The photographer arrives at 9AM. The shoot starts at 9:15 after a five-minute walk-through. By 11AM the files are on their way to editing.
Or: the photographer arrives at 9AM, spends 20 minutes moving furniture, another 10 minutes uncluttering the kitchen, realizes the master bedroom closet doors don't close, moves two cars out of the garage, and the shoot starts at 9:50. The delivery is now 12:30.
That 35-minute loss in the morning is the most expensive time in a listing's life.
The Checklist
Work through this the evening before, not the morning of.
Lights. Every room. Closets too. The photographer is balancing natural light and artificial fill. If some lights are on and some are off, the color temperatures fight each other and the editing takes longer.
Pets. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles. Out of the house or in a closed room with a sign on the door. A dog in the living room during a wide-angle shoot means cloning work in post-production.
Toilet seats. Down. Every one. This is not a joke, it is the single most common thing a photographer sees in a toilet that should not be there.
Kitchen counters. Clear everything except what looks intentional. A coffee maker, a fruit bowl, a single cookbook. The goal is a surface that looks like it could be that way naturally.
Personal items. Toothbrushes, razors, hair ties in the bathroom. Family photos are fine; personal hygiene products are not.
Floors. Vacuumed or swept. Carpet lines from furniture imprinting. Dog hair on hardwood. These are all fixable in editing but they add minutes per room.
Window coverings. Blinds open, curtains tied back. Exceptions: sheer panels that diffuse harsh direct sun.
Cars. At least one moved out of the driveway. Exterior shots look dramatically different with an empty driveway versus one with two cars parked in it.
Grass. If it is November and the lawn is brown, that is what it is. Do not try to hide it. But do pick up any obvious debris, branches, toys, equipment.
Garage. Doors closed if it is cluttered. Open if it is clean and worth showing.
Lights off for twilight shots. If you are doing a separate twilight session, turn off every interior light. The glow from inside is what makes a twilight exterior look like that.
What Changes If You Do This Right
A well-prepared 2,400 SF home takes about 75 minutes to photograph. A poorly prepared one takes two to two-and-a-half hours. The difference is not in the photographer's skill, it is in the prep.
The honest bit. If you are working with a photographer who consistently delivers late, check the preparation first. Half the time the delay is not their workflow, it is the house.
Need a shoot booked? Check availability.