If you want your new rental to stand out from the rest of the listings, you’ve come to the right place. At listingok.com we make sure to maximize your rental revenue with Expert Revenue Management, optimizing your Airbnb and Booking.com listings for maximum performance. And here, in this post, we’ll provide all the tips and suggestions to make your listings stand out.
Key factors to consider when advertising your rental
There are only six key factors to consider: name, configuration, images, essential services, house rules y price (butdon’t worry too much about the latter, as we’ll take care of it for you!).RESERVE A CALL WITH US NOW!
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1.- Name
Naming your rentals correctly is the number one priority. There are a few factors that are essential when naming your listings:
- LOCATION: Where is your rental located? Adding your location is a nice touch when it comes to naming your properties. It is not recommended to add the actual address as doing so could lead to dangerous situations.
- KEY AREA FEATURES: Showing nearby locations and key area features is a great way to attract tenants to your rentals. Is your rental near a shopping mall, movie theater, supermarket, small store, concert hall, unique rose garden, or a lake with geese and ducks? Add that! Tenants will thank you for it.
- UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE AND FEATURES: Some may not even care, but manypeople will be more attracted to your rental if you specify its age and building type! Is it a modern apartment, an old but renovated Victorian house, or a cozy 15-year-old shack in the woods? Also highlight its unique features, such as having a swimming pool, jacuzzi, home theater, private park, solarium, etc.
- “PRIVATE”: It may seem redundant, but why not specify that your rental is 100% private? Some people may be skeptical if that is not made clear in a place where they can easily see it, such as the name of the property.
- WHO IS YOUR RENTAL INTENDED FOR: This is also important and a good friend when it comes to attracting tenants to your property. Is it a small apartment intended for a single person, a couple, or is your rental intended for a family or a group of friends?
- IMPROVEMENTS: Have you made any improvements to the place? Why not brag about it? Clarifyingthat, for example, your rental is 5 years old but your bathrooms and kitchen have been upgraded for easier and more comfortable use will seal the deal for those dubious tenants!
- ABBREVIATIONS: Having said all this, let’s face it: nota single human being on Earth will want to read a name as long as a paragraph! This is where abbreviations of the most common words come in handy. If your ad is written in English, which is what we advise, it would be easier for the quick eye to shorten, for example, the words “with”, “apartment”,“bedroom” and “bathroom” to“w/”, “APT”, “BR” and “BA” respectively. If your property listing is written in Spanish, you can replace “con” and “para” with “c/” and “p/”.
- BE HONEST ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGES! If your rental has some downsides, whether it’s located in a noisy or smelly part of town, its walls aren’t freshly painted or some floor slabs are loose, be honest about it and don’t advertise it as a 5-star stay or it certainly won’t get a good review. And we all know those stars matter!
Below are some examples of successful names written in English:
- Quiet Couples Retreat Near Yellowstone National Park
- Cosy Lakeside Log Cabin w/ Private Dock & Direct Access to Hiking Trails
- Modern Family Home w/ Game Room & Theatre in Sunny Barcelona
- Pet Friendly Private Cabin w/ RV Parking Near El Morro National Monument
- Couples Coastal Getaway w/ Wine Cellar & Spa
- Beachfront Bungalow w/ Direct Access to Mediterranean Sea
- Luxury Downtown Apartment w/ Private Rooftop in Manhattan
And here are the same examples written in Spanish:
- Quiet retreat for couples near Yellowstone National Park
- Cozy lakeside cabin w/ private dock & direct access to hiking trails
- Modern family house w/ games room and theater in sunny Barcelona
- Private “pet friendly” cabin w/ parking for recreational vehicles near El Morro National Monument
- Coastal getaway for couples w/ winery and spa
- Beachfront bungalow w/ direct access to the Mediterranean Sea
- Downtown luxury apartment w/ private rooftop terrace in Manhattan
2.- Configuration
Now that you’ve named your rental, it’s time to add all its features:
- PROPERTY TYPE: When you start setting up your rental, there are three options to choose from regarding the type of property. These are: “Full place”, “Private room” and “Shared room”. Be carefulwith this choice! Keep in mind that by selecting “full place”, you are in fact granting full access to every corner of your property; “private room” means that although tenants will have a private room, they may have to share some common areas such as the dining room, bathroom and/or living room; and of course, “shared room” means that they will share the place, including their bedroom, with other tenants.
- NUMBER OF GUESTS: Always calculate how many guests can fit in your rental. Keepin mind that there should only be two people per room! Tenantswill be very upset if they stay in spaces without much room to move around and be! The number of bathrooms is also important: there should be no more than five people to use each bathroom.
- LOCATION: In the name you already gave an idea of where your property is located, but now it’s time to be more specific: what places are close to it? A good way to show nearby points and streets is to say something like “You are only 3 blocks away from…” and “… it is only a 5 minute walk”.
