Introduction & Key Findings

Buyers don’t tour every home; they tour the ones that look worth it. Your media makes that shortlist

Real estate marketing has become visual-first. Every buyer now starts online, and the most valuable listing elements remain photos, detailed information, and floor plans—evidence that visuals and clarity drive discovery and trust.

What’s changing from 2025 to 2028 is the mix and the expectation: Between 2025 and 2028, the market moves from images to immersive. Photo galleries will sit alongside video, interactive 3D, and clearer floor plans as standard. Flatworld’s 2025 data shows why: floor plans rank high with buyers—66% indicating it as “very important,” 94% stating it’s somewhat important—making them one of the most effective additions to increase engagement. Zillow’s 2024 buyers study also supports this claim, noting that 86% say they’re more likely to view a home if they like the floor plan.

Virtual staging is gaining momentum, letting agents furnish empty rooms with just a few clicks. Expect to see more drone views, more short videos, and more 3D tours alongside strong photo sets. Our survey also revealed that Buyers are starting to expect more than just photos; they’re looking for complete video walkthroughs and immersive 3D tours.

Behind the scenes, editing pipelines are getting quicker as AI handles exposure blends, straight lines, and simple object removal. In the U.S., listing work with drones still requires an FAA Part 107 license. A snippet from Reuters stated that on August 5, 2025, the FAA proposed a BVLOS rule to expand commercial drone operations. If the FAA’s proposed BVLOS update goes through, longer, smoother aerial routes will be easier and accelerate the adoption and availability of aerials across markets.

Key Findings Snapshot: (Flatworld Solutions Survey, 2025)

(Sources: Flatworld Solutions Survey on Real Estate Imagery, 2025)

Evolving Visual Trends in Property Marketing (2025–2028)

From virtual decor to aerial views, real estate listings are leveling up their visuals.

By 2028, a listed property's default “media stack” will look very different from a static gallery to include robust photos plus floor plans, a quick walkthrough video, and an optional 3D/360 tour. This shift mirrors how buyers actually shop and how many homes are now “previewed” entirely on screen before anyone books a tour.

This section explores several types of visuals gaining prominence in property marketing and how styling trends are evolving. Below, we break down four major trends – each highlighting a specific aspect of the visual content revolution, with supporting data and real-world insights:

Home Staging: Physical vs. Virtual (and how buyers feel about it)

Staging still works—whether it’s furniture in a room or pixels on a screen.

Why Virtual Staging is Taking Off? Virtual staging wins on speed, control, and storytelling. It turns a vacant set into market-ready images in days—not weeks—at a fraction of the cost of physical installs. More importantly, it lets you design for the buyer you want: a clean investor look, a warm family layout, or a WFH-friendly den—without moving a single sofa. Empty rooms become purposeful spaces, dated décor gets neutralized, and alternate layouts can be tested side-by-side to see what actually earns clicks.

In our study, real estate agents reported stronger engagement on listings that previously felt “cold,” especially new builds and vacant resales, dramatically boosting buyer interest and foot traffic. Used with clear labeling, virtual staging warms up the narrative a listing tells while keeping the in-person reveal honest.

Buyer reception on virtual staging (Flatworld Real Estate Imagery 2025, 2025):

Buyers are pragmatic; if it’s labeled, they lean in. The takeaway: tag images “virtually staged,” don’t hide defects, and keep at least one unstaged frame in the set. Used this way, virtual staging helps people read scale and placement, warms up vacant rooms and new builds, and cuts down on wasted showings. It clarifies the story of the home without trying to rewrite it.

Photography Techniques & Editing Styles

Bright, accurate, and consistent images remain the baseline.

Even as new types of visuals emerge, the core of real estate imagery remains the photography of the property itself. In our photographer study, 71% of photographers use AI-assisted editing (HDR blends, verticals, sky fixes, light clutter removal), and agents are experimenting, too.

“Bright and Bold” Photography: The look that wins is clean and true-to-life. Interiors are lit to feel natural, verticals stay straight, and window detail is preserved with careful exposure work (often HDR). Color is corrected without overcooking—think “clear day,” not cartoon skies. Many teams add a single “twilight” hero for the cover image; used sparingly, it stops the scroll without misrepresenting the home.

