How to Take Great Photos for Your Home Listing By

How to Take Great Photos for Your Home Listing

Great photographs tell the story of your home and help potential tenants get a better idea about your listing. We want to help you make your photos great. Read the helpful photo tips below and you’ll be on your way to finding a match in no time!

Related: Getting Started on SabbaticalHomes

Quality Counts, Quantity too

Your pictures should show your home at its best. Make sure that rooms are free of clutter and are clean and organized. You will want to include photos of the living room, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms and (sparkling clean) bathrooms – or whatever the space is that you are offering.  A home office is also a key benefit.  Be sure to show photos of any special features like a backyard/garden, outside deck, pool or a nice amenity like an indoor laundry area.

Use the best camera you can get your hands on. It will make a difference in the quality of your images.  Also, try to take many photos so that you can pick the best from the bunch.  You can post up to 10 photos on your listing. Horizontal images with a 16:9 aspect ratio work best in our listing displays.

Each image should be smaller than 10 MB and be saved as a JPG/JPEG, GIF or PNG file. As an added level of security, we add a small SabbaticalHomes.com logo and your listing number on your images after you upload them. This helps prevent scammers from re-purposing your images on other websites.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 84387. A clean and uncluttered living room of a home rental in Toronto, Canada.

Clean and uncluttered living room, home rental in Toronto, Canada.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 121183. Office space, home rental in London, UK.

Office space, home rental in London, UK.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 117075. Clean bathroom, home rental in Los Angeles, California.

Clean bathroom, home rental in Los Angeles, California.

 

abbaticalHomes Listing 142128. Spacious backyard, home rental in Princeton, New Jersey.

Spacious backyard, home rental in Princeton, New Jersey.

 

Alt Text: SabbaticalHomes Listing 111593. Awesome pool, home rental in San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Awesome pool, home rental in San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Related: How to Create a Great Home Listing

Let there be light

Use as much natural lighting as possible. Additionally, turn on the lights for a warm glow. Try to avoid using the camera’s built-in flash. This will help brighten the space.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 103446. Good lighting, home rental in West Hollywood, California.

Good lighting, home rental in West Hollywood, California.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 95766. Good lighting, home rental in Boulder, Colorado.

Good lighting, home rental in Boulder, Colorado.

Composition matters

Try to keep your images balanced, straight and level – avoiding sharp slants or weird angles. Include at least two walls with a bit of the floor and ceiling from an opposing end to show the scope of the space, like a kitchen opening up into a family room.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 138956. Strong composition photo, rental home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Strong composition photo, rental home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 43268. Strong composition photo, rental home in Lisbon, Portugal.

Strong composition photo, rental home in Lisbon, Portugal.

Local Flavor

In addition to taking pictures inside your home, take some exterior shots as well. Maybe even add one or two of the neighborhood and/or favorite local hangouts.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 108767. Exterior photo, home rental in Austin, Texas.

Exterior photo, home rental in Austin, Texas.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 115975. Neighborhood photo, apartment rental in Paris, France.

Neighborhood photo, apartment rental in Paris, France.

Highlight views and outside spaces

If you’ve got it, flaunt it!  If your home has a stunning view or amazing outside space, be sure to highlight it in your photos.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 69565. Stunning view, villa rental in Milos, Greece.

Stunning view, villa rental in Milos, Greece.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 129227. Charming outside patio, home rental in Los Angeles, California.

Charming outside patio, home rental in Los Angeles, California.

 

SabbaticalHomes Listing 140902. Cute outside balcony, home rental in Rome, Italy.

Cute outside balcony, home rental in Rome, Italy.

Choose your best image for your thumbnail photo

This is the very first photo members will see. Convince them they need to see more by using an enticing image. Use this photo to highlight the greatest selling point of your rental, whether it’s a beautiful interior, an unforgettable view or charming neighborhood.

SabbaticalHomes Listing 63949 Central London flat for rent.

 

Related: Photo Format Frequently Asked Questions

Have another great photo idea? We’d love to hear from you! Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook,  Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.