A shortlet listing gets booked when a guest can see the whole home, knows where it is, and trusts what they are paying for. Photos catch a guest’s eye first, then the title, the description and the price. Get those four right and your listing does the selling for you.
This guide shows you which photos to take on your phone, how to write a title and a description that answer guests’ questions, and how to show your rules and prices clearly.
The photos guests need
Aim for 10 or more photos, and put them in the order a guest would walk through the home. This is the list to work from:
- A cover photo of your best room in daylight. This is usually the living room.
- The living room from two corners, so guests see the whole space.
- Every bedroom, showing the bed, the wardrobe and the air conditioner.
- Every bathroom, showing the shower, the toilet and the water heater.
- The kitchen, with the cooker, fridge, microwave and a few pots and plates in view.
- A place to work, such as a desk or dining table, if you have one.
- Your power backup: the inverter, solar panels or generator. Nigerian guests care about power.
- The balcony or view, if it is a selling point.
- The building and compound: the entrance, the gate, the parking and any pool or gym.
- The street or estate, so guests can picture arriving.
Leave out people, your own belongings and anything that shows your house number. Guests should see the home they will get, and your exact address is only needed once someone has booked.
Compare your photos with other homes in your area. Browse shortlets in Lekki or shortlets in Ikeja and notice which listings you would click first.
Taking photos on a phone
You do not need a professional camera. You need good light and a bit of patience.
- Shoot in daylight. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon is best. Open every curtain.
- Turn on the lights too, and make sure the power is on, so the room looks warm and lived in.
- Tidy first. Make the beds, hide cables, clear the kitchen worktop and put the toilet seat down.
- Wipe your lens. A greasy lens makes every photo look foggy.
- Hold the phone sideways (landscape), at chest height, and stand in a corner of the room.
- Keep lines straight. Walls and door frames should look upright, not leaning.
- Skip heavy filters and extreme wide-angle modes. They make rooms look bigger than they are, and guests notice on arrival.
- Take many, keep the best. Take five of each room and pick one.
Retake your photos whenever you change the furniture or repaint. Old photos that no longer match the home lead to unhappy guests. For more camera tips, see our property photography guide.
A title that says what and where
A good title tells guests three things: the size or type of home, the area, and one thing that makes it stand out. Use this pattern:
[Size or type] in [area] with [best feature]
- “Two-Bedroom Serviced Flat in Lekki Phase 1 with 24-Hour Power”
- “Quiet Studio off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, with Fast Wi-Fi”
- “Four-Bedroom Duplex in Magodo for Families”
Things to leave out of a title:
- prices, which change with your dates and offers;
- phone numbers and links;
- words in capitals, lots of emojis and “!!!”;
- “luxury” or “best in Lagos”, unless the photos prove it.
Test your title on a friend. Show them the title and your cover photo for five seconds, then ask what they remember. If they cannot say the area and the size, rewrite it.
The same pattern works for a social media caption. Add how to book at the end: “Your weekend base in Lekki Phase 1. Two bedrooms, steady power and fast Wi-Fi. Pick your dates on our listing.” Only promise what is true.
A description that answers questions
Every question your description answers is one message a guest does not have to send. Start with two short lines on who the home suits and why. Then cover these, in plain words:
| Topic | What guests want to know |
|---|---|
| Sleeping | How many bedrooms, what size beds, how many guests in total |
| Power | How many hours of power, and whether you have an inverter, solar or a generator. Say who pays for fuel on a long stay. |
| Water | Running water all day? Hot water in every bathroom? Drinking water provided? |
| Internet | Wi-Fi in every room, and whether it is good enough for video calls |
| Kitchen | Cooker, fridge, microwave, pots, plates, and whether gas is included |
| Security | Gated estate, guards, CCTV at the entrance |
| Parking | How many cars, and whether visitors can park |
| Location | Landmarks nearby by name, such as a mall, a church or a well-known road |
| Not included | Anything guests might expect but will not find, such as a lift or a pool |
Be honest about the weak points too. A guest who knows the flat is on the third floor with no lift will not complain about the stairs. A guest who finds out on arrival might.
