Real Estate Photography for Occupied Homes: Decluttering Tips and When to Use Virtual Decluttering
An occupied home photographs well when the seller removes about a third of what is in each room, clears every surface, and takes personal items out of view. When that isn't possible, virtual decluttering can remove items from a photo afterward. In California the edited photo must be labeled and the original made available, so use it for a few key rooms, not as a substitute for preparation.
October 3, 20267 min read
By Tom Van Vechten · Updated
Why are occupied homes harder to photograph?
A lived-in home is set up for living. Furniture is arranged around the television. Counters hold the things people use every day. Walls carry family photos. None of that is wrong, and all of it works against a listing photo, which needs to show space, light, and a room a buyer can picture as their own.
The other difficulty is people. The seller is busy, the tenant didn't choose to sell, and nobody wants to pack twice. Your job is to make the request small enough that it gets done.
How much should the seller remove?
A third is a good target. Ask the seller to box up about a third of what is in each room: a third of the books, a third of what is on the shelves, a third of the furniture in a crowded room. They are moving anyway, so this is packing they will have to do.
Then clear the surfaces. Counters, tables, nightstands, and the top of the fridge should hold one or two items at most. Surfaces are what the camera sees first.
Remove: family photos, mail, medication, toiletries, pet items, shoes by the door, magnets, cords, and anything with a name or address on it
Reduce: books, cushions, plants, toys, small appliances, and anything in a collection
Keep: a few plain things that show how the room is used, like a lamp, a plant, a bowl of fruit, or a made bed
Send sellers our room-by-room checklist. It is written for them and it prints on a few pages.
What should I prioritize when time is short?
Not every room matters equally. If the seller has one evening, spend it on the rooms that carry the listing.
The front of the home. Cars off the driveway, bins away, porch swept. This is often the first photo.
The kitchen. Clear the counters completely. It takes ten minutes and changes the room.
The main living space. Remove extra chairs, toys, and anything on the floor.
The primary bedroom and bathroom. Make the bed, clear the nightstands, empty the bathroom counter and shower.
The backyard. Put away hoses and toys, straighten the furniture.
Secondary bedrooms, the office, and the garage can be simpler. A room can also be left out of the set, although a missing room makes buyers wonder. One tidy photo is better than none.
Where does everything go during the shoot?
This is the question that stops sellers. Give them an answer:
The garage. Stack boxes neatly on one side. Tell us if the garage should be skipped.
One closet or one room. A single "storage" room that isn’t photographed is a fair trade.
The car. Laundry baskets of counter items go in the trunk for two hours.
Under-sink cabinets and drawers. Fine for toiletries and kitchen items.
A short-term storage unit or pod. Worth it when the home is full and the listing will be up for weeks.
Closets are sometimes photographed in larger homes, so ask before you fill the walk-in.
What about tenant-occupied homes?
A tenant has no reason to help and every reason to feel intruded on. A few things make it workable:
Give proper notice of entry, as the lease and California law require. Your broker or the property manager will know the current rules
Offer a specific, short window, and keep to it
Ask for three things only: beds made, counters cleared, floors clear
Promise that personal items and photos won’t be shown, and keep that promise
Consider a small thank-you from the owner, such as a cleaning service before the shoot
If the tenant won't prepare, photograph the exterior, the main rooms as well as they can be shown, and the community. Then plan a full shoot when the home is vacant, or use virtual decluttering on the key rooms.
When should I use virtual decluttering?
Virtual decluttering is editing that removes items from a photo: the things on a counter, a pile of boxes, a cluttered shelf, sometimes the furniture in a whole room. It is useful when:
The seller or tenant can’t or won’t clear a room that buyers need to see
The home has to be listed before a move-out
One or two rooms let down an otherwise ready home
A garage or spare room is being used for storage during the sale
Before: a garage used for storage on an Escondido shoot.
After: the same photo with the stored items removed. This is a digitally altered image and is labeled that way.
It has limits. Editing out a lot of objects takes time and costs more per photo than a clear room. It can't remove things from a 3D tour or a walkthrough. And it changes nothing at the showing. A buyer who saw a clear room online and walks into a full one feels misled, even when the photo was labeled.
Does virtual decluttering have to be disclosed?
Yes, in California. Removing objects from a listing photo makes it a digitally altered image under AB 723. Label the photo and make the original available to buyers. Your MLS may have its own format. The details are in our AB 723 guide.
One line you should not cross: decluttering removes belongings, not problems. Don't edit out damage, stains, wall cracks, or anything that is part of the property. See what has to be disclosed in edited photos.
Editing options and prices are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you photograph a house while people are living in it?
Yes. Most listings are occupied. The home needs to be decluttered and cleaned first, and the occupants should stay out of the rooms being photographed.
How much should a seller declutter before photos?
About a third of what is in each room, plus every flat surface. Personal items, pet items, and anything with a name on it should be out of view.
What is virtual decluttering?
It is photo editing that removes belongings from a photo of a room. In California, the edited photo must be labeled as digitally altered, with the original available to buyers.
Is it better to declutter in person or digitally?
In person. It costs nothing, it applies to every photo and the 3D tour, and the home matches the photos at the showing. Use digital decluttering for the rooms that can’t be cleared.
Can a tenant refuse listing photos?
Entry rules depend on the lease and California law, so ask your broker or the property manager. In practice, a short window, proper notice, and a promise to keep personal items out of the photos solve most objections.
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