Owner advice – Getting your property ready for photography

With tens of thousands of holiday properties now available to rent in the UK, making sure your property stands out above the rest when advertised online can be a bit of a challenge.

Here at Wight Holiday Lettings, we have our own professional photographer on the team, who can make your property look its very best and catch the eye of an ever more demanding potential guest.

When browsing through the pages of results on a travel website, most people only glance at the first image for each property, so it’s very important to choose the right image to grab people’s attention. Most people will opt for an exterior image of their property, but in many cases a pretty interior image will attract more views.

To get the very best results, its important to make sure the property is clean and dressed to maximise the impact of the professional photos. Below are some of our tips on how to best prepare your property:

Tidying up the house – Whilst this may seem obvious, there are many areas which are often overlooked by an owner which stand out in promotional photos, such as personal possession and areas of clutter and also loose and visible cables and wires from TV’s, Lamps, etc.
In the kitchen and dining areas, make sure all bins are out of sight and the only food on display should be for liberate dressing / props.

Lighting – Natural light is the best source of light for Photography, so we will always try and carry out the photography on a day with plenty of sunlight. To make the most of this, make sure all curtains and blinds are fully open. Sometimes we need a little help with lighting a room and switch on the lights, so please make sure all bulbs are working.

Dressing the rooms – Linens, pillows, towels and cushions should all be arranged as a guest would expect to find them on arrival. Anything stored under the beds or sofas should be moved out of sight. All cupboard and wardrobe doors should be closed and any signs of clutter, children’s toys, pet bowls, cleaning products, personal possessions should be moved so they don’t distract from the key features of the rooms.

The Little things – Often overlooked little details like putting the toilet seat down and making sure the TV is switched off make a big difference in images. To brighten rooms, a vase of fresh flowers, and a pretty tea set can become a focal part of the detailed images.

Outside – Where possible, any outside areas should be tidied of any clutter, dead leaves and gardens well maintained. Any outside furniture should be clean and usable, and any broken items moved out of sight. Also, if you have a driveway or parking at the front of your property, be sure to move any cars out of way.

If you’re still renovating or furnishing your property and need any advice on how to finish your holiday home to make it as appealing as possible for future guests, please get in touch on 01983 525710 or info@wightholidaylettings.co.uk and if you’d like to arrange a free market appraisal, please click here.