Tall vase on table

A strong online photo presentation of a home may have never been more important than it is now. The share of home buyers who used the internet to search for a home increased to an all-time high of 97%, according to the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report conducted by the National Association of REALTORS®.

Real estate pros will want to make sure their seller clients prepare their house so it’s captured in its best light. Home stagers often will give recommendations of items to remove and how to position furnishings or accessories. Apartment Therapy recently highlighted several items to remove before a real estate photography shoot, including:

1. Tall vases: Large floral arrangements can be distracting in a two-dimensional photograph, and they can also hide the depth of a space, Robert Moreno, a real estate photographer in Boston, told Apartment Therapy. He says a low-profile arrangement would be better in a photograph to help maximize the viewpoint and layout.

2. Small rugs: Floor mats and runners can make a space appear smaller. “You want to be able to see the original flooring, and if you move tiny rugs and floor mats, it makes the space look bigger,” Zoe Wetherall, a freelance photographer in New York City, told Apartment Therapy.

3. Mismatched lightbulbs: Using both warm and cool lightbulbs in the same space can cause bad lighting in the photograph. Make sure to use the same type of lightbulb in the room. Most home stagers recommend warm or soft white bulbs with lower Kelvin ratings.

Read more tips on what to remove prior to a listing photo shoot at Apartment Therapy or check out these resources:

Staging Tips: Styling for the Photo Shoot

Top 10 Tips for Staging a Home for Photos

8 Camera Tips to Capture a Room’s Size

No Cost: A Photogenic Listing

Amateur vs. Pro Photos: See the Difference

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