With more and more buyers using the internet to find new homes, properly done photos and a virtual tour are an absolute essential. As we are getting closer to the Spring market, I thought it would be a good time to share some ideas from the team on how to get your home ready for a virtual tour. (When we list a home we do all of the work to get it picture ready so they have a few ideas!). Check out these tips from the in-house Staging team.
Getting Your Home Ready For A Virtual Tour
- Make sure your home is ready BEFORE the camera person arrives! Don’t leave last-minute fixes and repairs for the morning of your appointment. Some companies will give you some extra time once they arrive – but not a lot! You’ll either end up unhappy with the results or unable to reschedule in time to get the finished product back in time for listing day.
- Make your home sparkle. Cameras tend to magnify dirt and grime so make sure each room is spotless. Don’t forget to inspect the floor coverings and walls. A discoloured spot on the rug might be easy to overlooked in person but the camera has a way of making those imperfections a focal point!
- Clean those bathroom and kitchen fixtures! Don’t leave dishes in the sink. Remove towels and other linens that might be hanging in the kitchen. Don’t leave dirty clothing on the bathroom floor, hang nicely folded towels, and clean all counters and mirrors.
- Hide your remotes, magazines and newspapers.
- Make sure to properly make up the beds.
- Rearrange and pare down the furniture. You want the space to look as large as possible so don’t crowd your space with unnecessary furniture. Start by identifying one or two pieces that can be removed from each room. Rearrange your furniture so that your room has a nice flow.
- Pack up the clutter on your counters and flat surfaces. The goal is to make these spaces look large. Try to limit yourself to 3 things on each surface and vary the height of each item. For example, on an end table you can place a lamp (tallest height), a small plant (medium height) and a book (lowest height).
- Keep your pets away from the house when you are getting your photos and virtual tours done. I think this one may be self-explanatory but if you’re wondering – they can get in the way and may distract the camera person and (believe it or not!) some people aren’t pet people!
- Keep yourself away from the photographer! It’s best to be at least a few rooms away – people in adjacent rooms may be visible in the finished product. In the perfect scenario, you leave for the duration that the photographer/videographer are there.
- Make sure ALL of your lighting is working and that ALL fixtures have working light bulbs.
- Make sure your window coverings are the way you want them to be as some photographers will not adjust them.
- Avoid scheduling your appointment on garbage day. You may be able to get your bins out of sight but trying to move all of the neighbourhood bins can be difficult!
- Don’t forget to clean up outside. Remove weeds, mow the lawn, trim the bushes, sweep up the porch, shovel, and put away any toys, bikes, rakes and any other clutter that has been left outside.
- Move your vehicle from the driveway and curb in front of your home.
Getting your home ready for a virtual tour is an important step in getting your home ready for the market. Taking the time to properly prepare for the photo shoot will certainly show in the finished product and will also help you to be ready for the first prospective buyer when they make an appointment!
Remember, keep you home in shape for the entire time it is on the market. You want buyers who liked what they saw online and in print to encounter the same home when they come in person!