Wow, Pictures Matter!

Yes, when it comes to online media, that is a relatively obvious statement, but I was still somewhat shocked as to the consistency of the responses or lack thereof to discussions/blogs from those who didn't have a picture on the site! And it doesn't appear to matter that much whether the picture is of you or of a sunset, people just respond better to some sort of image. So if you want the best response to your posts, add a picture!

This is huge. We are so focused on this that we actually engage a professional photographer for our apartment websites. I expect we will soon be adding this as a service to our apartment marketing tools. Typically a photoshot is an overnight affair and the cost is under $1,000. This provides inside, outside and varying light photos. We also recommend capturing seasonal photos. Fresh and current photographs sell leases.

I agree that seasonal photos are great, but please people, don't use your snowy shots in July...that's one of my biggest pet peeves!

Pictures are everything! I was on the other end of the table not long ago looking for a new home and I wouldn't even consider communities with no pictures. I want to see both outside and inside pictures as they show how well the community is kept, and how aprox age for the inside pictures.

I have also experienced trying to sell apartments with no pictures. I am now on a community that is in the process of renovating, and when I say renovating, not just putting in a new and fresh carpet and resurfaced counter tops, they went all out, but for my craigslist ads I didn't have pictures for the first 4 weeks after the renovations started and I saw absolutely no response no matter how catchy my headlines were. We finally got a kitchen picture and within a week we sold 3 renovated apartments! Mind you that we are also raising rent up to $200 so we are fighting to change the demographic that we already get.

It's always interesting to see how the more anonymous types hash out during internet discussions, particularly when they're dissenters. Personally, I tend to treat them like sockpuppets, especially if they all agree with one another. There's just something about anonymity, about not having to own your opinion, that seems to bring out the viciousness in people.

And as far as renting apartments - photos are phenomenal. I'm with Vala; I won't even consider a place that doesn't have interior and exterior photos. Staff photos are nice also, but personally I try not to look too hard at them. (I'd rather form my judgments based on actual interactions. It's too easy to jump to conclusions based on a picture of a person.)