Take good pictures, NOW!

If you have a vacancy take the time to hire a photographer and stage your unit! This is critical for so many reasons but one reason that is often overlooked.

1. Good pictures lower vacancies, renters want Pinterest-looking units. Like Brandon Turner says, "every tenant watches and wants an HGTV house" (paraphrased) 

2. If you are looking to raise money you'll want to share the "after" pictures that will impress possible investors

3. Good pictures taken before a unit is rented can be used to justify the withholding of a tenant's security deposit. 

But most importantly,

4. If you ever have to sell while the units occupied you'll want to provide those nice pictures to your listing agent. 

I see it time and time again, for sale listings with no interior pictures. Listings with old low-resolution pictures from the last vacancy. And my least favorite, cluttered junky pictures of your tenant's stuff thrown about your beautiful unit. 

If you have to sell and you're stuck with these sub-par pictures you can expect your unit to sit on the market for 2-3 times longer than those investors that have good or even decent pictures. 

***Bonus reason: Take the nicer pictures for me. I'm tired of listings with sad old cluttered pictures taken with an iPhone 5.