What we need from each property
The property data we need captured
Here's everything we need for each property so we can build a top-of-class listing on Apartments.com, Zillow, and the Foothold site. Think of this as the shot list and data sheet. Most of it gets captured once, at takeover or first turn, then reused everywhere.
The one rule that saves money: we capture per floor-plan type, not per unit. A 30-unit building with three floor plans needs three sets of unit photos, three 3D scans, and three floor-plan drawings, not thirty. Building, exterior, and amenity assets are captured once for the whole property.
Photos 25–30 finished
"Can we get a pro photographer through every space, plus a staged model of each floor plan?"
- Hero shot: one bright, wide, horizontal image, the best exterior or the best amenity. This is the thumbnail that wins or loses the click.
- Exterior set: the building from a few angles, entrance and signage, and the location hook (Greenbelt, river, downtown view) if there is one.
- Amenity set: every amenity we list, pool, clubhouse, dog park, laundry, gym, parking, mailroom.
- Interior set, per floor-plan type: a staged model unit, kitchen, living, each bedroom, each bath, in-unit washer/dryer, the view.
Specs: minimum 2,048px on the long side, horizontal/landscape, JPG or PNG, full color. No filters, no watermarks, no text or logos on the image, no phone numbers or URLs in the photo. Those get the listing auto-rejected.
Why: photos are the single biggest driver of click-through. Staged model shots make a Class C unit read as cared-for. Lead with the strongest three.
Video 1 walkthrough
"Grab a walkthrough video in the same shoot, plus a few vertical clips."
- One HD property walkthrough: exterior into amenities into a model unit per floor-plan type.
- A handful of vertical cut-downs from the same footage for social and Reels reuse.
Why: video lifts engagement and time-on-listing, which is exactly what the Apartments.com algorithm rewards.
Matterport 3D tour 1 per floor plan + commons
"A 3D scan of one model per floor plan, plus the common areas."
- One Matterport scan per floor-plan type (the staged model), plus every common and amenity space.
- Not every unit. (Only worth scanning every unit if we go to Apartments.com's top tier, which unlocks unlimited unit scans, generally only for a big lease-up.)
- Optional: a drone 3D exterior, a newer Matterport feature.
Note: a phone-shot Matterport is acceptable, but a pro scan reads far better on the model units. We want to own the files so they also run on the Foothold site and in investor updates.
Why: 80% of renters want a 3D tour and most local competitors don't have one. Listings with 3D get materially more leads.
2D floor-plan drawings 1 per floor plan
"Do we have a clean line-drawing floor plan for each layout?"
- One dimensioned line-drawing floor plan per floor-plan type, with square footage and bed/bath labeled.
- If the PM or owner has existing leasing floor plans, those work. If not, they're cheap to have drawn.
Why: renters use the 2D plan to understand the layout, and most Boise competitors skip it. It's a cheap, easy edge.
Drone / aerial few stills
"Can the photographer get a few aerials showing where this sits?"
- Aerial stills showing the property in context: the commute anchor (Micron, St. Luke's, downtown) and the location hook (Greenbelt, river).
- Optional drone 3D exterior tied into the Matterport.
Why: location is half the renter's decision. An aerial proves the proximity claim instead of just asserting it. Best value where the location is the hook (North River on the Greenbelt).
Structured data the data sheet
"We need the full data sheet on each property and floor plan, so the listings filter correctly and nothing's missing."
This is the part that decides whether we even show up in a renter's filtered search. Miss one amenity and we're invisible to everyone filtering for it. We need all of the below.
Per floor-plan type
Floor plan name
e.g. "The Boise" / "A1 1x1"
Beds / baths
exact count per plan
Market rent / price
current asking, shown as a real number (no "call for pricing")
Availability date
next available, kept current
Deposit
amount + any deposit alternatives
Lease terms
term lengths offered
In-unit features
W/D, A/C, dishwasher, balcony/patio, flooring, etc.
Per unit
Unit number + floor
which units map to which plan
Specific availability
per-unit available date, kept live
Property level
Address + map pin
exact location for the map view
Community amenities
full list: pool, dog park, laundry, gym, parking, clubhouse, etc.
Pet policy
types allowed, weight/breed limits, pet rent, pet deposit, pet fee
Parking
assigned / covered / street, and any cost
Utilities
what's included vs. tenant-paid, and how billed
Application
application fee, screening criteria, income requirement
Office + contact
hours, leasing phone/email, after-hours maintenance line
Description copy
we write this; PM confirms the facts and the commute anchors
Live data: price and availability should sync automatically from the PM software (
Entrata, for Aspen and Summerset under Liberty) once API access is set up, so the listings never go stale. North River's source is still being decided. Everything else above is captured once and updated as it changes.
(API connection points are on the Entrata integration page.)
Send what you've already got and we'll fill the gaps. The goal is one clean asset set per property that powers Apartments.com, Zillow, and the Foothold site at once. Questions? owner@footholdboise.com goes straight to Brent.