Sonia Daigle: October 2012

I'm part of a wonderful group in a well know social media
about Real Estate Staging Association-National
I came across this AMAZING list to stage a better photo on MLS!
If you are about to sale your property and think you are ready to post pictures
Think twice, read carefully this list and past on to your Real Estate Agent!!!

The Top 10 26 39 Things MLS Photos Should NEVER Include:

Trash cans - Inside and outside. Let's face it, trash cans are not appealing.
Cars in driveways - I once viewed pictures on the Internet only to relay back to the seller that I know what his license plate number is. He wasn't happy.
Cars in garages - A garage will look far more spacious without the cars.
Unmade beds - Buyers are beginning their search for their home on the Internet. Your unmade bed will hardly draw the buyers into the home.
Tissue boxes, sprays, toilet bowl scrubbers in the bathrooms.
Pets - Your pets are not for sale. Your house is.
Dead plants - they're simply not the most attractive thing. On top of that, it shows a sign of neglect.
Names on walls - sure the room may be theirs now. However, you want buyers to envision it being their room
People - They, too, are not for sale (smile).
You, the picture taker in the mirror. I see this mostly in bathrooms. I get that most bathrooms are small. However, you can kneel to take the photo.
Toilet seat up - If your photo must include the toilet (and sometimes, there's just no avoiding it), make sure the lid of the seat is put down.
Time/Date stamp on the photo - and like Brian Kuhns says below in the comments, this is ever a good idea unless the house sells within 5 days or less.
TV's on in the background - this can be extremely distracting.
Magnets and clutter on fridge - Eyesores, I tell ya. Eyesores.
Children's toys scattered about - This applies to the inside as well as the outside.
Dirty towels in bathrooms - It literally takes less than a minute to place the towels in the laundry.
Dirty clothes - especially in the bedrooms.
Family photos - As Steve Warrene Butler points out, the MLS photos will be all over the Internet. For safety precautions, it's simply makes sense to remove them.
Flash reflecting from mirrors or windows - I too have seen photos where this has happened. It simply doesn't make for a "great" picture.
Dirty dishes in sink and/or counter tops - There's nothing appealing about seeing dirty dishes. Heck, even clean dishes in the dish drain doesn't look good. Simply put - make sure all dishes are taken care of.
Window glare - Seems minor. However, it can also be distracting.
Gun cabinets and guns - for safety reasons, you'll not want these on display in your photos.
Jewelry and jewelry cabinets - as you never know who might be searching the Internet for items such as these.
Large liquor displays - Great that you like liquor. However, some people don't.
High-end electronics - this one may not be as easy to NOT photograph. However, if they can be avoided, great.
Nudity in artwork - may be viewed by a potential buyer as distasteful.
Litter boxes
Political signs in front yard - My neighbor just put one up and now I can't stand him. Just kidding. You get the point.
Holes in walls or doors - Heck, why not just fix it?
Side view mirror - Really? Seriously? It would take two seconds (okay, maybe 5 seconds) to get out of the car.
Shadow of your thumb or hand near the edges of the picture - Let's not waste a single picture on something so silly.
Prepared food - (especially liver and onions). Okay... I added the liver and onions. But, you never know what the potential buyers like or dislike.
Heavy snow drifts in front or back yards - At times I'm sure these are difficult to avoid. However, it's worth the cost of the shovel, and the effort that goes along with it, for sure.
Lots of long icicles hanging from the eaves - Some are pretty, I get that. But, for those visiting the home first-hand, they could be hazardous.
Dead stuffed animals - some people may be offended.
Religious or highly ethnic paraphernalia
Hoses - especially those strewn over the yard.
People sleeping in beds - Unless you add zzzzz's over their head and a caption that reads "leave me alone, I'm sleeping", it should be avoided.
Rival sports teams