ ] Lighting: Ensure all ceiling lights, extra lamps, and exterior lights are working and turned on. Window treatments should also be open before the scheduled arrival time. These will be adjusted during shooting for optimal results.

[ ] Ceiling Fans: Please insure all ceiling fans are turned off and clean.

[ ] Property Tour/Instructions: If necessary, be prepared to lead a short tour of the home or leave a letter with instructions detailing "home quirks" (e.g., light switches that don’t work, property line specifics, features to highlight or omit). Remember, photo stills are a teaser for your listing; not every nook needs to be displayed.

[ ] Occupancy: Plan to leave the house for a few hours. Shoots cover every part of the house, yard, and garage. Pets or children present during the shoot can be problematic. The best results come from an unoccupied space.

[ ] Lock-Up Instructions: If you won't be home, please leave a key and/or instructions for your preferred method of locking up. The photographer will message the Realtor, preferred contact, or client when the appointment concludes.