3 Reasons Why You Should Take Photos of a Rental BEFORE a New Tenant Moves In

In real estate, a picture is worth a thousand words. They’re how tenants find a vacant listing, and they’re the first thing to draw interest.

Photos complement a listing’s description and give a landlord the chance to highlight features that attract potential tenants who are shopping for their next home. When it comes to the property’s condition, accurate and up-to-date photos are important to support claims by either the landlord or tenant.

Here are three more reasons why you should take photos of a rental before a new tenant moves in.

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Including photos of the property will make the process of finding tenants faster and more effective. Tenants have less interest in listings which lack photos, or they might even rule them out altogether. Give a preview of what the property looks like through quality photos.

Listing with photos receive more views, and the more photos there are to view, the longer tenants will stay on the listing page. Visuals tell the tenant what the home looks like, whether the property is in good condition, and if they can envision themselves living there. Tenants also use photos to think about where to put furniture, and it helps if they can imagine their lives there.

As a listing gains attention, a landlord will be receiving constant inquiries. To manage applicants, use a free tenant screening service to qualify tenants. This gives you instant access to a tenant’s credit, criminal history, and eviction reports. Landlord software makes it easy to manage a property from anywhere by integrating the rental application, online marketing, and renter management tools.

Rent faster and get a higher price

Including photos helps you rent out the unit more quickly. The more appealing a listing looks, the more shareable it becomes, the more interest builds, and the faster the property will rent.

This lowers vacancy rates between tenants; your goal as a landlord should be to find new tenants before the property becomes vacant. Being able to consistently rent out a listing means always having rental property income.

Listings with photos add to the worth of a unit. Tenants are impressed by photos that show off features and amenities of a home. Showing the value of a listing justifies asking a higher rental price, and tenants are more willing to pay when the home is everything they want. Photos also shape the tenant’s opinion. If they have a favorable opinion of the listing before viewing in person, tenants are more likely to pursue renting.

Document property condition

Pictures are how a landlord documents the condition of a property over time. You should take new photos whenever any updates are made to the home. If a tenant leaves and there is damage to the property, before-and-after photos will prove the condition and justify why a deposit may be withheld.

Taking photos between tenants will show evidence of any unauthorized alterations made, and act as proof against health and safety complaints. A photo record also serves as proof that the tenant agrees to the existing condition of the property at the time of move in.

You can keep photos organized in an easy-access way with a photo saver. A smart photo saver collects, organizes, and shares your listing’s photos and videos. You can automatically save photos in one place, and find organized photos easily using an intuitive app.

Freelance writer with BA in English from Binghamton.