Sellers: The one thing you have to do right now!
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Are you thinking of selling your home this spring? I know that spring feels like a lifetime away, but there is actually one thing you should do in the next few weeks, trust me! The answer is exterior photos of your home. By taking exterior photos now we are able to capitalize on all of the gorgeous green leaves still left in the trees, green grass and flowers in your landscaping.
Trust me when I say that this extra step is so worth it and really does make a huge difference in the overall presentation of your home when it comes time to sell. Come spring time, buyers are daydreaming about warmer weather and what their home will look like with a bit of blue sky and sun. Most sellers don’t think this far in advance, so your home will look that much better than the competition!
Below is a quick list of the checklist we use whenever we take exterior photos of a home.
Color is your friend: You know me, usually we are anti-color when it comes to interiors (think white, black, gray, cream), but when it comes to exteriors, pops are color are what we are after. Since most outdoor spaces in Chicago are decks and other monochromatic structures, pops of color breathe life into the space. Add color with outdoor throw pillows and/or potted flowers. Our favorite color to carry throughout the exterior shots is green because it gives a fresh, vibrant feel to any space.
With furniture, it’s all or nothing: If you have a full set of outdoor furniture, make sure it is clean and crisp. If you don’t have a full set of furniture and the space looks sparse, we would actually recommend shooting the space empty so that we can virtually stage instead. Our exterior virtually staging has improved a lot recently and looks great. It’s worth this extra step because outdoor spaces are one of the most sought after features.
Open umbrellas: This is a very simple one, but if you have an outdoor umbrella, make sure it is open. With this simple trick, you add another dimension to the space (plus color!), instead of closing it off.
Lawn care a day or two before: Mow grass and trim hedges a day or two prior to the shoot. Simple, but makes a big difference.
Use water!: One of my favorite tricks to freshen up an old wood deck is to run a hose over the wood just before shooting to darken it up.
And lastly, one thing to check off your worry list is the weather on the day of the shoot. I actually sometimes prefer to shoot with an overcast sky because we can then lighten it up with editing to create a perfect blue sky. So whether it’s real or manufactured, either way you get your perfect sunny day!
If you are thinking of selling this spring, now is really the very best time to take these photos. Summer flowers are still in full bloom, the weather is great, and the leaves are still green. Give me or anyone on the team a call and we can have a photographer out to your house in just a day or two!