Professional Editing & AI Assistance: Speed without shortcuts. Virtually all professional listing photos undergo some level of post-processing, including exposure, white balance, lens correction, a touch of perspective fix, and light clutter removal (the hose on the lawn, the bin by the curb), and occasionally swapping in a nicer sky. Increasingly, these edits are accelerated by AI-powered software.

In our photographer survey, 71% now use AI-assisted tools to batch the routine work—HDR blends, line straightening, sky swaps—so they can focus on composition and consistency. Agents are experimenting too; In fact, 54% of agents in our survey expressed interest in adopting AI for lightweight enhancement for quick social teasers and “coming soon” posts.

Faster Turnaround Times: Speed is part of the service. With better workflows and automation, next-day delivery is increasingly standard for edited photos and delivering edited images within 24 hours of a shoot. Our survey of photographers found that quick delivery was a common selling point. This means agents can go from photoshoot to live listing faster than before, meeting sellers’ expectations in a hot market.

Ethical Editing – Walking the Line: A critical discussion in this area is the line between enhancement and misrepresentation. Good editing clarifies; it doesn’t conceal. Minor fixes—exposure, color, small clutter—are fine. But erasing power lines, widening rooms, or hiding flaws crosses the line.. Industry guidelines urge transparency; if a photo has been significantly altered (a virtual renovation showing what a kitchen could look like), that should be clearly noted. Buyers appreciate polished images, but they still expect honesty.

Drone & Aerial Imagery

Aerials sell the where

Lot size and shape, street context, proximity to parks, water, or schools—things ground shots can't show.

At-a-glance (Flatworld Real Estate Imagery Survey, 2025):

Drones allow agents to showcase a home's entire setting. A 10–20s "lift and reveal" clip or a single top-down still can make the setting obvious to a remote buyer and cut down on unnecessary showings. By 2025, many agents will be using drone shots for multi-million-dollar homes and mid-range listings whenever the exterior or location is a selling point. Aerials carry real weight for acreage, waterfront, cul-de-sacs, or homes with standout outdoor spaces.

What used to be a luxury add-on is sliding into standard packages. Our real estate agent survey showed that 44% of agents currently incorporate drone photos or videos into their listings, with adoption tracking toward ~80% by 2028. In other words, aerial shots are well on their way to becoming a standard part of the listing toolkit.

Photographers Embracing Drones: Real estate photographers are also adapting to this demand. About 45% of the photographers we surveyed already offer drone photography/videography services—many who don't yet are in the process of getting licensed or investing in drone equipment. Nearly half (47%) of photographers said they plan to buy or upgrade a drone within the following year. This means the availability of aerial imaging services is increasing alongside agent interest.

What Aerials Add: The appeal of aerial imagery is that it makes a listing more experiential for remote buyers. A drone video tour might start at the front door, then lift to reveal the entire property and even the neighborhood layout – giving a buyer hundreds of miles away a feel for the surroundings. For large or rural properties, it's often the only way to truly capture the scale or proximity to surrounding features like lakes or trails. Even for suburban homes, a quick drone panorama can highlight a park down the street or the home's position on a quiet cul-de-sac. These are emotional selling points that traditional photos might not convey.

Compliance and practicality

In the U.S., listing work with drones still requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. As more pros get licensed and rules evolve, coverage gets easier and safer. Costs have come down, flight times are longer, and stabilized footage is cleaner from the camera, which means quicker turnarounds and less post.

When to use (and when not to)

Aerials aren’t about theatrics—they’re clarity. One or two well-chosen angles can make the property’s value obvious at a glance, and with licensing common and pricing accessible, they’re becoming part of the default media stack rather than a specialty upsell

Video Walkthroughs & Virtual Tours

Photos get the click; motion sells the space.

At-a-glance (Flatworld Real Estate Survey, 2025):

Short walkthroughs help buyers understand flow—how rooms connect, what you see as you move, where light falls during the day. That’s why video has moved from “premium add-on” to a routine deliverable.

