How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photography

The first step in finding the right apartment is to start searching online. It doesn't matter if you're in Belgrade or London, the key to finding a nice apartment to rent is to look for legitimate real estate agency Belgrade online. We don't want to brag about numbers and the fact that many people use our agency website. Yet, you already know that, given the fact that you are reading this article now.

What you maybe don't know is how important is the apartment photography. It is essential to take great photos of your property and post only the highest quality photos online.

The first impression is very important. When it comes to real estate we form the first impressions just from looking at the photographs. As with everything else in life we usually believe that what you see is what you get. If your photos represent the apartment or a house in a bad light, there's a great chance that potential buyers will decide to look for another place that fits their criteria better. That's why we made a guide that will help you to prepare your home for real estate photography.

Our professional team of photographers throughout years of experience learned to avoid potential deal breakers. We are excited to share with you some of the most important tips and tricks for representing your property online in a good light.

General rules

Clean the apartment. Vacuum the carpets, do the dusting, clean the floors, and clean the windows. Apartment hygiene and overall cleanliness is a fundamental part of the decision making. Don't let the poor first impression ruin your chance of finding the suitable tenants. Tidy up all rooms. Put the clothes, shoes, dishes, toys, and newspapers away.

• Put away everything that's too personal, like quirky artwork or grandma's old cross stitches that recently had a great comeback.
• Make sure that all lights are on, and change the burned out light bulbs. Every room has to be well lit.
• Turn off TVs, computers and all electronics.
• Remove all floor covers, especially the ones that cover wooden floors.
• Move away all trashcans.
• If you have pets make sure to put away their beds, bowls and feeders, and their toys.
• Put some flowers in a vase and make the color pop. Flowers look great in photos.

Bedroom

• Make the bed and tighten up all bed covers.
• Pick up nicely colored bed linen and cushions that will brighten up the room.
• Put away all personal stuff, and make sure to shut the closet doors and drawers.
• Take out all phone chargers and other electrics.
• Clean the area under the bed and put away everything you might want to keep off the photos.

Kitchen

• Take out all dishes from the sink. Make the sink look sparkling clean.
• Clean the countertops. Put aside kitchen cloths, knives, cutting boards, detergents, and sponges.
• Leave only one kitchen appliance on the countertop.
• Take off all fridge magnets, postcards, and sticky notes.
• Set the table for a fancy dinner party. Use only the best cutlery and table decoration.
• Put the fruit basket on the table. The colors will invigorate the photos and make them stand out.

Bathroom

• Put the toilet seat and cover down.
• Clean all countertops. The best way to photograph the bathroom is without toilet paper, soaps, and shampoo bottles in sight. You should also store toothbrushes, deodorants, and laundry detergent in cupboards.
• If you decide to leave the towels on hangers, make sure that they are clean, new, and decorative.
• Remove all floor covers and decorative toilet seat covers.

Outdoors

(It doesn't matter if you have a small backyard, balcony or a terrace – similar rules apply. Don't underestimate the effect one nicely decorated balcony can have on interested parties.)

• Pick a nice, sunny day for photography and the ideal time of the day to maximize the natural light. 
• Park your car somewhere else, and leave the driveway empty.
• Mow the lawn, trim overgrown hedges, and rake leaves.
• Put aside garden tools, hose, toys, bicycles, and bins.
• Clean after your pets.
• In wintertime clean the snow from the driveways and walkways.
• If you have a swimming pool make sure that it's perfectly clean.
• Invest in some plants and colorful flowers in the garden.

Last minute checkups

• Turn on all the lights in the apartment, even the ones on kitchen appliances (i.e. the light on the range hood).
• Lit some candles, light up the fireplace, and turn on all decorative lights.
• Roll up the blinds, open window shutters and let the light in.
• Take your pets for a walk, especially if they tend to get anxious around new people. That way the photographers can work without any distractions.

If you wish to prepare your property for rent, house for sale or a short term rent apartment, don't disregard the importance of great photography. Take some time to clean and tidy up so your photos could look perfect. That takes time and effort, but it will certainly pay off.