Roisum Residential — Real Estate Photography & Media
A tidy, light-filled sitting room
Upstage

Prep your home for
photos that sell

Our room-by-room guide to getting your listing camera-ready. A little prep goes a long way. Homes with high-quality photos sell 32% faster.

Scroll for the interactive home prep tool
A note from Haley

Selling a home can feel overwhelming. Trust us, we’ve been there. After working in thousands of homes, we know even the most organized sellers find themselves tidying until the very last second. You’re not alone. We made this guide to walk you through the process and share exactly how to get the best results.

Our goal is to help your home make a strong first impression and show buyers why it’s the one.

Haley Roisum
Founder & Owner
Upstage — the printable home-prep guide cover

Prefer to print it or read it offline? Here’s the whole guide as a PDF.

Download the guide (PDF)
What to expect

How we capture your home

Still Photography

≈ 30 min · 3,000 sq ft home

Shot on a DSLR with a wide-angle lens for bright, crisp images. Several angles per room so buyers get the full sense of each space. Prefer to keep a room out of the photos? Just tell us (and your agent).

3D Virtual Tours

≈ 60 min · 3,000 sq ft home

A 360° camera scans each room and stitches an interactive walkthrough. Everything needs to stay exactly in place between scans (window coverings, doors, cabinets, furniture) so each space aligns perfectly.

Aerial Media

≈ 10–15 min

FAA-licensed drone photos, video, and 360° panoramas that show off the home, lot size, and neighborhood. Clear the yard of clutter, bins, toys, and vehicles so your landscaping shines.

During photos and tours, we’ll ask you, your family, and pets to step out so we can move quickly. It doesn’t take long!

Appointment prep

Your room-by-room checklist

It looks long, but you’ve probably tackled most of it already. It’s really just a friendly reminder. The more you check off, the smoother your photo day (and your showings) will go. Take it one room at a time. You’ve got this!

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Tap items to check them off. We’ll show the exterior list for your season. Your progress is saved on this device.

The reasoning

Why it matters

Countertops

Clearing kitchen counters does two things: it creates a cleaner, more modern look, and it keeps the kitchen from looking like it lacks storage.

Fans & space heaters

Practical, yes. On camera they can hint at poor airflow or heating issues, so removing them keeps the focus on the home's real features.

Pets

We love them too! But not every buyer does. Tucking away beds, dishes, litter boxes, and toys lets everyone picture themselves in the space.

Personal items & valuables

Your listing photos live online. Keeping personal identifiers out of frame protects your privacy, and storing valuables out of sight keeps them safe.

Dust & details

We love close-ups of the special touches: upgraded lighting, cabinetry, unique hardware. A quick dusting helps them photograph at their best.

Shower curtains

Leave them half open. It shows off your fixtures and tile while hiding personal items, and keeps the room feeling open and inviting.

Child safety

Take down photos of your children and any decor with their name. These images go on the internet. Best to keep their identifiers private.

The goal

Every suggestion helps your home look its best and appeal to all buyers. Clean, neutral, distraction-free spaces photograph beautifully and help buyers picture themselves there.

Before we arrive

A few final instructions

1

Use your storage spaces

We never photograph inside drawers or cabinets, so use them to stash anything you'd rather keep out of frame.

2

Downsize ahead of time

Sell or donate what you're not keeping before the appointment. You're moving anyway, and it makes the home look more spacious.

3

Don't overlap appointments

Please don't schedule cleaners, landscapers, or contractors the same day. They often run long and delay the shoot. Wrap up prep beforehand.

4

Give yourself time

Prep always takes longer than expected. If you won't be ready, we're glad to reschedule, even the night before or morning of, with no fee. A few extra days can save weeks on the market.

5

Keep an eye on the weather

We shoot rain or shine, inside and out. But if rough weather's coming and you'd rather wait for better light, just let us know.

Parting advice

Selling your home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, and what buyers see online shapes whether they walk through the door. Homes that aren’t well prepared often sit longer. The prep feels inconvenient sometimes. But a well-presented home photographs better, draws stronger offers, and closes with less friction. This phase is temporary; the effort you put in now pays off.

After the appointment

What happens next

Our standard turnaround is about 12 hours. We never want to be the reason your listing is delayed. All finished products are emailed to your REALTOR®.

Questions or concerns before your appointment? Share them with your agent. We work closely with local REALTORS®and are happy to adjust. Invoices are emailed after the shoot; we accept credit card, cash, check, and Venmo (@roisumresidential).

Home ready? Let’s get it on camera.

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