Preparing a unit for sale or rent: tidying, small repairs, photos

Before listing, there are 3 things to do: tidy up, fix the small defects that can be seen, then take 15–20 landscape photos in daylight together with 1 short video under 50 MB. Buyers and tenants usually scroll through the photos before deciding whether to book a viewing. A tidy, bright unit with photos of every room gets more enquiries and fewer surprises at the viewing. Most of the preparation does not cost much. Please follow the order below, then send your photos to HPR using the form at the bottom of the page.

1. Tidying: let viewers picture themselves living there

• Put away personal items: family photos, toys, clothes, papers on the table. The fewer things in the unit, the more spacious the photos look.
• Clean thoroughly the kitchen, bathrooms, mirrors, window glass and balcony. These are where viewers look the longest.
• Tuck away cables, rubbish and cardboard boxes; close the toilet lid, fold blankets and pillows neatly.
• Add a little life if you like: a potted plant, a small vase of flowers. No need for elaborate staging.
• Hide private information: letters showing the address, computer screens, photos showing family members. Keep the property papers out of the frame.

2. Small repairs: fix only what viewers can see

Small defects make viewers think the home has many other problems. Priorities:

Item	What to do before photos / viewings
Lights	Replace dead bulbs; use bulbs of the same light colour within a room
Water	Fix dripping taps, running toilets, stains around the washbasin
Walls	Touch up dirty marks, peeling patches, damp spots
Doors, cabinets	Adjust squeaky hinges, loose handles, sticking cabinet runners
Appliances	Clean the air conditioners, check that the water heater, cooker and washing machine still work well

Major works (new flooring, a new kitchen) are only worth doing once you have worked out that the added price exceeds the cost. If the rental unit is furnished, list the furniture and the condition of each item at the same time, for the handover record later.

3. Photos: light first, angles second

Light. Shoot in daylight, open all the curtains and windows. Turn on extra lights if a room is dark, but avoid mixing white and warm light in the same photo. Do not use the phone's flash. If harsh sunlight shines straight into the room, draw the sheer curtains to soften it.

Angles. Hold the phone horizontally, at chest height. Stand in a corner of the room or right at the doorway and shoot diagonally towards the opposite corner so two walls are visible. Keep vertical lines (door edges, wall edges) straight; do not tilt the phone up or down. Use the 0.5x wide-angle lens if you have one, but avoid objects at the edges of the frame being stretched.

Do not over-edit. Slight brightening is fine. Do not remove cracks or replace the view outside the window: if visitors find the home different from the photos, trust is lost at the first viewing.

Suggested photo set for a 2-bedroom apartment (about 18 photos):

Area	Number of photos
Living room (2–3 angles)	3
Kitchen, dining table	2
Each bedroom	2 × 2
Each bathroom	1 × 2
Balcony, view from the window	2
Entrance, hallway inside the unit	1
Building amenities (pool, lobby, gym)	2–3

The first photo should be the best one, usually the living room looking towards the window or the view from the balcony.

4. Video: 1 clip walking through the whole unit

Film in landscape, walking slowly from the door through the living room, kitchen, each bedroom and bathroom, out to the balcony. Turn your whole body when panning, not your wrist, and do not zoom. Switch on airplane mode so calls do not interrupt. A video of about 1 minute shot at 1080p is usually small enough to send through the form; if it is over 50 MB, film a shorter one or send it to the consultant via Zalo.

5. Information to have ready when you send

• Project, floor, area, number of bedrooms, orientation, furniture included.
• Current management fee, parking space.
• Asking price. For rent: months of deposit, minimum lease term, whether pets are allowed. For sale: whether the unit already has a pink book or is still under a sale and purchase agreement with the developer.
• Time slots when viewings can be arranged.

Photos and videos uploaded through the form are stored in HPR's private storage and deleted automatically after 60 days if not used for a listing; if you have not had time to take them, choose "Send photos later via Zalo". There is no need to send photos of the pink book or other papers through the form. The consultant reviews the papers when verifying the file, after calling you back within 2 working days. During the site survey, HPR retakes photos if needed. Listings use HPR's contact details; your phone number is not made public.

Not sure what price to ask? See pricing an apartment for rent by comparing similar units or use the rental income calculator.

This article is for reference only and does not replace legal or financial advice for your specific case.

1. Remove personal items, papers and family photos from the rooms.
2. Clean the kitchen, bathrooms, mirrors, glass and balcony.
3. Replace dead bulbs, fix dripping taps, touch up dirty marks, adjust cabinet doors.
4. Clean the air conditioners and check that appliances still work well.
5. Shoot in daylight, open the curtains, hold the phone horizontally, stand in a corner, keep vertical lines straight.
6. Choose up to 20 of the clearest photos, with the best one first.
7. Film 1 video of about 1 minute walking through the whole unit, under 50 MB.
8. Note down the area, floor, orientation, furniture, management fee, asking price and times available for viewings.
9. Send the form below. Step 2 of the form has a photo and video upload field and a box to describe the unit.

Sources in Vietnamese; titles kept in the original, with a short English translation in brackets.

• Wiki Batdongsan.com.vn — Bí quyết cho thuê nhà nhanh (Tips for renting out a home quickly — light, angles, video, tidying), updated 10 March 2024.
• VnExpress — 8 mẹo chụp ảnh nội thất (8 tips for interior photography), 7 April 2010.
• Photo and video upload limits of the consignment form: HPR's lead system (up to 20 photos, 1 video under 50 MB), 20 October 2026.