4 ways to maximize your home’s winter photoshoot

Wintertime isn’t known for being a busy real estate season. Still, while most of us daydream of curling up by the fire with a warm mug of cocoa or cider, the market for buying and selling homes is still quite active.

Winter can be a tricky season for photographing a home. There’s less greenery and sunlight is tougher to come by, making it harder to nail the warm, inviting feel we like to convey for listings.

But it isn’t impossible! Here are four ways to get the most out of your home’s winter photoshoot.

Wait for a sunny day

Patience is a virtue, right? This may well be the most difficult part of photographing a home in the winter. Sunny days aren’t as common, even in the Carolinas where the winters are milder. 

No matter the season, natural light makes all the difference in real estate photography. A sunny day with a blue sky will give your home the most inviting appearance to potential buyers as they scroll through listings. 

Also, a clear blue sky is the best template for the Lighthouse Visuals editing staff when it comes to virtual dusk images.

Let there be light!

Making sure all the lights inside a home are functioning is a crucial part of the pre-shoot checklist in all four seasons. It’s especially important during the winter because a bright room indoors counters the gloomy feel that’s so common during the colder months.

If there’s a fireplace — indoors or outdoors — then be sure to get a photo with it as the focal point. Fireplaces are a desirable feature for buyers sifting through listings on a chilly day! These are the features you want to be highlighted.

Put away the holiday decorations

Christmas lights or an inflatable snowman in the front yard of the house only serve to distract from features you want to draw eyes to. Bold design choices or decorations are staging mistakes that can be made in any season.

When in doubt, keep it simple! The other reason to take stockings down from the mantle before having photos taken is that seasonal items also date the photos. If the holidays come and pass, you don’t want decor signaling to buyers how long the house has been on the market.

Hire a landscaper

Landscaping in the winter? Absolutely.

There are wintertime plants that a professional gardener can help add to a garden that would otherwise look barren this time of the year. They can help bring attention to these outdoor features in photos and are more attractive to those viewing the home in person.

Landscapers can also trim any year-round shrubs and lay fresh mulch to spruce up the home’s curb appeal.

Also, be sure to clean out gutters. Leaves have been falling from trees for a few months now. The last thing you want is for that mess to be immortalized in listing photos.

Contact Lighthouse Visuals today to schedule a real estate photoshoot. Our team is ready to help take on these and any other hurdles that may come up!