If you've listed and your garage hasn't booked in three weeks, the problem is almost certainly photos. Not price. Not description. Not your suburb. Photos.
Renters scroll through 30+ listings before contacting one. They make the "would I store my stuff here?" decision in roughly two seconds per photo. A garage that's perfectly fine in real life can read as "sketchy" if the only photo is a phone shot through a half-open door at 7pm. Here's the exact five-photo set the fastest-booking listings on Packhood share.
Photo 1: the wide interior — lights on, floor visible
The single most important photo. Stand at the door and shoot straight in, with all lights on. The renter wants to see the FLOOR — that's what tells them how much space they actually get. A photo with stuff in the way ("I'll just clear that bike out before they move in") looks like the bike has been there for a year, because it has.
Tactical: turn on every light. Open the door fully. Shoot from chest height, slightly tilted down. iPhone or Android default camera is fine — don't use Instagram. Daytime is best; if you have to shoot at night, leave the photos for tomorrow.
Photo 2: the back wall — depth signal
Walk to the back of the garage and shoot back toward the door. This gives renters a sense of how deep the space actually is. A wide shot from the door doesn't communicate depth well; this one does.
If your garage has any built-in shelving, useful hooks, or a workbench, this photo captures it. Don't move the shelving for the photo — built-in storage is a feature renters value.
Photo 3: the door (closed, from outside)
Renters want to know what they're driving up to. A photo of the closed door, from a few metres back, on the driveway, in daylight. This serves a security function — they're checking that the door looks solid and the surroundings look normal.
If your access is via a side gate, a back lane, or a driveway shared with neighbours, photograph the approach too as a secondary shot. Don't hide it; renters appreciate knowing what to expect.
Photo 4: the lock + door interior detail
Close-up of the locking mechanism. Bolt, padlock, integrated lock — whatever you have. This is the specific photo that gets a renter to commit because it answers the unspoken question: "is my stuff actually safe in there?"
If your garage has any extra security features — alarm sensor, motion light, CCTV pointing at the door — a quick wide shot capturing those is worth a 6th photo.
Photo 5: the height — ceiling shot
Shoot up at the ceiling, ideally from the middle of the floor. Low ceilings limit what fits — a sofa or wardrobe might not stand up. Renters with bulky items will look for this; renters with smaller items will skim past it. Either way, you've answered the question without having to message about it.
If your space has ceiling-mounted hooks, beams, or a useful overhead clearance, this photo also captures the bonus volume.
What NOT to photograph
Don't include yourself or family in any shot. Renters are evaluating the space, not you, and your face introduces a parasocial element that doesn't help.
Don't include other people's cars or licence plates. Crop or blur if visible.
Don't include any boxes / belongings still in the space. Even if the renter knows you'll move them, the brain registers "this space is full" and skips on.
Don't use HDR mode or filters. Default camera, default settings, plain colours. Renters trust photos that look plain.
The two-line description that pairs with the photos
Photos do the heavy lifting. The description's only job is to confirm the three things photos can't show: location, dimensions, and access hours.
Format: "[Type] in [suburb], [dimensions in metres]. [Access description and hours]. [One feature beyond basics]."
Example: "Single-car garage in Phibsboro, 4.5m × 5.5m × 2.4m. Mon–Sun 7am–10pm via own driveway, no shared access. Alarm-sensor on door, ground floor, dry."
Re-shoot if you've been live for 30+ days with no booking
If you've published and 30 days have passed with no booking request, the cause is the photos 90% of the time. Re-shoot using the five-photo plan above, replace the existing images on your listing dashboard, and watch what happens. Most "stale" listings get a booking request within 7–10 days of a photo refresh.