By 
After you have decluttered and depersonalized your home, time to evaluate some of the smaller details of the home. If you are selling your home in winter time, fireplaces and blankets, are highly suggested for real estate photography.
However, removing the old, worn out, life-less pillows from you home, and replacing them with new, fresh, and cohesive pillows, can do wonders.
Reasons Why You Need New Pillows for Real Estate Photos
Elevate
Whether you price your home at $50,000 or $5,000,000, new pillows look fancy. I remember growing up and quickly learning what “fancy pillows” were versus “regular pillows”. You don’t have a pillow fight with the fancy pillows (LOL!). New pillows can take a room
- From lived in to “How do they keep it so clean?”
From worn out to “These homeowners have it together!”
From lack luster to “These homeowners have great style!”
From dingy to “I want my house to look like this when we buy it!”
Height
New pillows stand up taller and allow the eye to be draw up; as opposed to the worn-out pillow that sinks down into the corner of the furniture.
Color
Pillows can be cost-effective way to add color to the real estate photos. Color can create interest, and can bring out the life of a home!
Marketing
Similar to the message boards, this is a fantastic opportunity to create the image of home. "Home Sweet Home", "Welcome Home",...create positive marketing images of your home. Be careful about “Bless this Mess”, or “Hot Mess Express” because you are putting the word “MESS” into the viewer’s mind.
Pillow Recommendations
- New pillows in at least the following rooms: Living room, and primary bedroom. Recommended: Living room, all bedrooms, and outdoor patio IF you have patio furniture.
- Pillow needs to be able to have structure while looking plush (and cushy for lack of a better word) You can keep your regular pillows, and put out the “staging” pillows prior to showings. That way, they don’t look worn out in the first couple of days.
- They do not have to be expensive!
- For the bedroom, I also recommend putting new pillow cases on the new pillows. However, wash and dry the pillow cases first, so they don’t have creased mark.
- Seasonal pillows are fine, however, make sure they are seasonal appropriate. (No winter pillows in summer, and vise versa)
- Amount
- Purchase just enough for the living room for the pillow to be an accent, not a pillow army takeover.
- Bedroom(s): Twin Bed, 2 pillows. Full and Queen, 4 pillows. King, 4 pillows, preferably the king sized.
You may be thinking
I thought I had to do was put a sign in the yard, and it would be sold.
You are still competing.
You are competing against new construction.
You are competing against “oh I’ll just wait to buy a home”.
You are competing against “oh I’ll just rent a little while longer.”
You are competing against “oh I’ll just commute and live in a different county.”
You only get ONE TIME to make a GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION. One. And if adding a few pillows can take your home from “Just a Home” to “I Want This Home”, then add and fluff those new pillows!
Kelly Raulston
“Reliable and Ready” REALTOR® since 2016. I was born in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, but was raised in Texas since 1997. When I found out we were moving to Plano, Texas, I remember looking forward to riding a horse to school and a brand-new pair of cowboy boots! Growing up in Plano prepared me to be competitive, quick, and to have a strong work ethic.
I graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Axe’em Jacks! That is where my love for East Texas began. The nature, warm smiles, football games, and community values can't be beat! I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. I was a middle school math teacher in Tyler, Texas. I met my husband, Travis, in Sunday school, and we have been married since September 2016.
I love being a REALTOR® in East Texas! Relationships are genuine, the area is beautiful, and the market is rockin’! I am an involved REALTOR® to better the community. Some of the organizations I am involved with are: The Professional Development Committee, Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee, and Tyler Educational Networking Group. Some awards I have won were “The Hustle Award” in 2016, and “Rookie of the Year” in 2017.
When I am not working with my clients, I like to spend quality time with my friends and family doing the following: running, target practice, read and participate in book club, and playing with my dachshund Greta.
