Reference page, updated October 28, 2026
Real estate listing media statistics.
Current buyer research on the listing tools that help people understand a property before they step inside.
Jump to the statistics ↓The short version
Buyers want a clearer picture.
Photos, floor plans, and 3D tours have different jobs, but the research points in one direction: buyers are using online listing details to decide what deserves an in-person visit. These figures are national survey findings, not a promise of a particular sale outcome.
Use this page as a quick, source-linked reference when planning media for a listing, preparing a presentation, or writing about how buyers shop today.
Current buyer research
10 listing media statistics to know.
- 01
94%
of buyers used an online resource
In Zillow's 2024 buyer study, nearly all successful buyers used a website, mobile site, or app while looking for a home.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2024 ↗ - 02
86%
say a floor plan can make them more likely to view a home
Buyers surveyed by Zillow in 2024 said they were more likely to view a property when the listing included a floor plan they liked.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2024 ↗ - 03
70%
say a 3D tour helps them feel the space better than static photos
The 2024 Zillow buyer research asked how 3D tours change a buyer's understanding of space.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2024 ↗ - 04
62%
wish more listings had 3D tours
A majority of the buyers surveyed in Zillow's 2024 report said they wanted more 3D tours available during their home search.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2024 ↗ - 05
77%
say a dynamic floor plan would help them decide
In Zillow's 2024 study, buyers said a floor plan that connects photos to rooms would help them determine whether a home was right for them.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2024 ↗ - 06
33%
ranked a floor plan as the most important listing feature
Among prospective buyers surveyed in 2025, floor plans led high-resolution photos, 3D or virtual tours, written descriptions, and video as the top-ranked listing feature.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2025 ↗ - 07
26%
ranked high-resolution photos as most important
High-quality photos were the second-most frequently top-ranked listing feature in Zillow's 2025 prospective-buyer research.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2025 ↗ - 08
20%
ranked 3D or virtual tours as most important
In the same 2025 Zillow research, 3D or virtual tours ranked ahead of written descriptions and video as buyers' top listing feature.
Source: Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report, 2025 ↗ - 09
41%
found listing photos very useful
The National Association of REALTORS® reported that 41% of buyers considered photos very useful during the 2024 home search.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2024 ↗ - 10
31%
found floor plans very useful
The National Association of REALTORS® reported that 31% of buyers considered floor plans very useful during the 2024 home search.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2024 ↗
What it means for a listing
Match the media to the question a buyer needs answered.
Photography gives buyers a strong first read on light, finishes, condition, and character. A floor plan answers how rooms connect. A 3D tour gives serious shoppers time to explore at their own pace. When the property needs context beyond the lot line, video or aerial coverage can show the arrival, setting, and flow.
The point is not to add every format by default. It is to remove the uncertainty that keeps the right buyer from taking the next step.
Explore residential listing media →Methodology and sources
How to read these numbers.
This page brings together nationally reported buyer and prospective-buyer survey findings from Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Reports and the National Association of REALTORS® 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Each statistic links to its original source and uses the year of the underlying research.
Statistics are reviewed roughly monthly or sooner when a core source publishes an update. Curb Appeal Photography does not conduct these surveys and does not claim that a single format causes a specific selling result.
Cite this page
Curb Appeal Photography. “Real Estate Listing Media Statistics: What Buyers Value.” Updated October 28, 2026. https://curbappealphotography.us/listing-media-statistics