Although we are getting toward the end of our local (Central Va) rental season, there are more Craigslist listings without photos....many local property managers and landlords left with un-rented inventory are posting many listings at one sitting/day rather than taking the time to create a postlet HTML ad or even upload 4 photos to the regular CL rental listing.
Many indicate they don't want to deal with the SPAMMERS who take their property photos and cause them additional work by having to respond to callers on the SPAM ads and some do not have attractive photos since their residents are still in place.
Fortunately, I have had very few listings SCAMMED this season mainly because I am posting HTML from my website which has a watermark on the photos.....
Just like listings in MLS, real estate ads need photos!!! Take them when the property is vacant between tenants or when the property owner has vacated and the property is cleaned.
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM * GIBSON MANAGEMENT GROUP, Ltd.
Central Virginia
LandlordWhisperer
View our available Charlottesville, Albemarle and Lake Monticello rental homes online with photos and floor plans
"...to be a Virginian, either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God...." Anonymous
Great post and a common problem. Thanks for the reminder. Have a great week.
This is really a common problem. I have sellers now asking me not to post on Craigs list because they are afriad of the scams they are hearing about .
Wallace - this means that YOUR listings will rent faster won't they? If your post is meant to encourage CL advertisers, that is very grand of you. Perhaps some will heed your advice!
The watermark tip is an excellent suggestion. It is a never-ending battle to fight those who would rather cheat the system than play by the rules.
I watermark my postlet ads using IRFANVIEW on the photos BEFORE I upload them to the listing and the ads I export from my HomeRentals.net website already have watermarks on them......Using 2 HTMLs for my listings, I can post the same properties 2X in 3 days...CRUCHTIME!!!
Great idea! Thanks so much!
I just had a caller tell me they were in contact with someone about one of my listings and when they went to the property they saw my sign...the CL listing did not have the exterior photo and the interior photos were of another house * The caller would know have known that except that the interior photos were obviously much older than the exterior of the home they were viewing.....