Advertising your property to potential tenants is very similar to a job interview. You want your property to be displayed in an appealing manner that compels potential tenants to contact you for a viewing. Set your property up for success with a “fitted suit” and invest in great quality photography. You want your property to make a great first impression every time a potential tenant scrolls through the photo gallery. This is why photography really matters when renting your property. If your property photos are lacking in quality or number your property may be viewed as unappealing on the web.
Did you know that after specifics and price, photographs are the top three reasons that can make or break a potential tenant’s opinion of your place during their rental search? With that being said, strong photography can be the deciding factor in getting tenants from the web to the doorstep.
1. Curb Appeal
Most property managers and real estate agents are familiar with the terminology, “curb appeal”, but just in case, curb appeal by definition is the attractiveness a property exudes from a street view (curbside view, if you will). Well, you can create web curb appeal by having great shots of your property’s exterior displayed at the beginning of a photo gallery. After all this is the first impression a property has on potential tenants, who physically visit the property.
For single family homes make sure the law and hedges are well manicured for exterior photos. It is best to take exterior photos during a sunny day when there is great natural sunlight. However, if this is not a possibility, try having the photos taken at dusk with inside lights on. This will create a warm welcoming glow from the inside of the house.
For apartments in large buildings an exterior photo might consist of an artful shot of the actual building itself showcasing the building’s address and main entrance. If it’s a high-rise with great amenities, such as a pool or track, those would also be excellent additional exterior shots, which could add to the property’s curb appeal.
2. The Inside Counts
Don’t skimp on interior photos! If you have a lovely picture of the exterior property, but lack an abundance of interior photos, an alarm goes off in the minds of your potential tenants. “Why aren’t they showing me the interior? Is something wrong with it?” Photographs shouldn’t evoke more questions but should instead provide answers to them. Basic questions like “What is this space like?” and “Can I see myself living there?” So don’t leave potential tenants hanging with questions or the likelihood of them calling for a viewing decreases.
To adequately answer potential tenants’ burning questions, create a virtual tour of the apartment through a photo gallery. Start with an exterior photo, then work your way into the property. Showcase the flow of the space by using photos taken from doorways into a room. Follow with photos from the opposite side towards the doorway to show off all your space has to offer! Giving potential tenants a 360 degree view from flattering angles can better demonstrate the layout of a space, and allows them to imagine living in your property.
3. Eye Candy
From image galleries that offer a virtual tour of your property to eye-catching advertisement photos, professional photographs of your property need to welcome potential tenants into a space. Professional photos offer a great backdrop to let potential tenants begin imagining all the future possibilities of living in a property’s space. Create a flow to your gallery, being sure to pick the best shots of your property. Not only can this give future renters a virtual tour, but also creates a story of which potential tenants would like to be a part. The key is in highlighting the best aspects of the property. For example: maybe there’s a wonderful built-in kitchen nook that gets exceptional sunlight during the afternoon… Renters will delight at the photo of this feature that you have displayed with pride!
4. Size Matters
Strong real estate photographs should demonstrate the dimensions of rooms in an ideal way. Unsure of how to optimize space? Begin by decluttering shelves, mantels, and other surface areas to create the ideal living condition and help visually open up the space. When surfaces are cluttered and packed with personal items, it can make the room feel crowded. Cluttered surfaces can also distract tenants from the actual space, as they are more focused on the things currently taking up the space.
Furniture and decor should also help emphasize the size and flow of the property. Tenants will enjoy visualizing themselves living in your property, so it may be necessary to remove or hide personal photographs before the photographs are taken as well as during viewings. This will allow potential tenants to focus more clearly on the space rather than the current occupants.
We have this piece of wisdom that we consider immensely important: make sure the toilet seat is down when the bathroom is photographed. While this has little to do with space, it has everything to do with creating an appealing image.
5. Time Saver
Photographs can work in your favor to separate potential tenants, who are actually interested in the property, from individuals who are not. This is why strong photography is so important to marketing your rental property. You want someone to be able to go through the image gallery and feel like they just walked through the home. Your property may be designed and built with care and taste, but if the photos are grainy with poor lighting and look like they were shot with a mobile device camera by an amateur in a hurry, you are certainly not doing it any service.
Get Professional Help
Truly, the way to good photos is by enlisting the help of a professional photographer. The images they make can help your property stand out for all the right reason on the web and marketing efforts for years to come. When you’re having trouble filling a vacancy, you can rest easy that your photos are not the issue. Eliminating one more variable in the equation will allow focus on accurately pricing the property.
Just like dressing to impress to land a great new job, great photos of a clean space work to create a great first impression to potential buyers. But maybe this just seems complicated or sounds like too much to take on alone. Here at Lofty, we provide guidance and counsel to help better manage your investments. From high-quality photos and ads for your vacancy to first-class property and tenant management, Lofty can help to free up your time to live the life you deserve. Get in touch today to see how we can help your investment.
Whether you just need to find the right tenants for your investment property, or you want everything managed from top to bottom, we’re here to help.
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