The Seller’s Essential Prep Guide
A step-by-step checklist for home staging and preparation, ensuring your listing photos drive maximum buyer interest.
The First Step to a Quick Sale
Prep Your Home for a Media Showcase!
First impressions are crucial, and we want your home to leave a lasting impact! Explore carefully crafted, organized tips to elevate every corner of your home, ensuring your listing media stands out.
This interactive guide walks home sellers through essential steps to enhance curb appeal and interior spaces, helping showcase your property at its best for listing media.
The Step-by-Step Home Preparation Guide
For the best media results, ensure your home is fully clean and ready before your appointment.
Front Exterior & Curb Appeal
The front exterior creates the very first impression. Reel them in with undeniable curb appeal!
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Close the garage doors.
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Sweep Off porch or sidewalk of any debris.
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Remove cars from driveway and front of home.
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Clean Up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves).
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Remove empty planters and visible water hoses.
Back Exterior & Yard
Display the home’s personal oasis to frame the buyer’s journey!
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Clear the yard of any tools, toys, debris, and pet waste.
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Mow yard, Pull weeds, and Trim shrubs.
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Clean porch/patio of leaves and debris.
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Tidy Up all outdoor furniture and cushions.
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Remove visible water hoses.
Interior: General & Lighting
Keep buyers captivated by following these essential general tips:
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Turn ON all lights/lamps and Open all curtains, blinds, and shades.
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Replace burnt out light bulbs and ensure colors are consistent.
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Turn OFF all ceiling fans, TVs, and computers.
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Clean windows; Vacuum/Mop and Dust all living spaces.
Kitchen
The Kitchen is the main focal point. Keep all countertops clear to maximize space.
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Declutter countertops Completely (food, mail, etc.).
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Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, photos, etc.
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Remove dishes from sink; Hide garbage cans in pantry.
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Leave out a max of one small appliance (ex. coffee maker).
Dining Room
Allow buyers to imagine a nice family meal. Keep the table simple, elegant, and ready for guests.
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Clear table; Dust and Polish the table top.
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Feature one center piece (flowers, candles) or decorative place setting.
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Straighten all chairs and Remove child seats/boosters.
Living Room & Common Areas
This is the space to relax. Maximize its size and appeal.
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Arrange/rearrange furniture to give the room maximum space.
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Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
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De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth.
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Fluff and Arrange furniture pillows.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms should be neat, making the space feel like a luxurious hotel ready for rest.
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Make bed; Press linens and Bed Skirts.
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Clear nightstands of all personal items.
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Store charging cables; Remove all clutter from dressers.
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Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos.
Bathrooms
Minimize clutter to maximize the feeling of luxury.
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Clear countertops Completely (no soap, meds, etc.).
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Put toilet seats down; Close closet doors; Remove floor mats.
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Remove all shower/tub products.
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Remove dirty towels – Leave Only New, Unused towels.
Pets & Final Removals
Pets are loving but their presence should be minimized. Ensure all general clutter is gone before the shoot.
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Place food/water bowls, beds/toys in pantry or closet.
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Use lint roller to remove pet hair from furniture.
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Contain pets in hidden crate (garage or unfinished space).
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Clear back yard of pet waste.
Quick Tips
Answers to essential questions about our process and what we expect upon arrival.
What Our Team Will Do
- Adjust blinds & lighting for the best possible exposure.
- Close all toilet seats in bathrooms.
What Our Team Will NOT Do
- Move or rearrange furniture, clean, or declutter.
- Handle pets, babysit children, or replace/change lightbulbs.
- Operate security systems or enter unsafe/restricted areas.
Common Questions
While we absolutely love animals, we ask that if your pet must stay home, they are secured in a kennel/crate or kept in a closed room that does not need to be photographed. This ensures safety and efficiency.
We require 24 hours notice for any cancellation or rescheduling requests. Appointments cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice may incur a fee of 50% of the package price to compensate for our team’s locked-in schedule.
No. We are fully insured and bonded. If you provide a lockbox code or access instructions prior to the appointment, our team can handle the entire shoot unattended, saving you valuable time.
All music is licensed royalty-free. Our cinematic color grading is a signature part of our service. You can specify a preference (e.g., fast-paced, calming) in the booking notes, and our editors will align the track and pace with your request.
While we love to collaborate, we ask that no one else is at the home while we are shooting (stagers, or other contractors). Having others present inhibits our ability to provide the best quality media, as we require full control of the lighting and environment.
We kindly ask that if you are going to have your carpets shampooed, you do so 48 hours before the appointment time. As a courtesy, we take off our shoes when we enter a home, and no one likes wet socks!