Vancouver listing launch checklist

A listing launch is easier when the media is ready before the MLS entry goes live. The common failure is not a lack of ideas. It is finding out on launch day that the floor plan is missing, the video is still exporting, the feature sheet needs a new cover image, or the seller has not approved the final gallery.

Use this Vancouver listing launch checklist to work backward from the go-live date. It covers the prep, the shoot, the files, the feature sheet, and the final MLS upload. Adjust the order for the property, but keep the decision points in place.

Seven to 10 days before launch: set the brief

Start by deciding what the listing needs to prove. Is it a bright condo with a view, a family home with a usable yard, a townhome where the levels are hard to read, or a development unit buyers cannot walk through yet?

• Confirm the target MLS date and the seller's access window.
• List the strongest features, likely cover image, and any feature that needs close-up proof.
• Choose the core package and add-ons: photos, 2D Floor Plan, 3D Interactive Tour, Drone Photography, and video.
• Confirm strata, elevator, gate, tenant, parking, and building access notes.
• Decide where the media will be used: MLS, Realtor.ca, feature sheet, website, email, social, or paid promotion.

Three to five days before launch: prepare the property

Photo day is not the right time to begin a full declutter. Send the seller a room-by-room list and set a deadline for anything that needs a cleaner, stager, landscaper, or repair person.

• Remove personal items, excess furniture, cords, bins, pet supplies, and countertop clutter.
• Clean windows, mirrors, glass, appliances, and reflective surfaces.
• Make beds, replace dead bulbs, open curtains, and confirm the intended staging.
• Move vehicles, hoses, toys, umbrellas, and loose patio items before the exterior set.
• Make every room, storage area, suite, garage, balcony, and yard that belongs in the listing accessible.

One to three days before launch: capture the media

Schedule one planned visit when possible. Photos, plans, tour capture, Drone Photography, and video can share the same preparation and access window. The exact order changes by home, light, weather, and the deliverables selected.

Core photos

Build a gallery that moves from the strongest opening image through the main rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, outdoor areas, and useful details. Aim for enough coverage to explain the home, not a folder of near-duplicates. Use the MLS photo checklist for a room-by-room coverage check.

2D Floor Plan

Capture the layout while every room and level is accessible. Confirm whether the plan should include a garage, suite, storage locker, balcony, patio, or other areas buyers will ask about.

3D Interactive Tour

Use a 3D Interactive Tour when a remote buyer, multi-level home, unusual layout, or buyer qualification makes movement through the property useful. Confirm the tour link before publishing the listing.

Drone Photography

Add Drone Photography when lot shape, outdoor space, privacy, views, or neighbourhood context are part of the value. Clear building permissions and check the weather and airspace before the flight.

Video

Use a Video Walkthrough when flow and pacing matter. If the listing also needs social content, confirm the horizontal and vertical deliverables before the shoot so the same visit produces the right cuts.

Before launch day: check the files

When the gallery arrives, review it as a buyer would. On a phone, can you understand the home from the first five images? Does the sequence move logically? Are the view, yard, parking, suite, and best feature represented? Are there any frames that look too dark, too bright, crooked, or repetitive?

• Save the MLS-ready images separately from the full-resolution files.
• Confirm file names and folders are clear enough for a team member to use.
• Open the floor plan on a phone and check that labels and dimensions are readable.
• Test the hosted 3D Interactive Tour link and video links.
• Review Drone Photography for privacy, visible vehicles, and honest context.
• Choose one cover image for MLS, one for the feature sheet, and a few social crops.

Feature sheet and listing copy

The feature sheet should answer the same questions as the MLS gallery. Use the chosen cover image, a short room sequence, the floor plan, key property facts, and a clear contact path. Do not fill it with every image. Give the reader the frames that support the main points.

Write the listing description after the media brief is clear. The photos, plan, and copy should agree on room names, bedroom count, suite status, outdoor areas, parking, and what is included. If a feature is not shown or cannot be verified, do not imply that it is part of the listing.

Launch day: publish and check

1. Upload the selected MLS gallery in the intended order.
2. Add the floor plan and tour link in the appropriate listing fields.
3. Confirm the cover image, room count, dimensions, address, and feature copy.
4. Open the public listing on mobile and desktop after it is live.
5. Check that the gallery loads, the first image crops well, and every link works.
6. Share the listing with the seller, brokerage, email list, and social channels using the prepared assets.

After launch: keep the assets working

Launch is the start of the listing, not the end of the media plan. Use the same files for an open-house post, a short social edit, a seller update, and a website page. Keep the gallery order consistent so the listing is recognizable wherever a buyer sees it.

For the next listing, note which files were used and which questions came up at showings. That feedback can improve the next shot list without adding media that does not help the buyer.