On REALTOR.ca, your photos are your first showing. Your flat-fee listing includes up to 40 of them — most sellers upload 12 mediocre ones. Follow this checklist and you'll out-photograph half the agent listings on your street with the phone in your pocket.
Before you shoot anything
Clean like your in-laws are coming, then remove half of what's left. Counters bare, beds made hotel-tight, toilet lids down, pet gear hidden, cars off the driveway. Open every blind and turn on every light — lamps included. Shoot on a bright overcast day or late afternoon; harsh noon sun blows out windows.
The money shots (your first three photos)
REALTOR.ca shows one hero image in search results, and buyers swipe two more before deciding to keep going. Make them: (1) the best exterior front angle — shot from the corner of the lot, not dead-on; (2) your best living space; (3) the kitchen. Never lead with a bathroom, a garage, or the backyard shed.
Room-by-room shot list
Exterior (6–8): front from both corners, straight-on, backyard wide, deck or patio, garage/parking, street view, any water or ravine view. Living spaces (6–8): each principal room from two corners, shot at chest height, phone level — tilted verticals scream amateur. Kitchen (4–5): wide from the doorway, the island or counter run, appliances, any eat-in area. Bedrooms (2 each): from the doorway and from the window side. Bathrooms (1–2 each): from the doorway, mirror kept out of your reflection. The rest: laundry, basement, furnace/utility (buyers' inspectors look anyway), and anything you'd brag about — built-ins, fireplace, EV charger.
Phone settings that matter
Shoot horizontal — MLS® crops verticals badly. Use the main lens, not 0.5× ultra-wide, which bends walls (one ultra-wide per large room is fine). Tap to expose on the darkest wall so windows stay bright without the room going black. HDR on. Wipe the lens — half of all "blurry listing photos" are a greasy lens.
What not to upload
No seasonal mismatches (snow photos on a July listing), no pets in frame, no people, no filters, and nothing you wouldn't want a buyer zooming in on. If a room isn't helping, leave it out — 25 strong photos beat 40 with padding.
Ready to put them to work? Start your listing — up to 40 photos are included on every flat-fee MLS® package.
List on MLS® for a flat fee — keep your commission
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