The Ultimate Home Photo Prep Checklist

Get every room camera-ready so your listing stops the scroll.

Your listing photos are the first showing your home ever gets. Buyers usually scroll through them before deciding whether to see a house in person, and those photos stay with the listing the whole time it's on the market. This guide is for sellers getting ready for the photographer who want every room, and the outside of the house, to look its best on camera.

It's split into two short lists, one for the exterior and one for the interior, plus one simple rule that covers just about everything else.

Start outside, since that's usually the first photo

The front of the house is typically the lead image, so curb appeal matters. Mow the lawn, trim around the walkways, trees and bushes, and pull the weeds before putting fresh mulch in the beds. Scrape and refresh any flaking or peeling paint or stain, and clear debris off the roof and out of the gutters.

Then take a slow walk around the property and look at it the way a camera would. Clean windows, working outdoor lights and a driveway without obvious cracks all help the house look cared for from the curb.

Inside: neutral, clear and calm

Neutral walls photograph well and let buyers imagine their own style in the space, so the guide recommends repainting bold rooms in neutral shades and touching up scuffs and marks on the walls.

Countertops are where clutter shows up most on camera. The guide's rule is two items per counter, at most. Pare the toys down and keep the rest organized, and give each room a warm, inviting feel so it reads as a place someone would want to live, not a place where things get stored.

Out of sight before the photographer arrives

Pets and everything that goes with them, like bowls, beds and toys, should be tucked away for the shoot. The same goes for personal items and anything you wouldn't want strangers looking at online.

And then there's the guide's general rule, which I love: if you think something is ugly, buyers will too. Trust that instinct as you walk through each room. If something makes you wince, put it away or fix it before photo day.

The free checklist covers every item inside and out, so you can work through it room by room before the shoot.

Common questions about photo prep

How much should I leave on the kitchen counters?

Two items per countertop, at most. Everything else can go in a cabinet or out of the house for the day.

Do I need to repaint before listing photos?

If a room has a bold or very personal color, repainting it a neutral shade helps it appeal to more buyers. At a minimum, touch up scuffs and marks so the walls look fresh on camera.