Move cars before the photo appointment

Clear the driveway and the curb in front of the house so the photo shows the property.

A car in the driveway hides the garage and the walk. Move vehicles off the driveway before the photographer arrives, or before you take the shots yourself. That includes a car you think is beside the frame. Look through the camera, or stand where the photo will be taken, and check the edges. A mirror or a bumper in the corner still reads as a parked car.

Plan the parking before the appointment, not when the photographer is in the street. If you need an hour somewhere else, ask a neighbor only for that hour and do not block their drive. Write down where each vehicle went so you are not hunting for keys when it is time to bring them back. Bins belong in the same pass. Roll them out of the frame, then bring them back when you are done so they are not left at the curb overnight.

Look once from the sidewalk before you shoot. The hose, a trash can, and a pile of pots count as clutter in the front photo even when the cars are gone. Coil the hose and set the can in the garage for the hour. This is a staging pass, not a cleaning day. Five minutes at the curb saves a reshoot. If you are hiring a photographer, tell them the driveway will be empty so they do not schedule around a car you forgot.

Put the cars back when the front photos are done if you need the driveway, and keep them off it if more exterior shots are coming. The same rule applies on a showing day when you expect someone to pull up. A clear drive lets them see the house they came to see. Write move the cars on the photo checklist above turn on the lights, because a lit entry behind a truck is still a photo of the truck.

What to do

1. Move vehicles off the driveway and check the edges of the frame.
2. Park them where they will not block someone else's drive.
3. Roll bins out of the frame and coil the hose.
4. Look once from the sidewalk before you shoot, then bring the bins back.