I hear it all the time: “Everyone else is doing so well this season! I just bought a new coffee maker and put in a new disposal last season. Why isn’t my house renting?”

Sound familiar?

Let’s say your house is just a block to the beach on the outskirts of Cape May’s Historic District. You advertise it on multiple websites. The house has four bedrooms, three baths, and sleeps 12. You charge the same rates as the guy down the street – clearly, it’s a steal!

So why is your next-door-neighbor’s availability calendar booked solid while you’re fluffing pillows to pass the time? Why isn’t your inbox flooded with inquiries? Why can’t you book rentals in the off-season? What are you doing wrong? Hint: Maybe your photos are to blame.

Pictures are the most important selling feature of your online rental ads. Your potential guests are scouring websites filled with hundreds of other properties to choose from. If you want to land that guest, your house has to STAND OUT from the competition.

You might be thinking, “My pictures are fine! I don’t have time to take new ones. Besides, people will call me if they want better ones.” But if the ad next to yours already has stellar photography, upgraded amenities, and comparable rates, why would someone waste time trying to get you on the phone?

Take a good, hard look at the pictures you’re using. Do they make your home look like a place you’d actually want to spend your vacation? If you’re not sure, ask an honest friend for an honest opinion. Actually, ask a friend anyway. Ask lots of them.

If you’re guilty of any of the following, it’s time for new photographs:

• Pictures that are no longer current
• Pictures that are crooked, blurry, or grainy
• Pictures where you can see yourself in the mirror
• Pictures taken on your camera phone
• Stormy skies, trash cans, and cars in exterior shots
• Shabby furniture, bedding, and accessories
• Clutter

Maybe you like the pictures you took eight years ago, but you have to think from a potential renter’s point of view. Your online ad should showcase your home as a relaxing vacation spot, not a place where you store your old furniture. No one wants to spend precious vacation time in a time-capsule when they can find a nice, modern rental down the street.

Have I convinced you to take a few new pictures yet? Well, before you start snapping away, make sure you’ve done the following:

• Lose the clutter! This includes refrigerator magnets, personal items, unnecessary countertop appliances, stacks of old magazines, soap dispensers, and anything on top of your cabinets.
• Fix your curtains, hide cords, straighten bedspreads and hanging art, and arrange throw pillows. Pull your car out of the driveway for exterior shots.
• Replace worn items, especially bedspreads. Donate used items to charity, and visit discount stores in Cape May, Rio Grande and Cape May Court House to find new bedding and accessories at low prices. Can’t afford to replace the couch? Try a two-piece slipcover. Picture frames looking tired? Hello, spray paint!
• Touch up any obvious dents or scratches in furniture and walls. Clean fingerprints from stainless steel. Vacuum.
• Consider your furniture arrangement. The couch doesn’t always have to sit against that wall. Watch a few design shows for tips.
• Keep an eye on the weather. If it’s raining or gray,
  reschedule the exterior shots (or the whole photo shoot, if you
  have a lot of windows).
• Use a digital camera, preferably with a wide-angle lens. Better yet, hire a local photographer. You’ll pay a little extra, but professional photographs stand out among your average point-and-click.

Maybe the idea of going out and buying new items for a rental property or paying for good photographs makes your eye twitch, but believe me, those small changes can make a huge difference in the number of inquiries you receive through your online ads, making it worth the cost in the end.

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