PREPARE FOR SUCCESS!

Realtors & home owners!  Preparing a home for sale will make marketing easier!  I created the sheets below so the process will be a little less stressful.  I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to a house and a homeowner says, I really wasn't sure what to do to prepare.  Well, that is why I created these sheets!

Some things that help your clients understand about the process:

• Explain that once they made the decision to sell their house, the home becomes merchandise.  It's like selling a car, you don't advertise a dirty car and when people come to see it, you want it to look it's best.  It's the same thing with a house, but a lot more money is at stake, so it's more important to make it please to a broader audience! 
• Personal photos should be taken down for safety reasons - they don't necessarily want to have childrens photos on the internet, nor do they want their school schedules or personal info posted all over the place for people to see when they are viewing the house.  Stop by an art store, like Michaels, or by Staples, and pick up one of those organizer booklets or portfolios with the clear plastic sleeves that you can insert papers into...  and it's a great place to feature their kids artwork too!  Every kid needs a portfolio!  
• Organize a little kit for your car for all listings!  Include daylight light bulbs (trust me, how often have you gotten to a house to find bulbs out?!)  A few nice looking fake house plants (they are on sale after season - get some generic ones, 3 small green ones on a tray on the back of a toilet looks nice, and white towels, some white throw pillows and a furry throw blanket, they will work on beds, couches and chairs, and it won't be as weird having white ones in lots shots.  You can get a couple striped ones to add a pop of color, just make sure it's a color that matches most of the popular colors at the moment.  You can also use throw pillow cases and just buy fill pillows at Joann Fabric.  Another trick is to sew velcro on all 4 edges on the front of an old throw pillow and get pieces of fabric to add velcro - it's a quick change for any look!  
• Remove pets from the home - either go for a walk or put in an area that won't be photographed.  Even nice pets get stressed out - I have been bitten by a super sweet dog that had no idea what was happening.  It happens!  Homeowners sometimes forget that!  It will also make the process go faster, because we won't have to worry about pets photobombing pictures.
• The less people home the better - and just before a photo shoot is NOT the time to start dinner.
• Remove cars from the driveway BEFORE we get there.  We usually start from the outside, then go in.  It actually helps keep our shoots in order so we don't confuse houses.

Free Downloads:

Listing Presentation Insert

Prepare Homes for Photography

Photography Confirmation Sheet for Sellers

Preparing for Twilight Photos

My Pinterest Board for Staging Ideas

Car Kit Suggestions:

Throw Pillow Covers

White Towels

Pretty Fake Bamboo Plant 

Fake Lemons