Static photos alone are no longer enough for many listings – video walkthroughs and 360° virtual tours have quickly moved from novelty to expectation, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated virtual home viewing. These formats give buyers a more immersive sense of a property:

Video as an Expectation: Short walkthroughs help buyers understand flow; how rooms connect, what you see as you move, and where light falls during the day. That’s why video has moved from “premium add-on” to a routine deliverable. In our real estate agent survey, 62% of agents already shoot or commission video content for at least some of their listings.

Furthermore, 63% of agents plan to invest more in creating listing videos over the next two years. Distribution is simple: a 60–90-second landscape cut for the listing page and YouTube, with vertical shorts for Instagram/TikTok to expand reach.

3D Virtual Tours: In addition to traditional videos, many listings (especially in mid- to upper price ranges) offer an interactive 3D tour using platforms like Matterport. These tours let shoppers self-navigate at their own pace.

In our real estate buyer data, 57% rate 3D/360 “very important”—just behind photos and floor plans—because it quickly answers layout questions such as room order, sightlines, and scale. For out-of-area buyers, it’s often the difference between “maybe later” and “book a flight.”

Better Informed Buyers: Video and 3D don’t just add gloss; they filter and often lead to more qualified in-person showings. Agents in our study report that after adding a clear walkthrough and a basic 3D pass, in-person tours skew more serious—fewer curiosity visits, more buyers who already “get” the plan.

One agent noted that after adding a detailed video tour, the buyers who showed up were “serious and ready to make an offer,” whereas previously they’d get more casual visitors. This aligns with our buyer finding: 45% say a strong video makes them very likely to schedule a visit.

Quick format checklist

Buyer Preferences: How buyers want the stack to work

Think complement, not replacement. Photos for detail and finishes. A floor plan for dimensions. Video for flow. 3D/360 for orientation. When all four are present—and labeled clearly—buyers feel informed rather than sold to.

Technology Disruptors: AI and Mobile Tools in Visual Content

The modern media stack is automated where it should be.

At-a-glance (Flatworld, 2025):

From AI-assisted edits to phone-first capture, the workflow is shifting fast. The routine gets automated. Smartphones cover speed and distribution; specialists deliver the hero assets. Net result: next-day turnarounds, cleaner sets, and fewer wasted showings—without crossing the line on trust.

Here’s how these disruptors are shaping the industry:

AI-Powered Photo Editing: speed without shortcuts

What used to take hours—HDR blends, straight verticals, lens corrections, sky fixes, light clutter removal—now runs in minutes. That’s the point of AI here: batch the routine so pros can spend time on composition, consistency, and story. With adoption already mainstream in our data, the practical bar rises: next-day turnarounds, consistent color across rooms, and natural sets (no neon skies, no stretched rooms).

By 2028, many routine touch-ups will likely be fully automated, allowing photographers and marketers to focus more on creative decisions rather than fiddling with technical fixes.

Rapid Adoption: Real estate professionals are embracing these tools en masse. Our 2025 survey found that 70% of agents have used at least one AI-powered tool or app for listing visuals in the past year. On the photographer side, as noted earlier, 71% use AI editing software regularly. And among agents who haven’t tried AI tools yet, more than half (54%) say they’re interested in doing so soon. The message is clear: AI in real estate marketing isn’t a future vision – it’s happening now.

AI-generated imagery (and where to draw the line)

We’re also seeing early experiments with AI-generated content in real estate. Some advanced platforms can produce synthetic images—for instance, they can take a photo of an empty room and generate a fully furnished version in a chosen style or create a “virtual renovation” image of what a dated kitchen might look like remodeled.

While these tools are still emerging, several agents in our survey commented that they see huge potential here. Importantly, professionals view AI as an aid, not a replacement. In our real estate photographer survey, 85% said they view AI as an opportunity or at least a necessary tool to stay competitive, with only a small fraction seeing it as a threat to their jobs.

