According to Matterport, 66 percent of homebuyers say that real estate photos are “very useful” when looking to buy a house. But what kind of photos actually make people want to click in 2025? Sure, there are cell phone photos; but there are also professionally shot pictures of listings.
Since real estate purchasing is a visual experience, most people looking for a house (60 percent) will use photos as a way to shortlist their potential buy. On the other hand, selling a home using cell phone photos will ensure your house stays on the market for longer and potentially get lower offers.
It’s no secret that professional photos far outpace their cell phone photo counterparts for attention despite the incredible features that smartphones carry nowadays. But some photos and angles tend to present the listings better even if they are professionally photographed.
Without further delay, here are the five ways to get more clicks that lead to buyers in 2025.
1. Hero Exterior Shot
This isn’t always the one showing the entire house at the front. Sometimes, this is the front door, the front porch, or a nice side-angle of the house.
The front of the house generally is the “hero shot”.” However, the first photo you show potential buyers should be the best one, not necessarily the front of the house shot.
Also, there aren’t too many other photos that top a twilight photo. If you have a twilight picture, that should be your hero shot to introduce your potential buyer to the listing.
2. Clean and Uncluttered Interior Photos
Each room should look clean and uncluttered. Remember, people want to see the house, the rooms, the kitchen.
Potential buyers’ eyes gravitate toward imperfections in a real estate photo. So, piles of books and magazines or blankets and clothes distract from the room and its space. Your advantage will be cleaning and organizing before taking photos. That way, you can have a better chance buyers will view the room as it is and not your dirty laundry.
Editing also makes a difference. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what a real estate photographer does. Each listing photo is a combination of three photos: an underexposed photo, a normally exposed photo, and an overexposed photo. The reason for this is each of these three raw photos provides unique features to the edited photo. The underexposed photo brings out deeper colors and provides details, the normally exposed photo preserves the listing’s look under natural light, and an overexposed photos brings out shadows that tend to stand out in an edited photo.
Then, those photos are combined to create a bright photo on the inside while pulling the beauty from the outside into the photo. So, a great photo editor makes all the difference.
I do a lot of my edits through AutoHDR, an AI editing service that specializes in real estate photos. It combines the photos and brightens each shot to give show each listing in its best light. However, I also use human editors to ensure certain colors are preserved in the listing, like cabinets in a kitchen.
3. Feature-Focus Shots
Corner shots are the most common types of shots in real estate photography. However, a good straight-on shot gives the room a nice “live-in” feel.
Shots directly pointing at a fireplace, a kitchen, or a patio make potential buyers feel like they’re in the space, and can visualize themselves living in it.
Ask your photographers about those kinds of shots. Larger rooms like a living room with a fireplace, an open concept kitchen, a direct shot at the kitchen sink, or a nice bathroom photo brings out the best of the space.
Combined with those corner shots, feature-rich shots with a direct view of a window or fireplace are great points of view for any potential buyer.
4. Aerial Photos
Aerial real estate photography is a versatile view in either buyer’s or seller’s markets. People want to see where they’re going to be living!
Aesthetically, potential clients want to see if the room needs repairs, the curb appeal fits with the neighborhood, and the house looks like it’s in good shape. Sometimes, the house looks nice but the neighborhood doesn’t appeal to buyers.
As a buyer, they want as much information as possible before making a decision. That’s to your advantage because you provide clients with valuable information to make informed decisions. Many realtors will forgo aerial photos, but they are worth it in the end even if it’s an additional cost on your marketing budget.
5. Interactive 360 Tours
These are valuable to buyers who cannot see homes in person, and they accompany real estate photography well.
But, many real estate agents don’t want the additional cost to pay for a Matterport or Zillow 3D tour. Honestly, that approach to forgo the 360 tour makes sense.
However, there are a few advantages to having a 360 tour:
- Viewing the home site unseen
- More time for you. You don’t have to show another house
- Buyers compare the 360 tour to the photos; giving them a better perspective of the listing
Of course, marketing budgets are important. So, if you can’t afford to do a Matterport or Zillow 3D tour, consider doing a CubiCasa scan to at least get a floorplan. Tours help potential buyers see the photos within the home and how the rooms connect.
Conclusion and BONUS TIP!
Bonus: Twilight photos are valuable scroll-stopping photos. They’re the ones that’ll get clients interested to see more. If you don’t want to get anything else, at least get a twilight photo. You won’t regret it!
Finally, these tips will help bring out the best in each of your listings. Getting these listings in front of potential buyers is critical for sales, and professional photos plays a large role in making that happen. You’ll never go wrong with professional real estate photography!
So, if you have another listing coming up, give us a call and we’d be happy to photograph your next listing.
What would you add to this list? Comment in the comments section down below. Thank you for reading!