Common Mistakes to Avoid

When Preparing for

Real Estate Photos

By Kelly Vandever, Real Estate Agent, Keller Williams North Atlanta

Call or Text Kelly ~ 770. 597.1108

When selling a house and getting ready to take pictures,

make it all about the house. 

I’m not telling you to put these items away because I don’t love

you or because I think your personal possessions aren’t important. 

I’m telling you this for your own good.  So that people looking to

buy your house will be looking at your house and not trying to figure

out the story of the people who are currently living in the house.

And for heaven’s sake, make sure the house is super clean too!!!

Kitchen Appliances, Knife Sets, Soap

Keep the items on your counter to a minimum.  It’s OK to have a decorate item or two, but for the most part, we want the people considering buying your house to see lots of counter space and how lovely your kitchen is.  Pack away what you won’t be using before you move and store everything else in the cupboards and pantry.

Refrigerator Art

The children in your life are awesome artists.  It’s helpful to have the phone number to poison control handy.  You have great memories of the trips you took that resulted in your amazing magnet collection.  I get it.  Now, take off everything hanging on your refrigerator and pack it away.  Hang them up again when you get to your next house.

Excess Furniture

Removing extra chairs and side tables can really open up a space and make it look that much bigger.  Move all but the major pieces of furniture to the garage, basement or rented storage unit.

Hygiene Products

Store your soaps, shampoos, hair products, curling irons, blow dryers, deodorant, shaving gel, and the like out of view, behind a cabinet or closet door. 

Bedside Table Supplies

Take all those items of daily living that sit on your bedside table and store them away for the photos.  Remove the alarm clock, remote controls, books and magazines, tissue boxes, etc.  Do keep the lamp - but get rid of the rest.

Family Photos, Religious Icons, Collections and Personal Memorabilia

Pack away the various family photos, religious icons, personal memorabilia and all those items that are precious to you and express who you are as a person.  But items don’t belong in the photos used to market your house.  While you may have beautiful children, a devotion to your faith, and a trove of memories from your concert history, you don’t want to distract the prospective homebuyer.  You want them focusing on the built-in bookcases, not the nick knacks sitting on them.