Concept images have a role—virtually updated finishes, alternate furniture layouts, “what a renovation could look like.” Use them to clarify possibilities, not to mask reality. Label concept frames (e.g., “virtually updated finishes”), keep at least one unaltered reference, and avoid edits that remove material defects. Industry guidance increasingly stresses transparency and traceability; Adobe’s public guidelines and “content authenticity” work are helpful references for responsible use and disclosure.

Creative judgment and market insight will be expected to remain human strengths, while AI becomes an invisible assistant in the background.

Mobile Capture & DIY Tools

Rise of the Smartphone Photographer. Today’s smartphones have high-resolution cameras, wide-angle lenses, and LiDAR sensors, enabling surprisingly good real estate photos and 3D scans. That’s why many agents shoot teasers and “coming soon” clips, then hire pros for the hero assets.

A simple stack works:

While the results are not on par with a professional’s work for luxury homes, they are often quite decent for basic needs—especially with some editing help from apps.

Specialized Apps for Real Estate: A growing ecosystem of mobile apps is catering to DIY real estate marketing. Some apps guide agents in capturing a 360° panorama of each room, effectively letting them create a simple virtual tour with just their phone. Others can generate a floor plan from a quick scan of the home (leveraging those phone sensors).

On the editing side, apps like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile come with presets tuned for interior photography—brightening dark corners or correcting the lens distortion caused by small phone lenses. The result is that even a solo agent with a smartphone can produce a respectable suite of visuals: photos, some video clips, maybe a panorama or two.

Knowing When to DIY vs. Go Pro: Importantly, agents are learning which listings merit the full professional treatment. Many use DIY methods for efficiency on certain properties, but still call in photographers for their more premium listings or when they want that extra polish.

In our survey, virtually all agents (99%) agreed that high-quality visuals are essential, and a majority are willing to invest in pros for high-stakes situations. One common approach is to use a pro for the main listing photos, but supplement with self-shot content for social media teasers or quick “coming soon” previews. The smartphone’s convenience doesn’t replace the need for expert skill; rather, it adds another tool in the toolbox.

Real-Time Content Creation: Smartphones also enable on-the-fly marketing, which wasn’t possible before. Agents are doing live video tours on Instagram or Facebook from their listings, or shooting short TikTok videos highlighting a cool feature (like “Check out this amazing pool!”) to drum up interest. These candid, unedited snippets can complement the polished listing by adding authenticity and urgency. They cater to an audience that enjoys consuming real estate content casually on social platforms. As younger buyers (heavy social media users) enter the market, this content can significantly boost a listing’s visibility.

Why this matters

The payoff isn’t just prettier media—fewer wasted showings and faster decisions. AI makes good work quicker; phones fill the gaps for speed and distribution; pros still set the look and the line. Standardize that mix and you’ll meet buyer expectations without slipping on trust.

Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR)

VR isn’t replacing showings; it’s shortening the list.

At-a-glance (Flatworld, 2025):

Where VR fits right now: VR and AR are on the horizon of real estate marketing. In 2025, fully immersive VR home tours—where someone wears a headset and “walks” through a digital twin of a property—are still relatively niche. They’re used mainly by tech-forward realtors or developers showcasing new construction remotely.

Similarly, AR (augmented reality), which could allow you to point your phone in a room and overlay information or visuals (like seeing an empty room furnished through your screen), is in its early stages for home shopping. However, interest is building: 76% of consumers in our survey said they’d be at least “somewhat interested” in trying a VR home tour if it saved them time, and about 80% expressed interest in using AR to visualize furniture or renovations in a home they’re considering. These high interest levels suggest that, as the technology becomes more accessible, adoption could pick up quickly.

It’s most useful for relocations, investor purchases, complex layouts, and new builds where a true sense of scale matters. A headset helps, but it isn’t required—browser-based 3D on a laptop achieves most of the effect for everyday shoppers. Teams that standardize a clean capture (consistent lighting, accurate floor plan, measured scan points) get the best mileage.

AR as an on-site assistant: AR earns its keep during decision-making, such as checking the sofa scale in the living room, testing a home office layout, sampling paint/cabinet finishes, or overlaying quick facts (“Roof: 2019,” “South-facing yard”). It turns a walkthrough into a working session without changing the space. Keep overlays simple, label anything simulated, and don’t let effects fight the lighting in the room.