Rules and arrival steps
Clear rules protect your home and help guests decide. Keep them short, and put the ones that could change a guest’s mind in your description, so they see them before they book:
- the most guests who can sleep there, children included;
- whether parties, events or visitors are allowed;
- smoking and pets;
- quiet hours, if your estate has them;
- check-in and check-out times;
- whether you ask guests for ID.
Then write the arrival steps a stranger would need: which gate, what to tell security, where to park, which building and floor, and how the keys are handed over. Test them by asking a friend to follow them.
On Cabans, you write these once in “Stay information”: “House rules”, “Arrival and check-in instructions” and a “Check-out checklist”. You can also tick “Guests must upload an ID”. Guests see your rules and directions on their stay page once their booking is confirmed. The door code and Wi-Fi password only appear once you approve their check-in, and they are never emailed. See how to add house rules, arrival steps, door code and Wi-Fi.
Prices and offers guests see
Guests compare the full bill, not only the night price. Make every part clear:
- The night price, and higher prices for busy dates if you charge them.
- A cleaning fee, if you charge one. It is paid once per stay.
- A caution deposit, if you ask for one. Say it is refundable and when it comes back.
- An offer for longer stays, such as a percentage off a week, or a free night.
Offers work best when they are simple. “7+ nights, 10% off” is easier to understand than three different deals.
On Cabans, guests see each free night’s price on your calendar, and a full price breakdown before they pay. You can set up to 3 longer-stay discount tiers, and a free-nights offer such as “Stay 5 nights, get 1 free”. A guest gets whichever saves them more, never both. Discounts never apply to the cleaning fee or the caution deposit. Changes to the listing itself wait for the Cabans team to approve them, but your calendar prices go live as soon as you save. See how to offer longer-stay discounts and free nights.
Guests pay online through Paystack. Paystack’s processing fee is paid by the guest, and they see it before they pay; it is not refunded. Cabans charges you a 5% commission, and you are paid within 7 days after the guest’s stay, or sooner when the guest approves the payment after their trip. To get your listing ready for bookings, follow how to make your short let bookable online, or start the free Host Academy.
Keep your listing fresh
A listing is never finished. Small updates keep it honest and keep guests booking:
- Update when things change. If the generator is being repaired or the pool is closed, say so until it is fixed.
- Keep your calendar right. Close the dates you cannot host, so no guest books a night you have to cancel.
- Answer messages quickly. A fast, friendly reply often decides between your home and the next one.
- Read what guests ask. If three guests ask the same question, the answer belongs in your description.
Mistakes that cost bookings:
- dark, blurry or sideways photos;
- a title with no area in it;
- a description that says nothing about power or water;
- rules that only appear after the guest has paid.
Put your listing live
Take bookings online with your new photos, title and description. Then look at your listing the way a guest would, on a phone, and fix anything that is unclear. You can also compare it with other homes on shortlets across Nigeria.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos should a shortlet listing have?
Aim for 10 or more. Show every room, every bathroom, the kitchen and the outside of the building. Guests trust a listing more when they can see all of it.
Do I need a professional photographer for my shortlet?
No. A recent phone, daylight and a tidy room are enough for most homes. A professional can help for a large or high-end home, but good light matters more than an expensive camera.
What should I write in a shortlet description?
Start with who the home suits and what makes it special. Then answer the questions guests always ask: beds and bathrooms, power and water, Wi-Fi, security, parking and how to get there.
What is a good caption for a shortlet apartment?
Name the size, the area and one thing guests love, then say how to book. For example: “Your weekend base in Lekki Phase 1. Two bedrooms, steady power and fast Wi-Fi. Pick your dates on our listing.” Only claim what is true.
Should I put the price in my shortlet title?
No. Prices change with dates and offers, and guests see the price elsewhere on the listing. Use the title for the size, the area and your best feature.
Should my photos show the outside of the building?
Yes: the compound, the gate and the parking help guests trust the listing. Avoid a clear shot of the house number, so your exact address stays private until someone has booked.
Related guides
How to list a shortlet in Nigeria · Shortlet cleaning checklist · Shortlet agreement: what to include · Property photography guide · How to start a shortlet business · How to furnish a shortlet, room by room
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