July 4th, our Nation’s birthday, was a good day. Enough so, that I launched Torben Photography the same day! Known as JT Pedersen, J. Torben, or simply JT, I’m looking forward to sharing a wider range of topics with you.
For those of you looking to sell your home yet this season, here’s a checklist for you as you prepare to have pictures taken.
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Good pictures are crucial marketing tools for a home sale. It begins with a home professionally photographed as an important part of effective marketing. Homeowners and Realtors® depend on high-quality, high-resolution images not just to sell the home, but to sell it at a higher price, sooner. Visit Distinctive Delphine for more information on buying a new home.
Wall Street Journal, August 2012: “According to research from the National Association of Realtors, 98% of home buyers who searched for a home online said photos were among the most useful features of real-estate websites.” And, “listings with nicer photos gain anywhere between $934 and $116,076.”
Elsewhere, studies by larger real estate concerns, like Redfin, find professionally shot photos result in 61% more views!
Typical sales price increases more than pay for professional pictures—across all price tiers.
Creating high quality imagery is a team effort. Homeowners must be involved in the process if professional photographs are to do their job. It really is important. The home needs to be clean and de-cluttered though not necessarily ‘sterile.’
Hiring a professional stager to help prep the home may be advised.
Anything distracting from presenting the home in the best manner possible must be addressed. Religious, political, and highly personal items (e.g. family photos) should be removed. Seemingly simple things like a cat atop a refrigerator, dogs (or people) asleep on the furniture, destroy the photograph’s intent.
The goal is to enable potential buyers to project themselves into the home.
The following checklist is provided for agents and homeowners to help prepare for a photographer’s visit. The list is not all-inclusive but does provide a pretty good starting point based on past experience. Definitely take these into consideration when buying or selling Austin Real Estate.
Staging List | Inside
 All light fixtures work properly |
 Closets, tidy with nicelyhung clothing; floors cleared |
| Turn every single light ON |
Hide (out of sight): |
| Towels on towel bars |
– Trashcans |
| Add, or remove, artwork |
– Cleaning supplies |
| Remove toilet covers |
– Magazines |
| Remove rugs; unbroken floor space increases perceived square footage |
– Books |
| Clean all windows, glass, counters |
– Coffeemakers (etc.) |
| Dust everything |
– Tissue boxes |
| Remove cobwebs |
– Religious items |
| Curtains, fresh looking |
– Political items |
| Open all window and door covers; let all the light in |
Broken decorations |
| Refrigerator, free of magnets, kids’ drawings, fingerprints |
Exposed power cords |
| Bedrooms, beds made, tidy |
Turn OFF |
| – Ceiling fans | |
| – Computers (screens, specifically) | |
| – Televisions | |
Staging List | Outside
 Prune trees, foliage |
Hide (or out of sight): |
| All light fixtures work properly |
– Trash cans |
| Turn every single light ON (for twilight shoots) |
– Garden tools |
| Grass, freshly cut and raked |
– Lawn equipment |
| Clean, Swept, & Dry |
– Vehicles |
| – Driveways | – Toys (including in pool areas) |
| – Sidewalks |  Pool, clean, clear water |
| – Patios | |
| – Decks | |
| – Staircases |
Staging List | General
 Vehicles |
| – Driveways clear |
| – No parking in front of home |
| Garage |
| – No vehicles |
| – Clean, de-cluttered |
| – As much ‘off’ floor as possible |
| Pets |
| – Fish in clean tank, Ok |
| – All other pets out of sight |
A typical photo shoot will focus on these shots:
| Exterior Front & Front Corner |
Master bedroom and bath |
| Exterior Rear |
Main bath |
| Main living area |
 One or Two other attractive featuresidentified by Owner or Realtor® |
 Main living area |
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