Current Early Adopters: Interest is high; hands-on use is early. Only a small slice of buyers have tried VR/AR for home shopping so far, our survey indicated maybe 5–10% have been attempting a VR tour headset, and similarly, few have used AR beyond simple furniture apps. But our survey suggests a ready audience once friction drops (easier viewers, faster load, clearer labels). Forward-thinking real estate firms and photographers are starting to offer VR-ready 3D models as part of their packages, anticipating a future demand. The hardware (like Meta’s Oculus or Apple’s upcoming AR glasses) is also improving and becoming more consumer-friendly each year.

How to roll it out (lightweight)

Not a Replacement, but a Powerful Addition: VR/AR aren’t replacements for the walkthrough; they’re accelerators. Used selectively—and labeled clearly—they help buyers decide faster and reduce unqualified showings. These tools can significantly shorten the list of homes a buyer needs to visit in person. A highly immersive online experience will weed out the “maybes” and surface the “must-sees.”

In the rental market or for out-of-town buyers, we might actually see sight-unseen transactions become more common thanks to VR (with proper safeguards. Trust will be key: the more realistic and informative the virtual experience, the more comfortable buyers will be making big decisions from it.

Budget & Investment Priorities for Visual Content

Budgets are shifting toward media that moves the needle – more money is going toward visual marketing and new tech.

At-a-glance (Flatworld real estate imagery, 2025):

Agent Investment Trends

More Budget for Visuals: A clear takeaway from our 2025 real estate agent survey is that spending on visual content is increasing. Nearly 59% of agents said they plan to spend more on real estate visuals (photography, video, virtual tours, etc.) in the next 2–3 years. Only a tiny fraction (around 4%) expect to cut back. This means most agents are reallocating a bigger slice of their marketing dollars to professional photo shoots, video production, and visual technology. They’ve seen the ROI: listings with great visuals attract more interest and often sell faster or for a better price, so it’s a justified expense.

Where the Money Goes: Photography remains the foundation – most agents still hire professional photographers for their key listings and consider it money well spent. But other line items are growing. More teams are carving out funds for video walkthroughs, floor plans/3D, and virtual staging (including day-to-dusk edits).

Our survey data shows that about 46% of agents now devote over 30% of their listing marketing budget specifically to visual content. Roughly 13% of agents said more than half of their marketing spend for a listing goes into photography and similar visuals. (By contrast, online ads or print flyers often take a backseat.) This breakdown underscores how central imagery has become in real estate marketing strategies

Investing in New Tools: Beyond hiring pros, agents also invest in gear and tools for themselves. Some report buying drones or high-end cameras to create more in-house content. Many subscribe to software services—for example, a single-property website with multimedia capabilities or an AI virtual staging tool where they can upload photos and get staged versions back quickly.

About 35% of agents expressed interest in getting their drone (or drone service) this year, and as noted earlier, 60% are interested in AI virtual staging software. Agents are keenly aware that to win listings, they must offer sellers a cutting-edge marketing plan that includes the latest visual content.

Competitive Rationale: Why are agents pouring resources into visuals? It’s not just for the love of art – it’s a competitive necessity. Sellers pick marketers, not just agents. A portfolio that shows consistent photo quality, clean floor plans, a 60–90s walkthrough, and a few aerial frames wins listing appointments—and tends to sell with fewer days on market.

As one experienced realtor in our survey said, “Better pictures equal better sale prices. Visuals are the best marketing money I spend.”

Photographer Business Investments

Service Expansion: Real estate photographers are expanding their offerings to meet the market’s demands. They have become visual partners, not just “a camera on site.” In our survey, 71% offer video with photos; 53% offer virtual staging or virtual twilight as add-ons; and many capture floor plans or 3D/360 so agents can publish an integrated package.

By diversifying, photographers can cater to agents who want a consistent look and one vendor to handle all visuals. This also helps photographers increase their revenue per client.

