How To Choose Photos for Your Listing!

How to Choose Photos for Your Listing

When your real estate photographer delivers 30+ listing photos, it can be overwhelming to decide which images will actually help your home sell. Choosing the right photos for virtual staging is one of the most important steps in creating a high-impact online listing that captures buyer attention and drives showings.

That’s where Homekynd comes in.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), buyers are most interested in seeing the living room, primary bedroom, kitchen, and dining room when browsing listings online. These spaces create the strongest emotional connection and help buyers imagine themselves living in the home.

Prioritize These Rooms First

We recommend selecting and virtually staging at least two angles of each of the following key rooms:

• Living room

• Primary bedroom

• Kitchen

• Dining room

Depending on the home’s floor plan and square footage, additional rooms—such as a home office, bonus room, or finished basement—may also be worth including.

Use Virtual Staging to Solve Layout Challenges

Virtual staging allows you to:

• Showcase multiple uses for a single room

• Demonstrate furniture placement in awkward or open layouts

• Help buyers understand scale, flow, and functionality

This is especially valuable for vacant homes or spaces that are difficult to visualize without furnishings. Help buyers understand where they are looking. When rooms are empty and the wall colors/ flooring are similar, it can be difficult for the viewer to determine if they are seeing multiple angles of the same room or 3 different rooms.

Don’t Forget Outdoor Living Spaces

If the home includes a patio, deck, or backyard, staging an outdoor photo can highlight the home’s potential for entertaining and lifestyle—an increasingly important factor for today’s buyers.

How Many Listing Photos Should You Use?

For most homes, the ideal listing photo count falls between 8–12 professionally selected images. This range keeps the listing visually compelling without overwhelming buyers, while ensuring every key space is thoughtfully represented.

When you choose photos strategically, virtual staging becomes more than decoration—it becomes a storytelling tool that helps buyers fall in love with the home before they ever step inside.

Example photo order for a 1,250 sq ft home:

1) Main living area + kitchen
We recommend selecting at least two angles to clearly showcase the flow, openness, and continuity of the floor plan.

2) Additional angle of the living area + kitchen
An open floor plan benefits from an extra angle that highlights the visual connection to the kitchen and dining area. In homes with a separate kitchen or breakfast nook, we recommend uploading an additional photo to clearly define each space and its function.

3) Bonus room
A bonus room is one of the most valuable spaces to feature in a listing, as it offers flexible functionality for today’s buyers. This client noted the room could serve as a formal dining room, secondary living space, or home office. With virtual staging, you can easily showcase multiple layout options and highlight the full potential of the space—helping buyers visualize how it can adapt to their lifestyle.

4) Primary bedroom
The primary bedroom should be presented as a calm, relaxing retreat where buyers can imagine unwinding at the end of the day. Use virtual staging to highlight the appropriate bed size, nightstands, and additional furniture that comfortably fit in the space—helping buyers clearly understand the room’s scale, layout, and livability.

5) Backyard deck or feature space (game room, basement, loft, or theater room)
Outdoor living areas and unique feature spaces add significant value to a listing. Use virtual staging to help buyers envision a cozy backyard deck for morning coffee or evening entertaining, or to showcase how a game room, basement, loft, or home theater can be styled for relaxation, hobbies, or gatherings. Highlighting these lifestyle-driven spaces helps buyers emotionally connect with the home.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Photos for a High-Impact Listing

Selecting the right photos for your real estate listing is just as important as the photography itself. By prioritizing key living spaces, highlighting flexible rooms, and showcasing outdoor and lifestyle features, you create a listing that tells a clear, compelling story buyers can instantly connect with.

When paired with virtual staging, the right photo selection helps buyers better understand layout, scale, and functionality—especially in vacant homes or spaces with challenging floor plans. The result is stronger online engagement, longer listing views, and a clearer emotional connection before buyers ever schedule a showing.

Whether you’re staging a compact home or a larger property, a thoughtful approach to listing photo order and virtual staging strategy ensures every image works harder to attract the right buyer. With Homekynd, choosing photos isn’t about filling slots—it’s about showcasing potential and helping buyers imagine themselves at home.