Quick answer
To prepare a Boston condo for listing photos, check building rules and book the elevator, arrange access to common areas and parking, remove extra furniture so rooms look larger, clear every surface, clean the windows and tidy any balcony or roof deck. Send the full address early so drone availability near Logan can be checked.
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Condos are most of the Boston market, from Back Bay brownstone units to Seaport high-rises and triple-decker conversions in Dorchester and Jamaica Plain. Condo shoots have their own challenges: smaller rooms, shared spaces, building rules and parking. Here is how to get a condo ready for listing photos, video and a 3D tour.
One week before: logistics
- Check the building rules. Some associations require notice for vendors, a certificate on file, or an elevator reservation.
- Arrange access to common areas you want in the listing: roof deck, gym, pool, lobby, courtyard, bike room or storage. Get approval from management or the trustees.
- Sort out parking. Tell us whether there is a visitor spot, a loading zone or a garage space we can use, and how to get in.
- Tenant-occupied? Give the tenant written notice (check the lease and Massachusetts rules) and share this checklist.
- Drone: much of Boston is inside Logan's controlled airspace. Send the full address early so we can check whether drone is possible; see our guide to drone rules near Logan.
The day before: make small rooms feel bigger
- Remove extra furniture. In a smaller unit, one fewer chair or side table can make a room photograph noticeably larger.
- Clear every surface, especially kitchen counters, which are often the focal point of an open living area.
- Clean windows. City views and window light are selling points, and dirty glass shows.
- Clear entryways. Shoes, coats, bikes and strollers in the hallway are the first thing in the photo.
- Bathrooms: clear all toiletries, put the toilet seat down and hang matching towels or none.
- Storage: if the unit has a deeded storage unit or parking space, make it tidy and accessible.
Outdoor space
- Sweep the balcony, deck or roof deck, and set out a simple seating arrangement.
- Put away grill covers, hoses and dead plants.
- For skyline or water views, ask us about twilight photos.
Right before we arrive
- Turn on every light, including lamps and under-cabinet lights.
- Turn off TVs and ceiling fans.
- Open blinds evenly.
- Put pets and their bowls and beds out of sight.
- Leave the building or wait in the lobby so nobody is in the shots.
Media that helps condos sell
- Floor plans: buyers compare similar units in the same building, and a plan answers layout questions before a showing.
- 3D tours: useful for relocating and out-of-state buyers.
- Vertical listing videos: short reels work well for condos on Instagram and TikTok.
- Virtual staging for vacant units, disclosed as virtually staged on the listing.
Neighborhood notes
See our pages for Back Bay, South End, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Seaport, South Boston and Jamaica Plain. Ready to book? Book online or call (617) 858-7268.
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