“Critique my listing - Farm-stay, Philadelphia, MO, USA”.

[Carrie643]

As a Newbie host, I need objective help with our main photo . We have a lovely little remote farm get away here, the location is very private, surrounded by woodland and fields, our farmhouse cottage is cosy and clean with wood stove and woodland deck. Decor theme is 'farm to table living' which I've focused the decor and experience on - providing a farm cooked breakfast etc. However here is my problem - the outside of the property just doesn't capture this... the siding is mismatch in colour and style and to me, doesn't look very cute) its not something I can change very soon... would any of you advise to put an internal photo, or an arial photo as the main photo or just go with what we have got? If any of you have come across other properties similar in theme to what I'm going for ( that I can take inspiration from in terms of external presentation) I'd appreciate seeing any photos/links... thanks so much for sharing your experience and wisdom!!
The little pallet farmhouse

here is the link to our listing. 
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1238510140085975282?check_in=2025-01-14&check_out=2025-01-16&guests=2&a...

[Carrie643]

Hello @Wilson134 Thankyou so much for reaching out - I've been going through a great list of feedback and making a looooong 'to-do' list!  I really appreciate third party perspective... things that you start to 'not see' like the sorry Avocado tree and the bathroom bulbs / antlers etc - when you see them every day, they just start to blend in!  I didn't even think about how they would impact a guess impression, but it would totally impact my impression of someone else's place!! Lol...yes plants ned to look alive !! That was an oopsie !

I'm loving the wreath/ sign idea and a way to make the bathroom feel a little more dressed. We removed the AC's from windows ( again they are unseen when I see them every day!) so waiting to retake those shots and will eventually work towards professional photos, we were on the wrong side of the summer as we got closer to launch so will have to wait for spring to get that 'wow' shot of the deck... I need to move that fallen tree too come to think of it!! 

Thankyou again for taking time out to leave me a review, its all so helpful and inspiring!

Best wishes

Carrie 

[Shayla23]

Hi Carrie,

I would retake some of the photos and remove any excess stuff, like the extra toilet paper in the bathroom.  I would also add a few more of the exterior of the house from different angles and show the full scale of the property.    Is there an aerial view of the property on Google maps you can add?

And less photos of other people.  My thought is that people want to envision themselves in your space.  

I would also add a carbon monoxide detector.  

Good Luck on your first vacation rental!

[Carrie643]

Hey @Shayla23 thank you so much for reaching out and giving feedback, lol I spotted that toilet roll pack after posting and then forgot about it - thanks for picking it up. Third party perspective is so helpful when we become 'blind' to the obvious... so I have a long list of 'to-do's to work through and excited to get it done! Love love the idea of an aerial shot - we have one that we took with a drone but actually while the snow is on the ground it might do well to take another... the tree cover is so dense here that you can't see anything through the canopy!! I guess it gives the impression of how remote we really are though! When the snow clears I will get some better outdoor shots with healthier plants, and once the hubs has a moment to put the rail on the deck I think it will make a good cover shot. 

thanks so much for taking your time to help me out, I really appreciate it

best wishes

Carrie 

[Smitha3]

Take a photo that grabs the Spirt of the place. Photo 30 in your listing is a good example. If the splash photo is good guests will click on the other pictures. For example, mine is a blue vase and a flower that is in one of the rooms. My neighbor changed his to a photo of the parking space with an arrow to the entrance for people.

You might catch the spirit of the place if you have beautifully arranged farm to table food. Or maybe a single fabulous picture of one of the pigs faces

Photos of another(Beautiful) Building won't really make you stand out imo🙏🏾

[Carrie643]

Hey @Smitha3 I hear you! and thank you for such a thoughtful and creative perspective, you have me thinking and yes I think that somehow I need to capture the 'farm to table food' vibe in my cover shot. I like the idea of the dressed table, great food and view onto the deck and woods but I might have to wait until spring for that shot!! I hear you though that it takes getting a person to click in the first place to be in with a chance of booking! 

Ive had such wonderful and honest feedback from this community - definitely have a good list of 'to-do's' and lots of objective and practical feedback. 

thank you for your encouragement

best wishes

Carrie 

[Steve4087]

I would use the master suite photo showing towels on the end of the bed (#28). Photo exudes cozy. Remove all photos with people, pare down the animal photos to the chickens w/coop, keep one of the egg photos and tomatoes. Sunset photo says it all about the beauty of your rural location. At this point you need 5 star reviews. To do that you need to get guests to book. Highlight the best of your property then provide a clean house with comfortable beds. I was lost in the details of the many photos. Show 1 photo of every room, the best few of outdoors and let guests picture themselves in that environment. Good luck!

