From Dorchester and Somerville to Chelsea and the North Shore's older neighborhoods, 2-4 unit multi-family buildings are one of the most common property types agents list — and one of the least discussed in real estate photography advice, which tends to assume a single-family home with one owner and one buyer's-eye story to tell.
You're photographing multiple stories at once
A three-decker isn't one listing narrative, it's two or three: an owner-occupant buyer needs to see the whole building's condition and potential, while an investor buyer needs each unit's condition, layout, and rentability to be individually clear. Shooting the exterior needs to communicate the building as a whole (all floors, the yard, parking, curb appeal) before breaking into unit-by-unit interior coverage.
Occupied units change the plan
It's common for one or two units in a multi-family to be tenant-occupied while the owner's unit (or a vacant unit) is what's actually being marketed hardest. Coordinating which units are accessible, and when, needs to happen before shoot day — see our guide to photographing occupied and tenant-occupied listings for how that coordination typically works.
Common areas matter more than they seem
Shared entryways, hallways, basements, and laundry areas are easy to skip but often answer the exact questions multi-family buyers ask first: is this well-maintained, is there in-unit or shared laundry, how's the basement/mechanicals. A few well-lit common-area shots do real work in an investor's mental math.
Exterior coverage should show the lot, not just the facade
Parking (especially off-street parking, a premium in dense Boston neighborhoods), yard space, and how the building sits relative to neighbors are all things multi-family buyers weigh heavily. A drone or elevated exterior shot that shows the full lot alongside the street-level facade photo covers both angles.
What to ask for when booking
Tell your photographer up front how many units are being photographed, whether all units are accessible on the same visit, and whether the listing is being marketed to owner-occupants, investors, or both — that context shapes which shots matter most and how the coverage should be organized for MLS upload (by unit, or as one combined set).