Equipment & Training: Photographers invest in new gear and skills to deliver these expanded services.45% are pursuing training/certifications—FAA Part 107 for drones, advanced editing, or AI-enabled workflows—to keep quality high and delivery fast.

66% plan a new body or specialty lens (ultra-wide, low-light). ~74% are adding drones, gimbals, or lighting.

Adapting Business Models: With fast turnarounds and new services, photographers also adjust how they price and deliver their work. Faster turnarounds and broader menus are reshaping offers. Some teams price per-listing bundles (e.g., 25 photos + 2-minute video + drone flyover); others keep à la carte and scale with AI-assisted editing to deliver more value in the same calendar time. The throughline: use automation to raise throughput, not cut corners.

Outlook for Photographers: Demand for high-quality visuals is rising, not receding. Photographers who integrate AI, drone, video, and optional 3D/VR—and who can advise on the right mix per property—become indispensable to top agents. Or as one pro told us, “I’m not selling photos; I’m selling the property’s visual experience.”

Consumer Expectations & Buyer Preferences

Buyers skip thin galleries. Today, buyers expect listings to inform and inspire—woe to the listing with too few or poor photos.

Finally, let’s shift perspective to the consumer – after all, all these visual efforts aim to impress and convince potential buyers (and renters). What do modern home shoppers want to see in listings, and how do visuals influence their decisions?

Must-Have Listing Content: Today’s buyers have a checklist of things they expect to find when browsing homes online. At the very top of that list: The working minimum is 10–15 photos for an average home, more for larger properties. In our survey of recent homebuyers, 97% said listing photos were important in their search (and 80% said very important).

Beyond photos, the next “musts” are a clear, detailed written description of the property (73% called it very important) and a floor plan (66% called it “very important”) so people can read scale and flow at a glance.

Video and 3D/360 sit just behind photos and plans (both 57% “very important”). They are not universal, but they increasingly tip a listing onto the shortlist. This matches broader market research by NAR, where photos, detailed information, and floor plans top the features buyers value on listing sites.

Impact on Buyer Behavior: Media quality determines who shows up. In our data, 70%+ of buyers have ruled out a property based purely on weak visuals. On the flip side, many buyers have also been lured into visiting a home they initially overlooked, simply because they later saw improved photos or an appealing video.

One focus group participant gave this example: a house in their target neighborhood was initially listed with dim, cluttered photos and got no attention; weeks later, the listing was updated with professional photos and a video tour, and suddenly it became a hot property they went to see immediately. First impressions online are make-or-break.

Accuracy and Trust: Buyers love beautiful images and want honesty. Being drawn to a home only to discover the much less attractive reality can breed frustration. Thus, accuracy is a big expectation. For instance, wide-angle lenses are great, but if photos are so wide that rooms look twice their size, buyers will feel misled when they visit.

According to our survey, a majority of buyers are okay with minor digital enhancements (like virtually adding some furniture or brightening a cloudy day) as long as they are disclosed. However, if they perceive that photos hide something major – they suspect an image was edited to conceal a flaw, or a virtual staging didn’t clearly label that the furniture is fake – their trust in that listing and agent erodes.

Transparency is key: smart listings now include captions like “virtually staged” or even before-and-after comparisons to show an empty room versus a staged one.

We heard from several buyers who appreciate it when listings show not just the magazine-perfect angles but also honest shots of less glamorous areas (like the garage or a secondary bedroom)—it signals that the agent isn’t hiding anything.

Including a floor plan also boosts trust, giving a true sense of layout and dimensions that photos can’t distort. All these practices help ensure that when a buyer steps through the door, the home “meets expectations” that the online presentation sets. That in turn makes them more comfortable moving ahead with an offer.

Desire for Immersive & Interactive Experiences: Especially among younger buyers, there’s a growing appetite for more interactive exploration of listings. Our data shows that a majority (over 65%) of buyers have at least tried some form of virtual home viewing – whether that’s clicking through a 3D tour or watching a Facebook Live open house. As these experiences become more commonplace, buyers are starting to expect them.

