Pictures can make or break your rental property listing. As future tenants browse hundreds of home photos, you have the chance to make a great first impression… or not. If they like what they see, you have a potential tenant on your hands. If not, they usually don’t even consider the house.
So, when you’re taking listing photos, use these nine tips to cast your home in the best light possible.
1. Use a Wide-Angle Lens
If you’re hunting for the right camera for your listing photos, there’s only one non-negotiable — a wide-angle lens. A regular iPhone shot may be great quality, but it won’t produce the photos you need unless you use a wide-angle attachment. Even an expensive DSLR with the best zoom, quality, and focus won’t do the trick without the right lens.
Use a wide-angle lens to capture the entire room. Then orient your shot horizontally. You want people to see the whole space, not just an isolated corner.
2. Avoid Natural Light
The more light in a photo, the better, right? Yes and no. A perk of photo-editing is the ability to brighten your photos. But natural light messes up the balance as you edit the final product.
So, when you take your photos, shut the blinds and close the curtains. Then turn on all the lights in the house. When you edit the photos, you can brighten them to the right level without natural light interfering.
3. Clear the Clutter
Clutter takes the focus away from what you’re trying to emphasize. If you’re in a bathroom, clear the vanity, put the toilet seat down, and move the soap. If you’re in a kitchen, take everything off the counters. If you’re in a bedroom or living room, shut all closet doors and hide cables.
You want the viewer to see the room itself, not be distracted by the items in the room. If they see a cord sticking out of the wall, they’ll focus on that detail instead of the big picture.
Related: 5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Marketing Your DFW Rental Property
4. Make Rooms Appear Big
When you photograph a room, step back into a doorway as far as possible without showing the doorframe. People want space, so make sure you show them the maximum square-footage!
5. Give a Walking Tour With Your Photos
Post the photos in the order you’d see them in the house. Begin with the exterior. Listings without an exterior photo raise a red flag to viewers. It seems like the owner has something to hide.
Then post interior photos of the rooms in the order you walk through the house. Take pictures from multiple angles so tenants get an idea of the house before they see it in person. End with the backyard from at least two vantage points. Think of the pictures as a tour they’re browsing through, frame by frame.
6. Take More Pictures Than You Need
Give yourself the power of choice. Take multiple pictures of each room from each angle. Then choose which photos are most flattering to the home. It’s frustrating to end up with only a few decent shots and be forced to go back for more. Take too many pictures to start with so you have room for error.
7. Focus on Kitchen and Master Bath
Post extra photos of the kitchen and master bath. For bedrooms and living space, we usually post only one or two photos. But the kitchen and master bathroom are key selling points.
People look for specific features and updates in these areas. So give them four or five images to show the full picture of what your home offers.
8. Neighborhood Amenities
Photograph any neighborhood amenities that compliment your property. Parks, pools, clubhouses, and ponds are all perks for your prospects. So take the extra time to drive around the neighborhood and capture them for your viewers.
People gravitate towards these well-kept community areas as they browse. If you only list these features in the description, people may overlook them entirely. Don’t skip these photos — they can be great selling points!
9. Always Max Out the Number of Pictures
Take full advantage of how many pictures your listing service allows you to post. For example, MLS lets you post 35 pictures. Rather than settling for six or seven decent pictures, post all 35 of them.
People are trying to convince themselves of the right house as they search through listings. So the more information you give them, the better. And they’ll want to show their friends and family too. Everyone likes looking at pictures, so give them plenty to view.
Pictures are one of your greatest tools in attracting tenants. Maximize their selling power by posting photos that really showcase your home.
