10 Tips to Maximize Your New Construction Listings

Did you know that 85 percent of buyers see a new construction listing for the first time on Zillow?¹ To attract buyers to your new construction communities, you must provide them with a powerful and lasting first impression. Your listings have to stand out and inspire home shoppers to picture themselves living there.

Here are 10 tips to maximize your new construction listings.

1. Show off with high-quality images

When shopping for a new home, buyers want pictures that help them visualize living there. Attract more buyers with professional shots that breathe life into your new construction communities; a selection of 15–30 high-quality shots is ideal.

2. Refresh your images

Adding new photos as you complete projects or amenities makes your listing more dynamic, freshens your feed and keeps shoppers coming back to view your offerings.

3. Welcome potential buyers to your neighborhood

Dazzle buyers with images of all the amenities your homes and communities offer. If they can see themselves walking your trails, relaxing at the pool or hitting the links, they’re one step closer to contacting you.

4. Give your pictures a purpose

Your images should each have a clear subject and purpose; if you have a space with multiple points of interest — a kitted-out gourmet kitchen or backyard with lots of recreation space — take separate photos of each area to help shoppers picture themselves using and enjoying the space.

5. Drive emotion and action with sight and sound

Video brings your floor plan and community to life by showing buyers what it’s really like to walk through your homes and live in your neighborhoods. Plus, a video can increase your discoverability.

6. Enhance your listings with easy-to-use options

Whether you shoot your own videos or have a slick, professionally produced home tour, there’s room in your listings for both. Zillow Group sites make it free and easy to upload a video walkthrough to attract more buyers and make your listings stand out.

7. Keep your videos simple

Less is more when it comes to shooting a video for your listings. Keep it focused and succinct: Give buyers only enough to want to know more about you and contact your sales center.

8. Use the right words

A compelling listing includes pictures, video and words: Approximately 250 of the right words can engage home shoppers. Be direct, vivid and specific: If you’ve got granite counters or landscaped yards, flaunt them. And don’t forget the allure of your offerings being brand-new construction.

9. Proofread your listings

Nothing says unprofessional or uninterested like sloppy copy. Avoid misspelled words, incorrect grammar and mismatched captions by having someone else double-check your listings before you publish anything.

10. Complete all the elements in your feed

Triple check that you’ve included every available component in your listing feed — from home facts to open hours. If you have more than one home spec, show them all to give buyers a selection. And don’t forget your special offers and promos, too.

When it comes to attracting buyers to your listings, rich content wins. A listing with dynamic content improves the home shopping experience and inspires buyers with the potential of your communities — no matter what stage of the building process they’re in. Vivid descriptions, beautiful photography and short, simple videos engage buyers and drive them to take the next step in their home search.

^{1. Zillow Group Internal, February and April 2015}