How to Boost Your Home’s Digital Curb Appeal

Since virtual and digital tech has permeated nearly every facet of life, “screen appeal” has become the new curb appeal. Sprucing up your home’s digital curb appeal can help you sell faster, and for more money.

Just how important is digital curb appeal? The numbers tell the story. Nearly half (49%) of buyers surveyed by Zillow in 2024 said they’d feel at least somewhat confident making an offer on a home after only taking a virtual tour. That means getting your home ready for its virtual close-up is key. Here's how to make your home listing stand out online.

Address the things on your need-to-fix list

Making repairs and updates to a home before listing is not only common, but it will help make your home more attractive to potential buyers in person and go a long way toward making a good first impression online. When considering your investment, know this: according to a Zillow and Thumbtack analysis, the typical seller spends roughly $5,380 to complete some of the most common pre-listing home improvements, like landscaping and interior painting.

You’ll also want to consider repairs you may not see in a photo. That could help boost your home’s value, like re-shingling an aging roof or installing new windows that work smoothly.

Hire an agent who uses Zillow Showcase and great photos

Your agent will likely be the one to set up your listing photos and any 3D tours. If you still need an agent, you can find experienced seller’s agents on Zillow. Pay attention to their portfolio throughout your search. Do their past listings include 3D tours, interactive floor plans, and clear photos that represent the space well? Specifically, ask if they have a Listing Showcase® subscription. If they say yes, you’re setting yourself up for success.

Showcase is an immersive and interactive way to present your home online. It allows buyers to take a virtual tour of your home that feels like a point-of-view walkthrough, giving buyers a more realistic view of your home than what static photos can offer. Listings that used Showcase received 75% more page views, saves, and shares compared to similar nearby homes that didn’t use Showcase. All of this helps home shoppers get the information they need to be prepared to make an offer — before even seeing your home in person.

Ultimately, cellphone snaps won't cut it when you're selling the biggest investment you own. Work with your agent to hire a photographer specializing in shooting houses for 3D virtual tours and the MLS (multiple listing service). They know how to light and frame a room to look its best.

Optimize your layout for the camera

Consider your furniture layout and how it makes your home look on camera. You may love how your rooms are arranged, but your furniture placement might not make the rooms look very spacious on screen. Take some test photos to see if the current layout photographs well. 

If you're planning on working with your agent to create a recorded or live video tour, do a video chat walkthrough with a friend and see if you have a clear path between furniture pieces. You want to avoid tripping over an ottoman while doing a live tour.

And a pro tip: before your home’s photoshoot, open shades and blinds to let in natural light. It will make your home look larger, warmer and more welcoming in its digital debut.

Make a great first impression

If you’ve ever browsed homes on Zillow, you’re quite familiar with preview photos. They are the first thing you see about a home. If your listing’s first few photos aren’t appealing, potential buyers may just swipe by. Which would you rather see: a well-lit, organized kitchen photographed from a wide angle; or a grainy, too-close photo that doesn’t give you a great idea of what you’re in for? 

Also be wise about which space in your home you use for your first photo. Is there a part of your home that stands out? Does one room have a particularly unique design that could leave people wanting more? Consider using that among your first few photos. Your agent will have a good perspective on which photo to go with.

Lastly, remember that people want to see the home they’ll be living in. Yes, of course buyers want to know what the outside looks like. But consider which images best help buyers imagine, at a glance, their lives inside the home.

Declutter and depersonalize 

Some of the traditional rules for open houses still apply in the world of digital curb appeal. Decluttering makes a home more attractive across all media. Rooms with a minimal amount of items will appear more open and appealing in photographs. Depersonalizing — removing items like family photos, collectibles and any other personal objects that say 'This is my house' — helps potential buyers see your home's features and imagine themselves living there. Plus, it can help protect your privacy, which can help you feel more secure when you’re opening your door to the public.

Depersonalizing also means considering your paint colors. A fresh coat of paint in a neutral tone tends to appeal to more buyers, while more colorful hues, like orange or yellow, could turn people off.

Consider virtual staging

If you don’t have the budget or time to stage your house with actual furniture, consider a digital alternative to catch a buyer’s attention. Photos of empty rooms in a vacant property can bleed into one another and can risk making less of an impression. Virtual staging uses software that digitally adds furnishings to your space, and it tends to be more affordable and efficient compared to actual staging. 

You can find online services that will virtually stage your home using professional interior designers, as well as apps that let you DIY​ your own digital décor in your listing photos. Virtual staging is a fast way to get empty homes or homes with outdated furnishings ready to sell and help your home listing stand out.

Work with your agent for a compelling listing description

Photos and 3D Home tours speak a thousand words, but they're not enough. The description accompanying your listing is where you can take your home's appeal to the next level. Describe in creative words what readers can't see in the photos or elaborate on what they can see. Reference Zillow listing research to know what buyers are looking for and highlight that. Do you have soapstone countertops, or white oak flooring? Say so! These are two of the top features that helped homes sell for more than what was expected, according to new Zillow research. Specifically, each of these features garnered sellers about $12,500 more than expected. Want to boost your chances of your home selling faster? Highlight your textured walls and wet rooms if you’ve got them! 

Make your home irresistible to buyers with a few of our smart tips.

Your home looks great — now share it

Now that you've maxed out your home's digital curb appeal and helped your listing stand out by helping home shoppers virtually step inside, showcase your home online to generate interest on top of what you're getting through your agent's efforts. Be sure to share your listing on social media — everything from Instagram and TikTok, to Nextdoor — and spread it through your network.

Check out more tips on selling your house online and how to market your home to sell.