Make Your Vacation Rental in the Outer Banks More Appealing Using Proper Staging
When people are looking to book a vacation rental in the Outer Banks, they are trying to find a property that is ideal for their needs. Since most people will be looking at your listings online, a good description of the property and the amenities is certainly important. However, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. You need to make sure to have plenty of fantastic photos that really capture the potential renter’s imagination.
The photos need to be as perfect as they can possibly be while capturing the reality of the home and what makes it special. This might sound like a tall order, but it is certainly possible. The photos that a person sees provides them with their initial impression of the property. If the photos are lackluster, they will not have enthusiasm about your rental, and they will simply look for another in the area.
Simple Staging Tips You Can Do on Your Own
One of the most important things to remember when you are staging your vacation rental property is that it needs to be an accurate depiction of the property. Do not bring in new furniture that will not be there when the guests arrive just because you think it looks good in the photo. Your photos need to do a good job of showing the guests what they can expect. This includes things such as bedding, furnishings, cutlery and dishes, and even the curtains and any artwork that you might have. Of course, adding some flowers or a bowl of fruit might be a nice touch. Your guests will not expect you to have the same flowers when they arrive, so do not worry!
You also need to make sure that you have removed all the clutter and personal items from the photos. Remember, the guests want to imagine themselves living there, and if you have a pile of your old running shoes in the corner, it just won’t look very professional. It is always a good idea to keep the property free of clutter, not just when you are taking photographs.
When removing the clutter, be sure that you get everything off the shelves in the bathroom and the kitchen. Hide the garbage cans, as well. They might be a fact of life, but you do not want them making a cameo in your photos. Walk around the house and remove any personal items that you might have. This includes things such as family photos.
You should also make sure that you have proper lighting. This does not mean you need to bring in a professional lighting rig, of course. Sometimes, simply turning the lights on in a room will give it the light that it needs. If you feel that a certain room might benefit from having some additional light, you can bring in a lamp or a clamp light. Just make sure it is kept out of frame.
When you use natural light, it will look better than relying on the camera’s flash. In addition, if you do not have plenty of light, it can cast shadows in the room that make it appear dark and dismal rather than bright and cheery.
Make sure the items in the room look perfect. This means you want to make certain the bedding is nice and straight, and that you want to check the artwork on the walls to ensure nothing is crooked. Anything that looks out of place or askew can draw attention in the photo. You do not want the guests thinking that you don’t know how to keep your frames straight on the wall, after all!
Also, make sure that you remember to take some exterior shots of the property, as well as views from the property, if you have one. If you have a backyard area, be sure to include photos out there, too. Some nice shots of the surrounding scenery can help to give the potential buyers a much better picture, pun intended, of what your property can offer.
Should You Hire a Professional Photographer?
This is not an easy question to answer, as it will depend on a range of factors. One of the concerns people the most is the budget. Do not let the cost of a professional photographer scare you away. In some cases, they can even stage the home for you for an additional fee. This relieves you of much of the hard work, and you can be sure the photos will look great.
You can make up the money spent on a photographer relatively quickly, and since the photos will be in your listings for a long time, they end up more than paying for themselves in the end.
However, if you want to take the photos yourself, it is possible. Use the tips provided earlier in the post, and make sure you have a quality camera to take the photos. One of the nice things about taking photos today is the efficiency of digital cameras. You can take plenty of photos, play around with the lighting, and make sure everything is perfect without wasting film. Keep the photos that work and delete the ones that do not.
Here’s a bonus tip. Never rely on the small screen on your camera to let you know whether a photo is good or not. You need to see it larger and on a computer screen so you can make sure that it looks as appealing as it does on the smaller screen of your camera.
Easy and Effective
Photos are vital when it comes to renters making decisions online. If your photos are not up to par, they will pass you over and move on to one of the other homes in the area. With some work on your part, or the part of a professional photographer, you can stage your photos to make your home just as perfect in the photos as it is in real life.