- VISITORS: This is also an important thing to consider. Are visitors allowed on your property? If so, how many, and can they stay overnight? Specify this to avoid future problems or disputes with tenants.
- OPTION “YOUR SPACE”: When configuring your rental there is something fundamental to select: the option “your space”. There you should add a complete and accurate description of the property, as if it were written in a captivating story. This will make the ad more pleasant and more people will want to choose your property.
- BEHONEST ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGES! Again, be honest about the disadvantages of the property. Be honest about the last time it was upgraded, whether gas for cooking and water heating is kept in a carafe, whether there are power outages, etc.
3.- IMAGES
The images you add to your ads are very important, maybeeven more important than the name! That’s why, even though it may seem like a waste of money, you shouldhire a professional photographer to take high quality pictures!
Once you hire a professional, or if you decide to do it yourself, keep in mind some tips for taking the best pictures:
- NUMBER OF PHOTOS: It may seem like a lot, but adding 25 to 50 photos will help prospective renters imagine what their stay will be like. Including the “your space” option, as well as a good number of photos of the property, will ensure that your listings will be very popular with other properties.
- WHEN TO TAKE THE BEST PICTURES: Always remember to take pictures on a sunny day and with the lights on! Sunny days make the property look warm and inviting. Otherwise, the photos will look uncomfortable, cold, dark and maybe even quite unpleasant.
- WHAT TO TAKE PICTURES OF: We can’t stress this enough, takepictures of everything! But especially of all your most exclusive rooms and amenities.
- SMALL DETAILS: Want your rental to be aesthetically pleasing, addsmall but beautiful touches! Set the dining table, with the most elegant tableware in the place, a beautiful vase, and why not place it for different meals, such as breakfast and dinner; in the living room add color to your sofa with nice and fluffy, or elegant cushions and small warm blankets for colder days; it is also a good idea to consider a clean and well-made bed with bedside tables illuminated by lamps that match the aesthetics of the room.
- TAKE PHOTOS OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY: Yes, your rental is the most important thing when it comes to taking pictures, but why not show the street it’s on, nearby landmarks, parks, stadiums, popular cafes and restaurants, and shopping centers? By taking pictures outside the property, you show future guests what they will find when they go for a walk, or travel by car or bus.
4.- COMPLETE LIST OF HOUSE RULES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES
HOUSE RULES
LIVING ROOM
- Welcome note
- Check In
- Check Out
- Cleaning
- Is there anywhere off limits?
- Damage and security deposit
- Guests and extra visitors
- Parties and events
- Parking
- Balconies and terrace areas
- Barbecue and outdoor amenities
- Child safety (if children are allowed)
- Security
- Can I smoke?
- Pets
- Accessories
- Dumpster (garbage to be taken out, when?)
- Compliance and its consequences
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
BATH
- Bath towels
- Hand towels
- Toilet paper
- Hand soap
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Bath gel
- Body soap (A bar of soap will need to be replaced after each guest, but that means less plastic than disposable bottles of shower gel).
- Toothpaste
- Body lotion
- Disposable safety razors
- Disposable toothbrushes
- Shower hanger
- Towel hanger
- Hair dryer
- Bathroom rug
- Waste basket
BEDROOM
- Pillows (more than one pillow per guest is ideal)
- Handkerchiefs
- Safe for valuables
- Bedside table and lamp
- Waste basket
- Notepad and pen
- Clothes hangers
- Alarm clock
KITCHEN
- Tea and coffee
- Pava
- Sugar and condiments
- Dishes
- Pots and pans
- Cutlery
- Mugs
- Wine glasses
- Ice trays
- Cup holder
- Caps
- Cleaning supplies
- Dishwashing liquid
- Hand soap
- Garbage bags
- Mop
- Broom
- Picker
- Kitchen gloves
- Kitchen towels
LIVING ROOM
- Coffee table
- Reading articles (books, magazines, travel guides)
- Pens and pencils
ACCESSORIES
- Washer and dryer
- TV
- Cable and/or streaming service subscription
- Clothes iron
- Wi-Fi
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
- First aid kit
- Smoke detector
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Fire extinguisher
- Contact list for emergency services
- Thermostat
- Measures for the safety of children
- Disaster kit
- Non-slip mats
- Locks on bedroom doors
5.- PRICES
Finally, if you want to maximize your profits without losing any potential income, be smart when choosing the price. For example, if your property is on the beach, raise the rates in summer; and also raise the prices if it is New Year’s Eve, Christmas, Easter or any other National or International holiday.
That‘s all!
Now you know how to make your rentals stand out the most. Use this information wisely and goodluck with your listings!
Does it all sound complicated or time consuming? If you choose to work with us you don’t have to worry about anything because we take care of everything for you.
