How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photography: A Checklist for Agents

TLDR: Wondering how to prepare your home for real estate photography? The best real estate photos start with preparation. Schedule your shoot after the home is staged, cleaned, and empty of visitors . Clear the property of other vendors, prep the exterior (cars, landscaping, clutter, trash cans), prep the interior (clean and declutter), and handle lighting for twilight shots. Open Homes team members capture the home as-is; we don’t move furniture, clean, or declutter, so a well-prepared property is crucial to making sure the listing shines.

The best photos start with a little preparation

As storytellers, our photographers capture the essence of every room so clients can actually feel what it’s like to live there. But we rely on you, the listing agent, to help us tell that story.

To get the best real estate photos, schedule Open Homes services once staging is complete and the home is clean and free of visitors. The ideal window is after the listing has been properly set up and staged, but before any broker’s tours or open houses.

Not sure when to book? Contact us — and read on for tips on getting the best real estate photography in the industry.

The agent made sure cars were parked out of sight, the lawn wa smoswed. hedges trimmed, and all lights were turned on.

General preparation

One of the most important things you can do to ensure our photographers are set up for success is to ensure the property is clear of all other vendors and contractors at the time of your appointment. A clear property means a faster appointment and better results for your listing.

Depending on your order, we may already have a photographer, videographer, and draftsperson working simultaneously — adding more people to the mix causes delays. This is especially critical if your order includes a 3D Matterport Tour: our Visual Artist uses a 360-degree camera that scans each room, and if anyone appears in the frame, even briefly, the scan must be redone. Multiple interruptions can add significant time to the appointment.

The patio is clean, free of clutter, and simply staged. Although the fire pit couldn’t be turned on during the shoot, our editors easily added a Virtual Fire in post-production.

Exterior preparation checklist

• Park cars somewhere out of sight — away from your driveway and the front of the home
• Clean up landscaping (mow the lawn, rake leaves, trim shrubs)
• Remove clutter from the front yard (garden hoses, children’s toys)
• Stage the patio, porch, balconies, and decks
• Hide trash cans
• Clean the pool and hide all cleaning supplies
• Turn all water features on

Blinds and curtains are open, and the nightstands are cleared of clutter and personal items— exactly the interior prep that lets our Visual Artists focus on their craft.

Here, counters were wiped down, surfaces were cleared, and everything was dusted and vacuumed.

Interior preparation checklist

• Thoroughly clean all rooms that will be photographed (vacuum, dust, mop, clean windows)
• Have the fireplace running, if possible (if not possible or not realistic, no worries — we automatically provide versions with digitally altered Virtual Fires in every fireplace!)
• Remove personal photographs, mail, and anything else with identifying information that you want to keep private
• Remove clutter and wipe down tables and counters
• Clear the sink of any dishes
• Store away all phone and tablet chargers to keep the space looking tidy

Every interior light is on, the string lights are lit, the deck staged — this is the twilight checklist done right, ready for our photographer.

This outdoor dining tables is clear except for an inviting bottle of champagne and a floral centerpiece. All lights are on and our photographer is free to do their thing while the sky is perfectly lit.

Twilight photography preparation

• Turn on all interior and exterior lights, and confirm every bulb works and ideally matches in color (natural, incandescent, etc.)
• Confirm all landscape lighting, exterior lighting, and pool lighting is on
• Open all blinds and window treatments throughout the home
• Turn on all gas fireplaces, plus any outdoor fireplace or fire pits (as mentioned, we will automatically provide versions with digitally altered Virtual Fires in every fireplace and fire pit, so don’t worry if you’re not able to light these or turn them on)

We strive to offer the best experience, but we can’t do it all

We’re here to help you with your listing, and provide the best photos in the industry. That being said, our Visual Artists arrive at the property assuming it is prepared for us to shoot as is, and that you’ve staged it just the way you want it. This means that Open Homes cannot be responsible for:

• Arranging/moving furniture
• Cleaning or decluttering
• Removing trash cans

If we notice something out of place, like a set of blinds that was left halfway up or a pillow that’s fallen over, we’ll take care of it, of course. If there’s something that both you and our photographers miss, you can use your five free edits to make changes to the photo(s).

A little preparation on your end is what lets our Visual Artists focus on what they do best: capturing your home’s story.

Frequently asked questions

When should I schedule real estate photography?

Schedule once the home is fully staged, cleaned, and free of visitors.

Why does the property need to be empty of other vendors?

Multiple teams on-site cause delays. For 3D Matterport Tours especially, anyone appearing in the 360-degree camera frame forces the scan to be redone, adding significant time to the appointment.

What does Open Homes Photography not handle during a shoot?

We photograph the home as staged. We don’t move furniture, clean, or declutter.

How do I prepare for the Twilight Shoot?

Make sure all interior, exterior, landscape, and pool lights work and ideally match in color. Open all window treatments and turn on every gas fireplace and fire pit.

What if I’m not sure how to prepare or I have other questions?

Contact us — we’re happy to chat before your appointment!