Do Virtual Tours Help Homes Sell Faster? Evidence from 2025 Research

The question

Real estate agents often hear conflicting claims: some say virtual tours make homes sell faster and for more money; others argue they are a costly gimmick. As virtual-tour technology becomes more accessible, it is important to examine what rigorous research says about their impact on sale time and price.

What the UT Dallas study found

In 2025 researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas analysed nearly 43,000 properties listed on a major Chinese real-estate platform. Their goal was to determine whether virtual-reality tours (the type that allow users to pan around rooms online without a headset) affected how quickly homes sold and at what price. The results were clear:

• Homes with a VR tour were on the market for only 19 days on average, compared with 34 days for similar homes without a tour. The tours cut time on market by about 15 days.
• Sale price did not change – VR tours provided more information but did not increase the final selling price.
• VR tours benefit larger, newer homes more – they allow buyers to explore spacious properties remotely, while older or smaller homes saw smaller gains.
• Tours fill an information gap when agents are unresponsive – buyers who cannot reach an agent still get detailed information from the tour.

The authors concluded that virtual tours function primarily as an informative tool that helps buyers evaluate a property honestly. Because buyers can view rooms from multiple angles, VR tours reduce the need for multiple in-person visits. They did not find evidence that tours inflate prices – a common sceptic's claim.

Buyer behaviour supports the research

Survey data from Zillow's 2025 Consumer Housing Trends report reinforces the importance of immersive media. Twenty per cent of prospective buyers ranked 3D/virtual tours as the most important listing feature, behind floor plans (33%) and high-resolution photos (26%). Millennials and Gen X buyers valued virtual tours even more, with about 22% ranking them first. This shows that a significant portion of the market expects to see a tour and may skip listings that lack one.

Why virtual tours reduce time on market

• They qualify buyers – Buyers can rule themselves in or out after viewing the tour. This cuts down on no-fit showings and brings more serious purchasers to open houses.
• They provide transparency – Complete tours show every room, including flaws. This builds trust and reduces surprises at inspection, speeding negotiations.
• They bridge distance – Out-of-area and international buyers can explore properties remotely. The UT Dallas study suggests larger and newer homes benefit most because remote buyers are more likely to purchase such properties.
• They reduce agent workload – When buyers can explore on their own, agents spend less time answering basic layout questions and more time closing deals.

What virtual tours cannot do

Virtual tours are not a magic wand. They do not increase the intrinsic value of the home. They cannot make outdated interiors look new or fix structural issues. Over-edited tours that hide flaws will erode buyer trust. And while some marketing claims suggest tours raise sale prices, the UT Dallas research did not support that conclusion.

Implications for agents

For listings where you already expect multiple interested buyers or where a home is priced aggressively, a virtual tour may not change the final sale price. However, research shows it can speed up the process and attract more qualified buyers. Given that producing a virtual tour no longer requires expensive equipment – ListingRush offers guided capture in its iPhone app – the cost-benefit calculation has shifted. A modest investment of time can translate into a shorter time on market and better-prepared clients.

Conclusion

Virtual tours reduce days on market by providing buyers with comprehensive, truthful information. While they do not directly raise sale prices, they improve the marketing process and meet buyer expectations. As younger generations place increasing importance on immersive media, offering a virtual tour through an accessible platform like ListingRush is becoming a standard practice rather than an optional extra. Investing in tours is an investment in transparency, efficiency and buyer confidence.