Education and news for smart DIY landlords!
If you are planning to rent out a property, the one thing you’d care about the most is getting the right tenant in less time. Take a look at your rental listing. Does it have photos, to begin with? Images draw attention because humans naturally process visuals faster than text. That said, great photos make your listing stand out.
The good news is, you don’t need to be an expert or get a super expensive camera to take superb photos of your rental. Just use a camera with a resolution of at least 5 megapixels. A phone camera also works great, for example, an iPhone 7.
When you stage your rental, you allow potential tenants to envision themselves living in the unit. First of all, clean the rental thoroughly. Never stage a mess!
Put a vase of flowers on the table. Fill an empty shelf with a few books. Hang a reproduction or painting on a blank wall. If a room is small, make it look bigger by hanging a mirror or bringing in more light. These simple additions give personality to your rental.
There’s nothing more important than the outside view of the rental. Everyone wants to see what your property looks from the street. While you capture the landscaping, make sure that there are no cars that obstruct the view.
Just because it’s a bathroom, doesn’t mean you can’t take a photo of it. If you recently upgraded the curtains and tiles, that space deserves to be featured. Basically, capture the selling points of your rental especially if they’ve been improved. That selling point can even be a small but beautiful corner that sparks the curiosity of renters.
If you take pictures early in the morning, it would be best to turn on the lights inside. Allow natural light to come in but avoid glare. When you are shooting at night, turn on all the lights inside to create a dramatic effect. In general, avoid dark photos. They convey that you may be hiding some details and aren’t trustworthy.
Do you have a splendid view of the garden? If you can take a perfect shot of it from the bedroom window, that would be great. Let prospect renters imagine themselves having a relaxing cup of coffee or working on a desk by the window while enjoying the view.
We’re used to capturing photos from an eye level. Make your rental listing photos a bit more creative by shooting from a low viewpoint. This means kneeling on the ground or even lying flat. By doing this, a room becomes bigger and more powerful.
Remember that your first attempt may not be perfect. Take a lot of photos and experiment with different angles. Anyway, you’ll be using a digital/mirrorless camera or your phone and won’t be wasting money on printing. So shoot away and pick the best images! Lastly, know that you can always crop and edit. Good luck on your rental listing and I hope these photography tips help.
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