“The pictures you post on your Airbnb listing are one of the most influential details impacting whether your home or apartment is selected.
Here are some essential tips on how many and what kind of pictures to post, as well as tips and tricks on how to take the best pictures to keep your property rented for the whole season.
Your listing gets viewed, shared and rated in the unforgiving world of social media. Having professional quality pictures that accurately reflect the space for rent help present your apartment or house in the best light, without misrepresenting what guests find once they arrive.
If you don’t already know this, this tip makes it worth the time you spent reading this article. Airbnb offers professional photography. They send a local photographer to your place to take better pictures than you’d get with your iPhone!
Since it’s a highly desirable service, you should be prepared to wait your turn. It can take up to three weeks to get on the calendar, so sign up for it as soon as you open your Airbnb account.
You can add a lot of photos on the listing, but that doesn’t mean that you should. Try to limit your shots between 10-12 pictures so that potential guests are intrigued rather than overwhelmed. Regardless of the total uploaded, the first three frame the space and help the user decide whether to stay or keep clicking. Make them count.
Use high-quality pictures that show off convenient amenities, artsy rooms and other unique selling features that distinguish your property. Airbnb recommends using large photos (1024 x 683px or better) that capture the best features.
The kind of photos you need depends on the type of clientele you want to attract, such as:
Your pictures need to show your property in the best light but don’t mislead potential guests. Make sure they get what they expect after viewing the pictures. Otherwise, you risk getting a bad review that can influence future bookings.
Also, don’t stage photos with props and decorations that you plan to remove after the photo session. If you don’t own a sparkling castle on a hill, just be honest and you’ll still attract renters at a reasonable price point.
Even if you take advantage of the Airbnb photographer, the light has to be just right. Take well-lit shots that feature unique perspectives to supplement your gallery. Natural light is restful and gives people a better idea of the space, so open curtains, and shades, but watch out for glare.
Take extra care to declutter before you take photos so that your place is spotless. Keep old magazines and ratty furniture out of the shot. Then, make sure the place still looks like the pictures when the guests arrive.
Panoramic shots showcase an entire room in one photo. Alternately, the wide-angle lens on your smartphone takes nice panoramic shots that translate well online. When Airbnb clients see the shots, they’ll know you aren’t hiding any major defects.
Your guests want to see something unique, especially if they’ve invested a lot of time looking through hundreds of listings. Mix it up for them with photos taken from the ceiling and pointing down, or from the ground looking up. Just don’t cut out any great amenities you offer.
Need some help nailing your Airbnb photography? Chat with the team at MaisonNets for expert short-term rental management and advice.“
Investing in property is a great way for Australians to earn additional income. And it’s not all about capital gains.
Technology has empowered smart real estate investors with a playground of opportunity, much of which is being left unmet at this point. Platforms like AirBnb, Stayz, and other short-term holiday rental sites have revolutionised the way both consumers and property owners think about property.
But with greater opportunity comes unexpected financial implications. If you are leveraging short-term rentals as a way to increase your monthly rental income it’s kind of like running a business. Not only from an operational perspective but also from a tax perspective. There are several things you need to consider.
Here are 10 tips for using your property investment to save money on taxes, whether you work from home or are active in the short-term rental market.
Important note: This article is not intended to be tax or financial advice. You should consult a professional before making any decisions.
Listing your property on the short-term rental market while you’re not using it allows you to claim tax deductions for related expenses such as amenities, property management services, and cleaning.
Interest on loans is a deductible business expense for rental properties.
There are a considerable number of Australian and foreign renters providing consistent short-term guests to owners. This flow of clients guarantees revenue to property investors. You can then use this income to make property improvements or renovations. All property renovations and related expenses are tax-deductible.
Managing a property portfolio requires both workers and contractors. The payment of wages and salaries to these workers are tax-deductible expenses.
Property owners can recover improvement costs as tax deductions over several years. These expenses help you invest more money into the property and make the most of other tax benefits.
You can recover costs from maintaining your property. General repairs, as well as management expenses, are all tax deductible.
