It’s accepted wisdom that listing photos are what drive traffic to a property. Good listing photos show spaces that are clean, uncluttered, well-lit and more neutral than not. GREAT listing photos engage buyers emotionally. They can make you remember, smile, and even dream about a property.

I look at a LOT of listing photos. And no matter the price point, if you look at enough of the same thing long enough, you just don’t see it anymore.

Getting a property market-ready doesn’t mean denuding a space. You want photos with some personality shining through, just more universal, not so specific to you. Personally, I aim for a light touch in the photos I style.  The Refreshed Home believes clever and whimsy will trump pricey any day.

Before styling, this outdoor shower looked like a shed. Add a few props and VOILA!

Buying is about aspirations. Happier days, dreams realized. I never met a workbench, or an enclosed garden bed I didn’t love in the listing photos.

To reach your buyers you first need to know who they are, and what drives then.

• Young family with small children? A pile of board games, a new net and inflated basketball left by the hoop in the driveway…or a pot with seedlings on the kitchen window sill.
• Downsizers?  Try books-biographies, as well as cook books. A guitar on a stand.  And some toys in the guest room, or a colorful stool in the bathroom for visiting grandchildren!
• First-time buyers?  I like photos like this that remind sellers what their friends and family will see, shots that say Welcome Home!