Around 43% of consumers in our survey said they are “very interested” in using VR to walk through a home from afar if given the chance, and a similar number are very interested in doing live video-chat tours with an agent for convenience. This doesn’t mean everyone has a VR headset at home yet, but it indicates a readiness to adopt new methods if they prove useful.

One area that’s already mainstream is sharing and discussing visuals. Buyers often save listing photos or videos and share them with friends or family for input. We found that listings with particularly standout visuals are more likely to be shared via social media or group chats. Essentially, great photos and videos can become free advertising as people tag their partner, saying, “Look at this place!” Sellers and agents benefit from this word-of-mouth effect that starts with online curb appeal.

Sight-Unseen Transactions (with guardrails): Perhaps the boldest indication of how far online visuals have come is the rise in buyers willing to make offers without an in-person visit. While still not the norm for most, a significant minority of buyers are open to it under the right circumstances. In our survey, 42% of respondents said they would consider buying a property “sight unseen” if the listing’s virtual media was extensive and if they had reassurances like a reliable inspection.

Another 27% said maybe—they’d strongly prefer to visit but might be swayed if traveling to see it was difficult. Only 31% said “no way” outright. This is a remarkable change from a decade ago, when buying without a physical walkthrough was almost unheard of. It speaks to the increasing trust in online information and the power of immersive media to convey a true sense of a place.

We’ve already seen this happen with some out-of-state moves and during the pandemic – people relying on 3D tours, videos, and an agent’s live virtual walkthrough to make a purchase. As visual tech gets even better, “virtual first, physical second” could become a standard approach for many buyers.

Future Outlook: 2025–2028 and Beyond

Listings get immersive by default, AI-assisted behind the scenes, and personalized at the point of view—while the winning work still sparks an emotional “I can live here.”

Peering a few years ahead, it’s clear that real estate listings in 2028 will look even more dynamic and high-tech than today’s, yet the core goal remains the same: make an emotional connection with the buyer. Here’s a glimpse of what we expect:

Seamless Multi-Media Listings: By 2028, the average listing experience will behave like a single canvas: photos, a quick walkthrough, 3D/360, and a floor plan in one interface. Buyers will jump between gallery, motion, and map without new tabs or load-time friction. Mobile-first delivery is assumed; captions and callouts (“South-facing living,” “15′ x 12′”) will do more of the heavy lifting so shoppers can decide faster.

On-the-Fly Personalization: Expect listing platforms to reorder media based on behavior. If a shopper lingers on kitchens, the following listing opens with the kitchen video and the plan overlay. Or buyers might be able to set preferences: “show me the floor plan first” or “skip straight to the backyard video.” The effect is that less hunting means more “this feels right.”

AI as the Invisible Assistant: Creation compresses from days to hours. AI selects hero frames, normalizes color across rooms, drafts the first-cut description, and proposes a 60s–90s voiceover script. For concept frames (alternate finishes, furniture), AI speeds production, but labeling and a reference photo remain non-negotiable. Editors refocus on story, sequence, and honesty.

New Visual Frontiers: Short fly-through paths (door → living → kitchen → yard) become standard micro-tours. Perhaps short drone fly-through videos (buzzing through the front door and into each room in one continuous shot) will become a trendy way to show a home’s layout in 30 seconds. Or interactive neighborhood maps where buyers can click to see drone aerial panoramas from various vantage points around the house.

Augmented reality might allow online users to overlay furniture or paint colors onto 3D tour views in real-time, essentially letting them customize what they see to match their taste. For new construction, it’s conceivable that entire imagined interiors could be AI-generated on the fly—“show me this empty room as a home gym” and poof, you see a fully equipped gym version of the space.

Evolving Roles but Enduring Principles: Adapting to this future will be crucial for real estate agents and photographers. Agents lean more into media orchestration—picking the stack per property, reading engagement, and coaching sellers on what will move the needle. Photographers operate as visual marketing partners, bundling photos + plan + video + a few aerials, with optional 3D/VR.

The pros who thrive, marry fast, and automate workflows with a consistent, truthful look. The listings that win pair precision (plan, measurements, honest editing) with moments that feel like home.

