Flow Photos Resources
Virtual Open House Solution: Live Reacting – www.livereacting.com
Live Reacting is an amazing tool where you can do virtual real estate open houses. You can load pre-recorded videos that show up as LIVE on Facebook. You can publish and schedule a prer-ecorded video clip for a certain time and duration. You could set up a video to loop over and over on weekend from 2pm-4pm. At the scheduled time, a live video will show live from your Facebook page. Live videos are seen by more people because of how Facebook’s algorith works. Live Reacting allows you to add multi-layers over your footage. This includes a live webcam so you can show up live over the prerecorded clips. You can also add branding graphics like logos as well as images or text. We suggest that you add your phone number as a graphic over the video so people can call in if they have questions. Live videos will notify followers on Facebook which will increase your impressions and views.
Add Text Over Photos: the Over App – https://www.madewithover.com/
Our favorite phone app is absolutely the Over App. Over allows you to add text and other graphics or images over a photo or video. For example, you can load a photo of a real-estate listing. Then you can add a watermark using your logo. Over has thousands of built in graphic design templates. Most of the work is done for you to create stunning graphic design. You can add your real estate photography along with listing details in text format. Your ads will stand out because now you have access to a great design tool. Have you heard of Canva?. Over is like that but much faster to use in our opinion. Over is a great tool to create video thumbnails, Facebook advertisements, Google ads, banners, and more. You can resize content to fit any device and dimension. We love how you can load your company logo in so that it is easily accessible when you need do company branding. Over is available on ios and Android. Desktop version on its way as well.
Create Photo Collages with Diptic – http://www.dipticapp.com/
On MLS, you can only upload 36 photos to your listing. Unfortunately, that means that some features can sometimes be left out. Diptic can help with that. With Diptic, you can create photo and video collages. This means that you can turn four amazing photos into one collage photo. You can also add extras, such as graphics, stickers, and text over your collage. You can also use the Over app to add in those extras on top of your collage.
Real Estate Photo Prep
Because home buyers typically start their search online, it is crucial that you start off on the right foot. If you want perfect real estate photos, we suggest following these tips to make sure your home is in the best possible shape for your photoshoot appointment.
GENERAL TIPS
✓ Clean whole house [vacuum carpet, mop hard floors, clean countertops, clean windows] Start high, and clean down from there. Dust ceiling fans, clean counters, and clean your floors last.
✓ Turn all overhead lights and lamps on
✓ Ceiling fans off
✓ Replace all burned out light bulbs use bulbs of the same temperature all incandescent or all compact fluorescent]
✓ Turn all TVs and computer screens
✓ Remove personal photographs
✓ Place all shoes/jackets in closets
KITCHENS
✓ Clear countertops completely. no knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.
✓ Leave out max of one small appliance [ex. coffee maker]
✓ Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, papers, photos, etc.
✓ Hide garbage cans in pantry or closet
✓ Remove dishes from sink, place in dishwasher
LIVING ROOM
✓ Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
✓ De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth no more than 5 items, including art]
✓ Clean interior of fireplace and re-paint if needed
✓ Fluff and arrange furniture pillows remove kid’s toys
FRONT EXTERIOR
✓ Close garage doors
✓ Remove cars from driveway and front of home
✓ Clean up landscaping [mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves]
✓ Remove empty planters
✓ Use broom to remove cobwebs from leaves and door frames
✓ Remove visible water hoses
✓ Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
BACK YARD
✓ Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
✓ Clear out kid’s toys, balls, frisbees, etc.
✓ Clean pool remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose hide pool cleaning supplies
✓ Turn on pool fountains/water features *remove visible water hoses *remove trash cans
DINING ROOM
✓ Clear table, dust and polish the table top use decorative place setting if available feature one center piece such as a bouquet of flowers
✓ Straighten all chairs and space them evenly
✓ Remove child seats/booster chairs
BEDROOMS
✓ Make bed, including decorative pillows/shams if available
✓ Press bed linens and bed skirts
✓ Clear nightstands of all personal items store away phone/tablet charging cables
✓ Remove all clutter from top of dressers
✓ Remove family photos from walls
✓ Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
✓ Remove personalized names from walls
✓ Remove wall stickers/posters remove diaper genies
BATHROOMS
✓ Clear countertops completely. No soap, toothbrushes, medications, deodorant, etc.
✓ Put toilet seats down close
✓ Closet doors
✓ Remove shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. From showers and tubs
✓ Remove dirty towels – leave out only new, unused towels
✓ Remove floor mats
PETS
✓ Place food and water bowls in pantry
✓ Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet
✓ Remove pet hair from furniture & Blankets
✓ Contain pets in hidden crate or outside
✓ Clear back yard of pet waste/toys
If you have any specific questions on how to get a house ready for photos please contact us at info@flow.photos. We would be happy to get specific and detailed on what we expect. It is important that your listings are 100% ready for photos before the photographer arrives so that there is no rearranging or staging being done while they are taking pictures.