Professional Photography Drives 2.6x More Saves
Listings with professional photography on Zillow significantly outperform those without. This finding is highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001).
2.6x more saves with professional photography
The Timing Gap: Photography Added ~66 Days Too Late
Completed homes sit without professional photography for nearly 66 days after becoming "Ready Now." By then, peak engagement has already passed.
Photography arrives after the peak engagement window closes
| Stage | Avg Days on Zillow |
|---|---|
| Pre-construction (before "Ready Now") | 33 days |
| Ready Now — still waiting for photos (66 days without photos) | 99 days |
| Ready Now — with pro photos | 148 days |
Photography Impact Compounds Over Time
As general buyer interest decays, quality imagery helps maintain engagement — delivering nearly 7x better saves/day for listings 150+ days on market.
Engagement Decays Rapidly — The Window They're Missing
By waiting ~66 days after completion to add photography, the first 50 days — when engagement is 3.5x higher — are already gone.
Community Photos: A Meaningful Fallback
When pro photos aren't available, community photos deliver 3x better engagement than nothing. Avoid land/lot photos — they perform worse than having no photos at all.
The Opportunity: 55 Completed Homes Without Photos
55 completed homes are competing without professional photography. These are finished, marketable properties that have been "Ready Now" for an average of 66 days without photos — the clearest opportunity for immediate impact.
Recommendations
Photograph homes at "Ready Now" — not 66 days later
Shift photography from a rescue tactic to a launch essential. Capture the first 50 days when engagement is 3.5x higher.
Prioritize completed homes currently without photos
55 homes have been "Ready Now" for an average of 66 days without photos. Every day without photography is lost engagement.
Target listings approaching 150+ days for immediate shoots
This is where pro photography delivers the greatest lift (6.9x better engagement).
Use community photos as interim baseline
For pre-construction or listings awaiting photography, community photos deliver 3x better engagement than nothing.
Methodology
Source Data Collection
M/I Homes website served as source of truth. Recorded all 172 homes listed for sale in DFW, documenting "Ready Now" status and professional photography availability.
Zillow Cross-Reference
Searched each address on Zillow. Recorded days on market, views, saves, and whether the lead image was a rendering or real photo. Noted discrepancies between platforms.
Statistical Analysis
Classification based on Zillow visibility. All engagement conclusions based on "Saves" metric. Pro vs No Pro: p<0.0001 (highly significant).