Rental advertising - picture quality
Scooting round various websites as I do most days, I am still astounded by the poor picture quality provided by property rental owners. Only yesterday, and this is what got me writing this post, I saw rental details showing pictures of a recently built property - the kitchen photo was just a room with wires and tubes coming out of walls - not one kitchen fitting, cupboard …. nothing! - there were 3 or 4 more photos in the same vein. Why, I ask myself, put these photos onto websites and why do websites allow these photos?! What is the point? As a potential property renter would you want to rent this property for your annual 2 week holiday? I don´t think so somehow!
Some picture tips
1. If a website you are going to advertise your property on says photos should be no less than 300 x 250 then pay attention! Smaller photos sizes uploaded will look distorted and blurred.
2. If you have a digital camera but you know no more than point and click photography - ask someone with more photo experience for assistance. It doesn´t hurt to ask and you will find you have better quality photos for your advertising. How about paying someone with good quality camera gear and experience to take the photos? A wide angle lens is very useful in smaller rooms.
3. Think about what it is a potential renter wants to see about your property - a picture of a bedroom showing the end of a bed and a window really doesn´t offer too much to the viewer - especially if the bed is unmade and there are clothes dumped in a corner on the ground! (yes, there are plenty of photos knocking around websites like these!)
4. Think about the lighting of the photo - far too many photos on websites where no one has thought to turn on the lights and all you see is a dark room with some images of furniture in the background.
5. Although I have always been of the opinion that photos will be the deciding factor for potential rental clients and I therefore always put as many photos as possible onto websites - you will often be asked for more. Perhaps you haven´t shown the outside of the property sufficiently and its surroundings? Therefore, if you advertise your property with 4 photos always have additional photos to hand to send to your potential clients.
6. Many websites stipulate a total of 4 or 5 photos within an advertising fee - you pay more for each additional photo. This can be expensive but if you think 6 photos will show your property off to its best advantage (and you have 6 good quality photos), then pay the additional amount.
7. Before taking photos, prepare your property as if you were getting it rental ready and then take the photos - give yourself plenty of time. I know of too many owners who wait until the last minute while they are staying at their property and just before they go out of the door to the airport suddenly remember they haven´t taken photos.
In the final analysis, if you want to rent your property well then ensure you make the time and effort to show it off to its full potential.
And finally, don´t nick other people´s photos - there are copyright laws……