Preparation, step 2/10

Property preparation and home staging

Before the photography and filming take place, we go through the property together and I recommend what should be adjusted so that it presents as well as possible both in the marketing and during subsequent viewings. The basics usually include depersonalising the interior, removing personal items, thorough cleaning and any minor repairs that may be needed.

If the walls are strongly coloured, worn or marked, I generally recommend repainting them in classic white. This makes the space feel cleaner, brighter, more open and visually larger. I can also arrange painting or minor repairs through trusted professionals I work with.

My team also includes experienced interior designers who prepare staging specifically for each property. Before the shoot, I send them photos of the interior and, based on its style, colours and layout, they select suitable decorations, textiles and other accessories so that everything feels natural and works together visually.

Depending on the type of property, we use two approaches: photo staging and complete home staging.

Photo staging is mainly used for furnished properties where the owners are still living. We work with the existing furniture, adjust its placement and add textiles, flowers, decorations and other elements to bring the space together and prepare it for professional photography and filming.

Home staging goes much further and is particularly useful for empty or only partly furnished properties. We can fully furnish the interior with furniture, lighting, curtains, artwork, rugs, decorations and other accessories. The required furniture can be rented for the duration of the sale and left in the property for viewings. If the buyer likes the furniture used, it may in some cases also be possible to arrange its purchase.

Some agents today use virtual staging for empty properties, where furniture and furnishings are added digitally only to the photographs. It is a faster and cheaper option, but I do not consider it an ideal substitute for real staging in my listings. Photographs are only one part of the overall presentation.

For every property, I also prepare a video tour and a 3D virtual tour, where the interior needs to look just as good as it does in the photographs. If the property is furnished with real furniture, it also maintains the same impression during subsequent in-person viewings.

Complete staging, including furniture rental, can cost tens of thousands of Czech crowns depending on the scope. Even so, this is not an area where I want to cut corners. With every listing, I aim to do everything possible to make the property stand out from competing offers in the area and to ensure that it looks equally good in photographs, video, the 3D tour and during the actual viewing.