{"id":4975,"date":"2026-06-08T02:00:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T09:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=4975"},"modified":"2026-06-09T06:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T13:10:49","slug":"create-real-estate-listings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/create-real-estate-listings\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Real Estate Listing That Gets More Showings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ask a group of Realtors to explain the purpose of real estate listings, and the truest answer you\u2019ll receive is \u201cto get showings<\/a>.\u201d Showings lead to offers, and offers lead to sales.<\/p>\n

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), nearly all homebuyers<\/a> use the internet during their home search. This means, to be competitive, your real estate listing needs to be magnetic \u2014 a scroll-stopper.<\/p>\n

A strong listing does more than just describe your property. It combines professional photos, compelling details, and proper pricing to help buyers picture themselves living in your home.<\/p>\n

If you’re preparing to sell<\/a>, here’s how to create a real estate listing that attracts attention and gets more buyers through the door.<\/p>\n

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How Much Is Your Home Worth Now?<\/h3>\n

Home values have rapidly increased in recent years. How much is your current home worth now? Get a ballpark estimate from HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator.<\/p>\n \n

\n Get Estimate<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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1. Start with real professional photography<\/h2>\n

If there’s one area where sellers shouldn’t cut corners, it’s photography. This may seem obvious, but you might be surprised how often poor-quality listing photos are used, especially by less experienced, part-time, or discount agents<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Listing photos do most of the heavy lifting when buyers first discover your home online. In fact, eye-tracking studies<\/a> reveal that buyers spend about 60% of their time looking at the listing\u2019s photos, and the other 40% viewing property specs and agent comments (roughly 20% each).<\/p>\n

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Professional photographers know how to use lighting, composition, and editing techniques to showcase your home’s strengths. They also understand which rooms deserve the most attention and how to present the property in a way that appeals to buyers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo list a property with poor pictures is like shooting yourself in the foot right out of the gate,\u201d says Kathleen Caponigro<\/a>, a top real estate agent in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains region. \u201cThe photos are your hook to get people interested in the home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professional photos are not only your best chance to schedule showings; research suggests they significantly speed up your sale and even boost your proceeds.<\/p>\n

One study by VHT Studios, which analyzed over 200,000 real estate listings, found that professionally photographed homes sold 32% faster,<\/a> reducing the average days on market<\/a> (DOM) from 45 to 31.<\/p>\n

Homes listed with professional photos also sold for $3,400 to $11,200 more than homes with amateur photos, depending on price range.<\/p>\n

According to an imgix Digital Marketing Report<\/a>, many potential buyers form an initial impression of a property within 20 seconds of viewing its online listing.<\/p>\n

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2. Prepare your home before the photoshoot<\/h2>\n

Even the best photographer can’t overcome clutter, dirt, or deferred maintenance.<\/p>\n

Here are important steps to take before listing photos are taken:<\/p>\n