[Carrie643]

Hi @Steve4087  thank you so much for your honest and encouraging feedback. I have been so blown away with this community and all the help I've received.... thank you for taking your time to offer your help. I have made notes and have a to-do list compiled including all the great ideas and I take on board your note of providing a more concise set of strong photos. I have a few I need to re-take and when the snow goes I have a few new shots in mind to showcase the farm - I chicken and coop photo is on the list!! I also plan to categorise the photos as someone else suggested I can do so that should help with the navigation of what's on offer. 

thank you again for your help and advice

best wishes

Carrie 

[Tom4767]

Hello Carrie643,

      This is a great start!  Peg and I started our Airbnb last year having absolutely no idea or insight to what we were doing or how it was going to turn out.  Fortunately it has been successful and all the hard work paid off and the guests love it.  I travel a good bit so I am also a guest at times at Airbnb.  I am no expert but below are a few things you may want to consider or take a second look at.  None of The opinion below is meant to take away from all the hard work and effort you put in.  They are only tidbits to think about from an outside view.   

      On the main picture the plants are in the shadow and the side lit by the sunlight is bright and a little plain.  The front door looks awesome.  Consider a picture that does not have as much contrast between the side and the front.  Maybe bring the plants more to the front or by the door, something on an outside wall on the front like a large metal star, Welcome friends sign or something farm like that might make it feel more welcoming.  I want someone to feel like they are coming home or that would be a place I might want to live for a short stay a period if needed and not just a place to stay.  As time and money allow match the siding with the extension so they are the same color or perhaps more complimenting. Hard to tell the colors due to the Contrast and shadowing.

      Be careful of pictures with cushions and pillows.  You want things to look fresh and firm as much as possible.

      Some of your pictures are looking too much at a light or the light coming through a window or door.  This does for pictures what oncoming headlights from a car does for your eyes and takes away from everything else in the picture you want the potential guests to see.  A different time of day or the camera at a different angle may help.  For example,  The one bed that has the wooden headboard and the lights on both sides.  If the camera was up a little more the light bulb would be shadowed and you would see the color of everything else better instead of looking like you are blinded by the light.  Same thing with the  pictures looking at the wood stove.  The light coming through the window is more glaring than complimenting. 

      Not having a handrail or rope guard on the back deck can turn people with smaller children away and can possibly give you insurance problems.  Same thing with the mentions of weapons on property.  This can give people a feeling of being unsafe.  If the place they are saying at does not have weapons, I would not list it as.  With that being said, there is not a farm or farmer I know that does not have many weapons.  I guess the thing to consider is what does the mention of weapons give a potential guest the impression of?

I wish you the best of luck and I think you will do very well.  If I were closer I would stay a night and  give you a more in depth opinion.

All the best,

Tom   

[Carrie643]

Hello @Tom4767 

Thanks for taking the time out to send feedback, I really appreciate honest perspective... things that you start to 'not see' like the sorry Avocado tree and the bathroom bulbs / antlers etc - when you see them every day, they just start to blend in!  I didn't even think about how they would impact a guess impression, but it would totally impact my impression of someone else's place!! Lol...I've been making notes and compiling a to do list from everyones suggestions so thank you, its very helpful and practical feedback. 

You seem to know a lot about photography, so I have made detailed notes as you suggested, thank you for being specific... I have a lot of retakes to do with better staging and am working towards having a friend come who can take pro photos but I want to have everything perfect before I spend the money on her time!

Yes our deck needs finishing off with a hand rail, so once the snow clears and we can get it done we will take some more attractive photos of the deck and outside space. I hear you on the safety/insurance concern. 

Noted on the weapons - I thought by law we had to declare their presence, and there wasn't an option to not say. I'll review the small print again, I know what you mean... as you say, its a farm so it sort of par for the course out here. There might be some way to explain it away in the description - I'll have a think about this for sure. 

Thanks again Tom for your time and encouragement

what a super hosting community I have found here!

Best wishes

Carrie 

[Silvia3056]

Hi Carrie,

Congratulations on your launch! With the eyes of a guest, I'm not having a "stop the scroll" moment. That's what your pictures need to convey. My suggestion, not sure how feasible this is for you, would be to 1. Get professional photography done (you've done so much to get this house ready and professional pictures are where you lock in guests 2. It should be a lifestyle photographer that can really capture the "experience" you are trying to evoke. I think that's the most important element because your pictures are not telling the story you want them to right now.  That's my two cents! Best of luck!!

