Preparing your home for professional photos is a crucial step when selling your house. The photos serve as the first impression for potential buyers, shaping their perception and influencing their decision-making process. To ensure your home looks its best in photos, we’ve compiled a comprehensive checklist with tips and recommendations to help you get your home photo-ready.

1. Preparing Ahead of Time: Before the day of the photo shoot, there are several tasks you can tackle to ensure your home is in optimal condition for photography:

• Inside Preparation:
  • Clear off all flat surfaces,
  • Depersonalize by removing family photos and personal items,
  • Replace burnt-out light bulbs, and
  • Touch up paint on walls, trim, and doors.

• Outside Preparation:
  • Remove yard clutter and dead plants,
  • Trim bushes, clean up flower beds,
  • Remove gardening hoses, and store away seasonal decor.

2. On the Day of Photography or Showings: On the day of the photoshoot or any showings, focus on presenting a clutter-free and inviting environment:

• Kitchen:
  • Clear off countertops, put away dishes, hang dish towels neatly, and remove rugs, potholders, and trivets.

• Bathrooms:
  • Remove personal items from counters, showers, and tub areas
  • Move cleaning items and trash cans out of sight
  • Close toilet lids,
  • Remove rugs
  • Hang towels neatly.

• General:
  • Open window blinds/curtains
  • Move pet dishes, toys, and kennels out of sight
  • Make beds, put away clothing, toys, and valuables
  • Turn on all lights
  • Turn ceiling fans off

3. Nordy Policies for a Flawless Experience:

At Nordy Photography, we strive to provide a seamless and professional photography experience. Here are some policies to ensure a flawless photo shoot:

• Pet Policy:  We’re big fans of pets, but when it comes to photoshoots, we like to keep things pet-free. Why? It helps us focus on capturing the best shots without any extra furry distractions. If your pet can’t be off-site, please have someone manage them away from the photography area. Our photographers won’t handle pets or crates – it’s safer for everyone involved!
• Uninterrupted Creativity:  Our photographers are like artists in their zone – they do their best work when undisturbed. If you’re around during the shoot, we kindly ask you to let them weave their magic without interruption. This is super important when they’re piloting drones – for everyone’s safety and to ensure top-notch aerial shots!
• Special Requests:  Got specific ideas for your shoot? Fantastic! Just make sure to include them in your order form. Our photographers prep in advance to bring your vision to life, so last-minute requests might be tricky. Help us help you by planning!
• Ready, Set, Shoot!: If our team arrives and things aren’t quite ready, they’ll wait for 15 minutes. If the property isn’t set after that, they might have to jet off to their next appointment. Time’s of the essence, and sticking to the schedule ensures every client gets their fair share of photo magic.
• Obstructions in the Shot:  Got a stubborn dumpster or vehicle in the driveway that’s cramping your photo’s style? No problem! Just give us a heads-up before the shoot, and our editing team can magically make it vanish (in the photo, of course). Letting us know in advance allows us to provide you with an accurate quote for this additional editing service.
• Rain or Shine:  Rain or Shine, We’re Shooting: Rainy day? No problem! Our photoshoots go on, rain or shine. Thanks to our blue sky guarantee and top-tier editing, we’ll make it look like the sunniest day ever. If there’s a drone involved, we’ll reschedule that part but proceed with everything else as planned.

By following these guidelines and policies, you can help ensure that your home looks its absolute best in professional photos, attracting potential buyers and increasing the likelihood of a successful sale. For more information or to schedule a photo shoot, contact Nordy Photography today. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, and with Nordy Photography, your home’s photos will speak volumes to potential buyers.