Property Consultancy

How to Prepare your home for a Virtual Tour

There are a few simple steps for preparing your property for capturing a virtual tour to ensure the process goes smoothly and the tour shows off your property to best effect. While this is written specifically with virtual tours in mind, the same steps apply for property photography and in person viewings too.

Where to Start

Make your property looks warm, welcoming and ready to move into.

Clean Thoroughly: A virtual tour shows every detail so ensure everywhere is spotless, including floors, windows, and surfaces. Pay special attention to kitchens and bathrooms. 

Declutter: Remove personal items, excessive furniture, and any clutter to create a spacious and tidy appearance.

Depersonalise: Remove family photos, personal memorabilia, and unique decor items. This helps potential buyers visualise themselves in the space.

Staging

Spend some time to stage your home for potential buyers.

Arrange Furniture: Arrange furniture to highlight the functionality of each room and maximise the sense of space. Clearly define the purpose of each room (e.g. bedrooms, living room, dining area, home office etc).

Highlight Features: Emphasise unique features such as fireplaces, large windows, or architectural details.

Flowers: Add extra vibrancy with touches like fresh flowers or plants around your home.

Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important things to consider, it really helps bring spaces to life.

Maximise Natural Light: Open all the curtains and blinds to let in as much natural day light as possible.

Artificial Lighting: Ensure all light fittings are working, replace any broken or mismatched bulbs so they all look the same, and use warm-toned bulbs to create a welcoming atmosphere. Add and turn on any extra lamps if you have them to brighten dark areas or add some contrast.

Repairs and Maintenance

You don't have to spend a fortune but deal with any simple fixes that can be done cheaply.

Fix Visible Issues: Repair any visible damage including but not limited to filling cracks in walls and ceilings, replace broken tiles, fix dripping taps and any broken or blown windows.

Fresh Paint: A fresh coat of paint in neutral tones will give a clean and updated look. Maintain a consistent style and colour schemes throughout the property.

Curb Appeal: Maintain the exterior too, including mowing the lawn, trimming hedges, sweeping paths, patios and driveways and ensuring the main entrance is inviting.

Last but not Least

Do a final walkthrough and carry out a few last-minute checks ahead of the capture

Straighten Up: Ensure beds are neatly made, straighten any pillows, adjust curtains, and make sure everything is in place.

Hide Personal Items: Ensure personal items and any sensitive information are out of sight.

Secure Pets & Children: The capture is best done in an empty property so keep pets and children away from areas being scanned to avoid disruptions.

Open Doors: Open all doors to rooms you want to be included in the tour. This facilitates smooth navigation through the property.

Lights, Camera, Action: Turn on all the lights even if it's daytime to maximise lighting.

Don't Move: Once the scan has started don't move anything including opening/closing doors to ensure the capture can align the images.

By following these steps, you can ensure your property is perfectly prepared to capture a virtual tour, resulting in a high-quality, immersive experience for potential buyers or tenants.