[Carrie643]

thank you @Silvia3056  yes I concur - I definitely had that feeling and its been confirmed.. I've had a ton of such helpful and practical advice so I now have a super detailed list of all the things I can improve and revise. I am definitely working towards having a professional come and take the photos, so once I get through my to-do list of tweaks & revisions it will be worth the investment. My focus now is, as you say, to get my images to cohesively tell our 'farm to table' story so that potential guests can get a clear idea of the experience we are trying to offer. 

Thanks again Silvia, I appreciate you taking time out of your day to offer feedback and help

best wishes

Carrie 

[Tiffany617]

hi Carrie congratulations on your beautiful farm stay. I love your food pics ! The sourdough, tomatoes etc looks yummy. I’m not sure you need the wood cutting pics though maybe just some wood stacked near the fire place? With regards to your outdoor cottage pic I would retake it with more plants or decor around it from another angle or  use the back deck as others have mentioned. Your place looks very cosy and I would be happy to book it if I wanted a farm stay. Btw is the deck completed ? If not I would be very careful as you don’t want any injuries with your guests. All the best 

[Carrie643]

Hi @Tiffany617 

thank you so much for your feedback and for taking time out to review our listing. The help and tips from everyone has been so inspiring and practical. Thankyou for your encouraging words and one of the 'to-do' items on my now long list of revisions is to reduce and refine photo selection amongst other things. I definitely have plans to re-take the out door photos once our winter snow melts and we can finish the rail on the deck. We ran out of time as the weather changed so as soon as we can get to it its top of the list... plus I think our main shot needs to be the dining table out of the doors onto the deck with lights - Maybe an evening shot... I have lots of things to think and work on and finally once its all done, professional photos!! 

thank you again Tiffany for your tips and insights

they are much appreciated 

best wishes

Carrie 

[Sky389]

Hi Carrie. Thanks for letting us review your listing. I think the exterior of your house is super cute and would not worry too much about it.  However, there are things that you may want to change:

-The tall plant in your picture looks like it needs more life and perhaps you may want to remove it or put it somewhere else.

-I would move the couch to face the TV as it would open up the room more. Replace the console where the TV sits with the white console behind the couch.

-Your dining pics are lovely. Show things like your pots/pans. Provide a variety of spices.

-In the bedroom, hang the solid curtain to the same height as the curtain next to it. The brown throw looks a bit sloppy and you have too many pics of the main bedroom.

-Your deck looks really nice but it also looks unfinished which may deter people with kids.

-LOVE the pics with the pigs and other farm animals. Perhaps you may want to include this in your listing - something like, meet the pigs, chickens, etc.

-Bathroom - take pic without showing the toilet paper.

-Are you pet friendly? If you are, you should include that because you have a lot of outdoor space.

-Where is the hot tub, BBQ, board games, or fire pit? You mention it but there are no pics of them.

Make sure that you provide your first three guests with a discount so Air can show your listing to more people. Hope this is helpful.

Sky

[Carrie643]

Hey @Sky389 Thanks for taking the time out to send feedback, I really appreciate honest perspective... things that you start to 'not see' like the sorry Avocado tree and the bathroom bulbs / antlers etc - when you see them every day, they just start to blend in!  I didn't even think about how they would impact a guess impression, but it would totally impact my impression of someone else's place!! Lol...I've been making notes and compiling a to do list so thank you, its very helpful and practical feedback. 

Lol my husband would laugh if I read him your comments - we have debated the layout of the living room many times, the problem is that 'that couch' is really too big for the room and if I put it the other way it actually takes up the full wall and gets too close to the fire, I think I need to put it on Craigs list and see about a smaller one that can be positioned more aesthetically. Its on my list....

yes the deck needs finishing - we just got the wood for the rail as the snow came in so its top priority and we can get better outdoor shots including the bbq area etc. as mentioned. 

We have debated making the farm interactive but not sure if we are covered insurance wise so that's why I held back on the 'experience' aspect of it. I think I need to cut my teeth on a few simple bookings before we explore the world of farm adventures lol...  But because we have so many animals we are not a good place to bring pets just from a liability perspective and also our own dog is a livestock guardian so might see other dogs as a threat to the farm... but I get it, it looks like we should be!! Maybe I need to represent this in the description some how.... 

Thanks for the note on the discount - I didn't realise that Air bnb would push it more with a discount... for sure I will look into that. 

I'm so encouraged by the hosting community on this forum, its been such a wonderful way of getting some great tips and advice. Thankyou again for reaching out

best wishes

Carrie