Submit Property Photos

Complete Photo Guide for Desktop Appraisals

Good photos are the foundation of an accurate desktop appraisal. This guide tells you exactly what to photograph and how. You don't need professional equipment — a smartphone in landscape orientation with decent lighting works perfectly.

Exterior Photos (Required)

• Front of home — Stand at the curb directly across from the house. Capture the full front elevation including the roofline, garage, and front yard. Try to get both sides of the house visible.
• Street scene (both directions) — Stand at the curb in front of the house and take one photo looking left and one looking right down the street. These show the appraiser the neighborhood character, streetscape, and adjacent properties.
• Rear of home — Photograph the entire back of the house from the far end of the backyard, showing the roofline, any additions, covered patios, or balconies.
• Backyard & outdoor features — Capture the full yard area including pools, spas, patios, decks, detached structures (ADU, workshop, pool house), outdoor kitchens, and fencing. Walk the full perimeter if possible.
• Side yards — If visible and accessible, photograph each side of the house. These often reveal additions, HVAC equipment, or unpermitted construction.

Interior Photos (Required)

• Kitchen — Take 2-3 photos showing all countertops, cabinets, appliances, and flooring. The kitchen is the single most important room for determining quality and condition. Show the range/cooktop, refrigerator, and sink area.
• All bathrooms — At minimum the primary bathroom, but ideally every bathroom. Show the vanity, shower/tub, flooring, and fixtures. These are the second most important rooms for quality assessment.
• Living room / family room — One photo per room showing the general size, flooring, fireplace (if any), and overall condition.
• Dining room — If separate from the kitchen or living area.
• Bedrooms — At least the primary bedroom. Show flooring, windows, and closet if notable.
• Laundry area — Especially if it's an indoor laundry room (adds value vs. garage laundry).

Mechanical & Systems (Helpful)

• Water heater — Show the label/sticker with the manufacture date. This tells the appraiser the age of the unit and indicates the overall system maintenance level.
• HVAC unit — A photo of the outdoor condenser or indoor furnace, ideally showing the data plate. Central air conditioning adds significant value in many California markets.
• Electrical panel — Open the panel door and photograph the breaker labels. This reveals the home's electrical capacity (100 amp vs. 200 amp) and whether the system has been updated.
• Solar panels — If present, photograph the array on the roof and any monitoring equipment. Note whether the system is owned or leased.
• Roof — If you can safely photograph the roof from ground level or an upper floor, do so. Note the material (composition shingle, tile, flat) and any visible wear.

Upgrades & Condition Issues (Important)

• Recent renovations — New flooring, remodeled kitchen or bath, new windows, new roof, new HVAC. These directly affect value.
• Deferred maintenance — Peeling paint, damaged flooring, cracked driveways, broken fixtures, water stains on ceilings, worn carpeting. Being transparent about condition leads to a more accurate and defensible appraisal.
• Unique features — Views, oversized lots, guest houses, wine cellars, built-in storage, custom finishes. Anything that makes this property different from a typical home in the neighborhood.

Tips for Better Photos

• Use landscape orientation (hold your phone sideways) for all photos
• Turn on all interior lights and open blinds for maximum natural light
• Stand in doorways or corners to capture the full room in one shot
• Don't worry about tidying up — we're looking at the house, not the furnishings
• More photos are always better. Take 20-30+ photos; we'll use what we need
• If the home has been remodeled since the date of death, describe the changes in the notes field below and provide any pre-renovation photos you have

Don't have access to the property? That's okay. We can work with MLS listing photos, Google Street View, county assessor photos, or whatever you have available. Just let us know in the notes.