I’m sure by now you’ve read our blog about How to Prep for Listing Photos & Video, but what about those things you should AVOID doing before listing photos? Well, we’ve got you covered there too 😊
Here is a list of things to make sure you don’t do, and will help the listing photo & video experience go a lot smoother!
1. DON’T schedule photos & video immediately after cleaning, staging, or when the punch list is supposed to be finished. These things tend to take more time than planned, and if something goes wrong then you may have to pay a fee to reschedule, and potentially for days later than you had hoped.
2. DON’T assume the home is ready based on the word of the homeowner. It’s not that we think homeowners are unreliable, because most of the time they are. BUT…there have been several times we’ve shown up to a house that was “ready” per the homeowner, and it was in complete shambles! Everyone feels bad when that happens, so make sure you have seen the property and verified that it is ready at least the day before photos.
3. DON’T leave up seasonal decorations, holiday decorations, or party decorations. Not only are these things distracting, they can also date your home and let people know just how long it’s been on the market. Not to mention the added time it will take away from the shoot if the photographer has to wait for them to be taken down.
4. DON’T have a bunch of people at the home. The best case scenario is to have the homeowner take the kids and pets out of the home while the photographer is there. We love having agents and/or homeowners meet us there in case there is something we need, but after the initial walkthrough and prep of the home, everyone is invited to leave to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted photo & video session!
5. DON’T forget to update the entry instructions. If no one will be able to meet us at the home, that is totally fine! Just let us know if there will be a SentryKey lockbox, construction lockbox, or keypad on the front door or garage, and let us know what those codes are. Also, if the homeowner will be home, just let us know their name and that they will be meeting us there. It’s no fun to be told to use the lockbox and then find someone in the home we didn’t know would be there!