This covers theft insurance, workers compensation, and general liabilities.
It’s important for property owners to work with professionals and keep all receipts. You may hire professionals for contract executions or use an accountant for tax services. In the end, these are all business expenses that are tax deductible.
You can claim a percentage of your mortgage or rent if you have a home office.
Utilities such as water and electricity expenses are also tax deductible. Just make sure you keep your records!
Owning property comes with a number of tax benefits if you know what to look for. Whether you live and work from home, or you rent your property out to guests, you can claim all sorts of things to reduce your yearly tax.
The tax benefits of owning property aren’t a new thing, but the growth of short-term rentals has amplified the opportunities for investors to take it up a level. Operate your property as a business and you will reap the rewards!
“The Australian real estate market is hot, despite some recent plateaus. In the past 30 years, housing prices have more than doubled. In some major cities, housing prices are now seven times higher than just a few decades ago.
Given these market conditions, many people are attracted to real estate because it is a proven way to build wealth.
However, it’s not as “set and forget” as many people hope. Yes, a rental property can generate a steady stream of income that will help pay back your loan and increase the overall value of your investment. But they require maintenance and management too.
With the rapid increase in buying price for property in Australia, many investors are looking for opportunities to make additional money from their current investments.
Some real estate investors focus on renovating homes for a quick profit. Others want to own rental properties that generate passive income each month.
Whatever your approach, if you own a property that you don’t intend to live in, you need to decide on a strategy to generate revenue.
With recent trends showing growth in short-term rentals and vacation letting, it sparks a regular debate in property investment circles about short vs long-term approaches. There are benefits and costs of each.
The most common way to rent out a property is with a long-term rental agreement of anywhere from a few months to a year. This is the traditional way of doing things, with sites like Domain and RealEstate.com.au available for investors to list their properties and find tenants.
The advantage of this type of agreement is the owner doesn’t have to deal with changing tenants all the time. Once the price and length of the agreement are signed off, the money keeps rolling in and the investor only has to deal with maintenance or management costs. This is attractive for some investors who are looking for stability with their rental income.
The downside of long-term rental agreements is their lack of flexibility. Let’s say the market rental value increases in your area but you are locked into a 12-month contract with tenants… this restricts your earning capacity.
In addition to limitations with your earnings, you are also in a position where you can’t make decisions if and when you need to. Say, for example, you hit a rough patch and need to move into your house to save money. You can’t just kick your tenants out!
Long-term agreements are a staple in the property market because they have been around forever, but society is changing the way they think.
The interest in short-term rentals has grown significantly in recent years, sparked by Airbnb, Stayz and other vacation rental websites. What started out as a new way to have a holiday has become a creative way to rent out your investment property. In fact, many owners are adopting a short-term rental strategy in an attempt to increase their rental income.
A short-term rental strategy focuses on charging more per night for the property. Although it takes time to manage multiple tenants, most owners can increase their rental income substantially by adopting this strategy. This is especially true at certain times of the year if you own a property in an area that is popular during seasonal months. For example, if the property is near a vacation area, the summer months can provide a huge income boost.
Of course, there are challenges that come with a short-term rental strategy. It’s a bit like running a business because you are always looking to re-book tenants and fill vacancies. Not to mention there is more maintenance required, such as replacing amenities, cleaning fees, and creating a 5-star experience for your guests.
If you do go down the path of a short-term rental strategy the income can be very attractive. In some instances, owners have doubled their income in a short period of time. But unless you have time to focus on it every week, you may be better off hiring a short-term property management service like MaisonNets to handle bookings, amenities, and other bits and pieces.
If you can get the administrative side of things organised and locked down, the opportunities for reinvesting your additional income earned from short-term stays is exciting.
Finding tenants to fill your property vacancies on a short-term basis is now easier than ever. As a result, many real estate investors in Australia are starting to adopt a short-term strategy. Anyone who wants to increase their rental income should consider adopting this approach.
Want help managing your short-term property portfolio? Get in touch here.“
