How to Photograph Occupied Properties for Real Estate Listings

Occupied properties are the bane of real estate photography. Tenant furniture that doesn't match. Personal photos covering every surface. Kids' toys scattered across floors. Overflowing closets. The list goes on.

Traditionally, you had two options: ask the occupants to clean up (awkward and often ineffective), or wait until the property is vacant (delays your listing). Neither is great.

The New Approach

Shoot the property exactly as it is. Take photos around the clutter, the mismatched furniture, the personal items. Then let us clean it up digitally.

Our editing can:

• Remove all personal items and clutter
• Keep or remove furniture (your choice)
• Clean up messy rooms completely
• Fix lighting issues common in occupied homes

Shooting Tips for Occupied Properties

When you're photographing around someone else's stuff:

• Don't try to hide the mess: We're going to remove it anyway. Capture the full room
• Shoot wider than you think: Use the ultra-wide lens to get more context
• Get multiple angles: This helps us reconstruct what's behind removed items
• Don't move their stuff: Tenants don't like that. Just shoot as-is

The Two Options

When you upload photos of occupied properties, you choose:

• Declutter (keep furniture): We remove personal items, clutter, and mess but keep the furniture for a staged look
• Virtual vacant: We remove everything, leaving clean empty rooms

Virtual vacant is popular for investor properties and rentals. Declutter works great when the furniture actually looks good but there's too much clutter.

Turnaround

Even heavily cluttered properties are processed within 24 hours. Rush delivery is available if you need photos faster.