And so, while we expect AI and VR and other innovations to transform the mechanics of home marketing, the art of it will still center on understanding what buyers want and making them fall in love (remotely first, then in person). As one industry futurist told us, the critical skill will be marrying technology with emotional intelligence. In his words: “2028 buyers might tour homes with VR and AI assistance, but it’s still that emotional spark from a beautiful photo or heartfelt video that ultimately sells a home.” Ultimately, the tools may change, but the importance of compelling visual storytelling in real estate will only grow.

Conclusion & Implications

High-impact visuals aren’t a luxury anymore – they’re a necessity. Those who embrace this new visual landscape will thrive.

High-impact visuals aren’t a nice-to-have anymore—they’re the listing. The data in this report shows what buyers pay attention to and what teams need to deliver: strong photos, a clear floor plan, motion (video/3D) that clarifies the story, and honest editing throughout. Those who standardize that mix will win more listings and move homes faster from 2025 to 2028.

For Real Estate Agents: Make visuals the spine of your go-to-market. Budget for a photo + floor plan + 60–90s walkthrough package on most listings, with 3D/360 and aerials when the setting or layout warrants it. The data shows buyers are drawn to abundant, high-quality photos and media listings.

Use DIY clips for speed on social media, but keep the hero assets professional and consistent. Outsource edits to a specialist post-production partner to lock in next-day turnarounds, brand-consistent color, virtual staging at scale, and surge capacity during peaks. Set presets, file-naming, and a QC checklist so results are plug-and-play.

Label virtual staging, avoid edits that mislead, and keep one unstaged frame in the set—your sellers will get stronger engagement, and your buyers will get fewer surprises. Bring this report to listing presentations to set expectations (and win the budget) before the shoot.

For Real Estate Photographers: You’re no longer “a camera on site”—you’re a visual marketing partner. Offer bundled media (photos + plan + video + a few aerials, optional 3D/VR), and use AI-assisted editing plus an outsourced post-production bench to hit next-day SLAs, handle surge weeks, and keep color and geometry consistent.

Set a style guide (LUTs/presets), file-naming, and a QC checklist that your partner follows for sky swaps, perspective fixes, virtual staging, and floor-plan redraws. Keep compliance tight on drones (Part 107) and use a simple disclosure template for concept/virtually updated frames. Teams that pair speed with a consistent, truthful look will own the mid-market—and be the first call for premium listings.

For homeowners (what you can promise as their agent)

Your sellers don’t want a photo shoot; they want certainty. Frame the experience like this:

A clear media plan, day one. Commit to a standard stack—pro photos + measured floor plan + 60–90s walkthrough, with 3D/360 and aerials when the setting/layout warrants it. Share a simple timeline (prep → shoot → go-live) so expectations are set up front.

Faster to market. With AI-assisted + outsourced post-production, promise next-day edits, on-brand color, and virtual staging at scale—so the listing hits peak visibility while it’s fresh.

Prep that pays. Provide a visual-readiness checklist (declutter, lighting, curb touch-ups) and, when useful, offer virtual “refresh” concepts (labeled) to show potential without costly renovations.

Honest storytelling. Disclose virtual elements, keep one unstaged reference, and avoid misleading edits. This builds trust and reduces fallout at showings.

Distribution that travels. Publish the hero assets to the MLS and a single-property page; cut short verticals for social; add captions that explain the plan (“South-facing living,” “Lot line overlay”) for out-of-area buyers.

Reporting that proves it. Share simple metrics sellers understand—views, saves, average watch time, click-to-tour rate, qualified showings—and tie them to next steps (price checks, new thumbnails, fresh social cuts)

Capacity during peaks. Use your editing partner for surge weeks so you never miss a launch window.

In closing, put simply: the listing is the media, and your edge is the system behind it. Standardize the stack (pro photos + measured floor plan + 60–90s walkthrough, with 3D/360 and aerials when they add clarity), harden your ethics and disclosure, and back it with AI-assisted + outsourced post-production for next-day SLAs and brand-consistent results at scale.

The next three years will make immersive, personalized, AI-accelerated listings the norm; teams that operationalize this now won’t just keep up—they’ll set the bar.