The largest obstacle in selling a home or a living experience is the abundance of items and objects sitting between the home and the buyer. In order to mitigate these issues and to streamline how a home should be presented, JUST TOURED has formulated the following pre-shoot checklist. This checklist is specifically built for real estate agents and is to help minimize our photographers and creative specialists’ time cleaning or organizing and to maximize their time behind the camera.

You and your clients must ensure the following are complete in before our arrival, as the difference between a prepared and unprepared home is vital. This can potentially impact the quality of the marketing materials we deliver you. This is always in YOUR HIGHEST REGARD!

There may be a substantial number of items on here that do not apply to every house. Still, specifications are essential as many of the listed requests are easy to forget about on the fly. 

We always want the appointment to go as smoothly as possible for all involved parties. Overall, clean and staged homes sell much faster than cluttered ones, as potential buyers are able to visualize the listing without the distraction of a seller’s tchotchkes and clutter. We strive to deliver a premium quality experience, and we need your assistance in setting the proverbial table.

 

Exterior

  • Remove cars from the driveway and front of the home, either in the garage or down the street. Garage doors should remain closed.

  • HIDE garbage cans, hoses, and gardening tools.

  • Mow lawn and remove leftover debris (twigs, branches, discernable weeds).

  • Remove any toys or sports equipment from the lawn and driveway.
  • Uncover pools and hot tubs if clean; skim leaves. We will turn on lights and hot tub jets. Please put away cleaning equipment.
  • Clean and arrange outside furniture, open patio table umbrella, tidy chairs, and plump cushions.
  • Remove grill cover and hide utensils.
  • Sweep sidewalks, driveway, patio, decks, and pool area.
  • Remove all flags (the United States flag is an exception), hanging ornaments, and home security signs.

Lighting

  • Turn on ALL lights in the house; replace burnt-out bulbs.
  • Turn ON ceiling fan lights; please keep fan OFF.
  • If a window has curtains, please open them. If the window has blinds, lower them but keep horizontal slats open.
  • Turn all TVs and computer screens OFF.
  • Any glass door/window/mirror should be clean and free of streaks or fingerprints.

Kitchen/Dining Room

  • Recommended: Use standard dining table set up (i.e. plates, napkins, placemats, cutlery. Place bowl of fruit or flowers to add color, if possible).
  • Clean off and wipe down all countertops.
  • Remove appliances, knife blocks, toasters, etc. ONE nice, modern-looking device can stay (i.e., coffee maker or tea kettle on stove).
  • Remove all items from the refrigerator (no magnets, pictures, etc.)
  • Remove throw rugs, hanging towels, and paper towels.
  • Hide garbage can, remove dishes and drain stopper.
  • Straighten and tidy all chairs.

Bedrooms

  • Make all beds; use decorative pillows if available.
  • Remove ALL clutter from end tables, dressers, and nightstands. This includes personal photos, drinking cups, alarm clocks, etc.).
  • Store away the phone, tablets, charging cords, books, tissues, and other items.
  • If possible, remove all personal photos.
  • Address any clutter under the bed that may show in photos or video.
  • Walk-in closets should be clean and kept.

Bathrooms

  • Arrange clean hand and body towels to be orderly.
  • Hide all trash cans, plungers, or toilet scrubbers.
  • Remove floor mats and be sure to close the toilet seat. Apply fresh toilet paper roll.
  • Remove hygiene products from the counter, including bar soap, medications, and toothbrushes.
  • Remove shampoos, razors, and loofahs from the shower; close the shower curtain or door.

Living Room/Family Room

  • Vacuum, sweep, and mop where appropriate. This includes sweeping/dusting wooden floors.
  • Tidy couches, fluff pillows, remove clutter from tables/desks.
  • Dust off any screens.
  • Sweep wooden floors.

Please help us create the most welcoming and visually appealing space possible by utilizing this Pre-Shoot Checklist. Not only is this integral to your success, but this makes all of our lives easier.

When on site, our Creative Specialists will do VERY light staging, but we will not move items that could cause harm or injuries. We will also NOT touch personal hygiene items and devices.