Property preservation photo requirements

The universal rules

No matter the task, these standards apply on almost every work order:

• Before, during, and after — document the starting condition, the work in progress, and the finished result.
• Date- and time-stamped — every photo needs the real capture date and time.
• GPS-geotagged — the property's location proves you were actually on site.
• Same angle and distance before and after, so the progress is obvious.
• Clear, high-quality, and in color — close enough that details can be read.
• Multiple angles per task — never a single photo.

The most defensible photos embed the time and GPS inside the file itself, so the data can't be back-dated or faked after the fact. A timestamp typed on later is far weaker than one captured at the moment the shutter clicked.

Requirements change by service

Beyond the basics, the exact shots depend on the task. A few examples:

• Lock change: the installed deadbolt and knob both clearly visible.
• Re-key: a clear photo of the new key codes, plus the lock before and after.
• Lockbox: shown installed near the main entrance.
• Winterization: the pressure test, the main valve secured off, and posted notices.
• Trash-out: the property before, each load removed, and the cleared result — so the cubic-yard volume is provable.

There are dozens of service types, each with its own required shots. This is exactly why Hayvee builds the requirements in across 80 service categories — each with its own photo "buckets" and on-screen instructions — so your crew always knows the precise photos a client needs.

HUD, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac documentation

The agencies and GSEs that back these loans require every preservation action to be documented and completed within set timeframes and allowable pricing. In practice that means dated before/during/after photos for every task, adherence to the maximum allowable price per line item, bids for anything over allowable, and completion within the client's required timeline. Each investor and national layers its own specifics on top — but the constant is the same: if it isn't photographed and documented to spec, it doesn't get paid.

Why photos get rejected

Most rejections and chargebacks trace back to documentation: missing crawlspace or roof shots, blurry images, photos that don't match the scope, no timestamp or GPS, or work invoiced beyond what was approved. The fix is consistency — capture the right shots every time, on every task. See how to avoid chargebacks in our FAQ.

How Hayvee makes it automatic

Hayvee stamps every photo with GPS location and the real capture time, works offline so dead zones never stop you, organizes everything by work order, and tells crews exactly which photos each task requires. That's the difference between getting paid and getting charged back.