Photographing Shared Student Houses for Lettings

Shared student houses often present unique challenges when it comes to photography for lettings. Unlike family homes, these properties frequently have rapid tenant turnovers, leading to short void periods between tenancies. This compressed timeline means you often cannot wait for the property to be completely empty and professionally cleaned before taking marketing photos. Despite these constraints, it is crucial to present student houses in their best possible light to attract new tenants and minimise void periods.

The Challenge of Limited Void Periods

Many student tenancies align with academic calendars, resulting in back-to-back occupation. A typical scenario might involve tenants vacating on one day and new tenants moving in within a few days, or even the next day. This leaves a very narrow window for cleaning, maintenance, and crucially, photography. Capturing images of an empty, spotless property can be difficult, if not impossible, under these circumstances.

Photography during this transition period often means dealing with a property that is either partially occupied, undergoing cleaning, or still shows signs of previous occupation. The goal is to capture marketing images that appeal to prospective students and their parents, showcasing the property's potential rather than its current state of transition.

Prioritising Key Spaces

When time is short, focus your efforts on the most important areas of the house that influence a prospective tenant's decision. These typically include:

• Communal Areas: The living room, kitchen, and dining areas are central to shared living. These spaces should appear inviting and functional.
• Bedrooms: While individual rooms, aim to show them as clean, tidy, and offering sufficient space for study and rest. If all rooms are similar, one well-photographed example may suffice, supplemented by floor plans.
• Bathrooms: Essential for hygiene, these must be spotless. Photographing them cleanly is non-negotiable.
• Exterior: The front of the property, showing its curb appeal, and any garden or outdoor space.

Strategies for On-Site Preparation

Even with limited time, some on-site preparation can significantly improve your photographs:

• Lighting: Always use available natural light where possible. Open curtains and blinds fully. Turn on all interior lights to brighten rooms, even if natural light is good.
• Basic Tidying: Before you even consider taking a photograph, ensure immediate visible clutter is removed. This includes:
  • Any discarded rubbish.
  • Personal items that can be quickly put away, such as clothing, toiletries, or kitchenware.
  • Making beds as neatly as possible, even if not perfectly clean.
  • Wiping down surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms to remove obvious marks or spills.
• Strategic Staging (Minimal): If absolutely necessary and possible, consider bringing a few basic items like a clean towel, a plant, or a nice cushion to add a touch of appeal to a key room. This must be done with speed and minimal effort, ensuring items are removed immediately after the shoot.
• Angle and Composition: Choose angles that minimise clutter and maximise the sense of space. Shoot from corners to show more of the room. Avoid capturing reflections in mirrors or windows that show unwanted elements.

Using Editing Tools to Enhance Presentation

Post-processing tools are particularly valuable for student house photography, where on-site conditions are often less than ideal. They allow you to refine images and present the property in its best light, without misrepresenting it.

• Decluttering and Object Removal: Even after on-site tidying, some items may remain. Editing software can be used to digitally remove small, distracting objects like:
  • Loose papers or flyers.
  • Unwanted bits of rubbish that were missed.
  • Personal items left behind that detract from the space.
  • Small stains on carpets or walls, where they are minor and do not suggest a larger underlying issue. This should only be done if the issue is superficial and temporary, not a permanent defect.
• Sky Replacement: If the exterior shot was taken on an overcast day, replacing a drab sky with a bright, blue one can significantly improve the property's curb appeal, making it look more inviting.
• Image Enhancement: Basic enhancements are always useful:
  • Brightness and Contrast: Adjusting these can make a dull room appear brighter and more welcoming.
  • Colour Correction: Ensuring colours are true to life, particularly for walls and flooring.
  • Straightening: Correcting vertical and horizontal lines makes images look professional and appealing.
• Virtual Cleaning: While not a substitute for actual cleaning, editing can address minor imperfections that might otherwise distract a viewer. This includes digitally tidying up a scuffed wall, removing small marks on a floor, or brightening a dull corner. It is important to distinguish between superficial marks and genuine disrepair; editing should not hide maintenance issues.
• Adding Greenery: For interior shots, digitally adding a small, appropriate plant can inject life and colour into a room, making it feel more homely and less stark.

Ethical Considerations for Editing

Honesty and transparency are paramount. Editing should improve the presentation of the property, not change its fundamental nature or hide defects. The goal is to show the property as it could look, clean and tidy, rather than how it currently is during a difficult transition. Do not digitally remove structural issues, significant damage, or permanent fixtures. Editing should focus on temporary clutter, lighting, and superficial cleaning to allow potential tenants to envision themselves living there.

By combining efficient on-site preparation with strategic use of photo editing tools, you can produce compelling images for shared student houses, even under the pressure of limited void periods. This approach ensures your marketing materials accurately reflect the property's potential, helping you attract new tenants quickly and efficiently.

Pixetra offers a range of tools that help agents prepare property photos for marketing. Its features allow for decluttering, tidying, and enhancing images, ensuring that even photos taken in challenging circumstances can be presented professionally.