What’s the right number of photos for a real estate listing?

Real estate photography is a must for properly marketing a home for sale. A shot of the front of a home is almost always the first thing a potential buyer will see when they come across a listing.

Photos were deemed the most important website feature for more than 90 percent of buyers under the age of 55, according to a National Association of Realtors report.

Professional photography is well worth the investment. Year after year, NAR reports show that listings with professional real estate photos spend less time on the market and sell for more. 

However, one of the simplest but most important considerations when marketing a listing is how many images to use. Some may be compelled to jam as many professionally taken photos into the gallery. The more the merrier, right?

Not quite. There’s an important balance between quality and quantity. Listing photos should draw attention to all the property’s best features without offering so many that there’s a chance something gets lost in the shuffle.

How many rooms and spaces does the house have?

This is the starting point for determining how many photos a listing should have. Start with one shot per smaller space and two per large room. Add in five pictures of the exterior — two of the front, one of the back, and an aerial image — and it comes out to somewhere around 25 images for the average house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. 

Highlight the larger rooms that are selling points of the home. Kitchens are typically a priority, so multiple photos will be needed for the listing. The same can be said for the primary bedroom, bathroom, and entertaining areas.

Secondary bedrooms, bonus rooms, half bathrooms, only need one photo apiece. That doesn’t mean these rooms can be overlooked. In fact, capturing these rooms in only one frame can be more difficult than some may think! Don’t worry, though — Lighthouse Visuals photographers have the skill and expertise to pick out the right vantage point for the perfect shot of each room.

Including too many pictures of the same room can make it easier to lose buyers’ attention or may confuse them. 

A few photos to put the listing over the top

Once you’ve narrowed down your array of listing photos to the essentials, you should still have the wiggle room for a few more that will take it to the next level. 

One of the most eye-catching pictures sellers can add to their marketing package is a virtual twilight image. It’s an easy way to portray a property as it would look at sunset. They’re especially useful in social media marketing when you need a powerful image that will stop people mid-scroll!

While not technically a photo, consider adding a floorplan to the listing. These graphics are another tool that helps potential buyers better envision the property. A 2021 NAR report noted that more than two-thirds of buyers deemed them “very useful.”

Finally, drone shots of any neighborhood amenities like a pool or playground, or nearby attractions spotlight what’s beyond the property itself but still contributes to it being a desirable place to live.

Reach out to Lighthouse Visuals today to schedule a photoshoot for your listing or set up a time to discuss your marketing strategy with a consultant.