Professional Photos for Lease

Yep, Here's an example of Perth fees I just paid, took ~6wks to get a tenant;
Advertising - Facebook Sponsored = $50.00
Advertising - Feature Property Listing = $80.00
Advertising - Internet = $90.00
Advertising - Photography = $99.00
Advertising - For Lease Sign - = $110.00
Tenant Enquiry Fee = $8.80
Property Condition Report Fee = $299.00
Letting Fee (2 weeks) = $572.00
Management Fee = $48.62

 

We have a couple of owners who have chosen to have professional photos taken (when they purchased their investment properties) and passed them onto us to use in advertising. The photos were taken just on dusk and look terrific, these are high end properties and attract a good rental return. Both properties always rent very quickly and attract plenty of attention when advertised. As long as your photos aren't to heavily touched up / photo shopped.

 

Wow, that sounds expenseive, is this the going rates in WA?

 

Looks terrific, especially for such a small investment

 

Until recently I SM'd, 1st PM I've used so not sure what others cost/pay, any other sandgropers wanna share?

How's it compare to your area Tanya?

 

South Brisbane & Logan fees are generally quoted at 6-9%, however when all costs are considered this can be somewhere in the vicinity of 13% management fee and generally letting is equal to one weeks rent plus gst.

I find that there are generally several add on charges for extra advertising, inspections, disbursement fees, account fees etc etc (which I believe should come under management/letting fees)

When comparing management fees there are so many extra charges now, it is like comparing apples with oranges.

 

Jeeeeeezuuuus, i would be selling and buy up in Adelaide.

 

Best thing you've said all day James

 

Consider I just have to take the cost when I'm one of those who only feels comfortable buying local to where I live so I can keep an eye on it, sort out the small maint stuff etc myself, confidence in PM's here is very average.

However your comment just made me consider that "perhaps" SA is the one place I would feel comfortable purchasing an IP in due to @Xenia & @D.T. being there to look after it for me.
Nothing against other PC State PM's, something about their regular posts of support to others on here makes me feel warm & fuzzy about them, guess that = good marketing, but sure its not their intent.

Trouble is I'd feel like an A-hole if I only purchased one IP in SA because I'd then have to decide one of them over the other to look after it for me, I'd have to buy two properties so they each have one.

I couldn't live in SA though, its bad enough putting up with Eagles fans, only one team, in SA I'd have to deal with both Crows & Port fans.

 

Would love to be on your team WestOz and you can just visit for the wineries and make it a tax expense.
I don't drink but know where the good wineries are

 

Wont be a deduction for much longer.
Hope there's more than that for you to do there, I don't even go to our wineries.
Lets see what @D.T. has to offer to counter your wineries

 

Unfortunately most good wineries have good restaurants attached too but we'd hate to tempt you.....and I don't eat either.

 

And gorgeous little country towns and scenery

 

I have no problem with eating at restaurants.

 

I used to do this quite a lot, now i treat it as a business, i pay people to look after my interests,works a treat.

Get in before the rush.

 

I would for sure use professional photos.

All my properties have professional photos for them which we use, best thing about the rentals is typically the photos will last 10-20 years as you are not changing anything on the inside.

If it gets you a tenant a week earlier it is well worth it but also you want it to stand out and be a property people want to inspect on their limited time.

If it was $2,000 for professional shots I would say not worth but at $100-$150 (dusk photos are amazing) it is well worth it.

Since I don't have amateur photos of a house comparison I took a screen grab from Google maps as it wouldn't have any photoshop used.

Google Maps


Professional Photo - Day


Professional Twilight - Same photographer as Day

 

I think those fees are at the lower end. I have a leasing only agent who is doing me a super special deal of $1,000 without photos or property condition report.

 

Blurry dark fuzzy iphone photos are a sure sign that your PM is content with mediocrity

 

Professional Photos are a non-negotiable for me. I pay for them out of my letting fee (which is only one weeks rent in QLD) because they're absolutely critical to a great result.

Mine only cost $135, I've asked him to charge more but he wont!

You can use them for years and years. At my average rent of $400wk, if at any stage during marketing you get a tenant three days faster than you would have without them, they've paid for themselves.

 

I use professional photos as standard too, included in letting fee. Cost varies depending on location for my photographer, but usually $132. Even if your PM doesn't include these as standard, I think it's worth the investment for the property owner to spend the money so the property is presented the best it can.

I will typically use them for about ~3 years, unless there's been changes to the property and/or the previous photos weren't as nice (usually due to presentation by tenants) or in the case of brand new properties the gardens weren't established at the time of taking the original photos.

I find few agents use pro photos for rental properties, unless the property was recently purchased and they use the sales photos. There's no difference in my opinion to trying to sell a property vs. lease it, you should treat the tenants the same, present the property the same, have a detailed ad etc. Unfortunately though there's a lot of PMs that simply don't care.