Quick answer
A Zillow Showcase shoot captures photos, an interactive floor plan and a Zillow 3D Home tour in one visit. Because the 3D capture sees every room, prepare closets, laundry and basements too, open doors to every room in the tour, clear walkways, turn on every light and keep people and pets out for the whole capture.
Last updated
Zillow Showcase listings combine high-resolution photos, an interactive floor plan and a Zillow 3D Home tour into one listing experience. The capture day is a bit different from a standard photo shoot, because the photographer is also scanning the home for the tour and the floor plan. Use this checklist to get the home and the paperwork ready. Sham RE Media is Zillow Showcase certified, so this is the same list we give our agents.
Before you book
- Confirm Showcase is available for the listing. Showcase is offered through participating brokerages, so check with your brokerage or Zillow rep first.
- Book a certified photographer. Showcase media is captured by photographers who are trained and certified for it.
- Share the details: address, approximate square footage, number of levels, and whether the basement, attic, garage or any outbuildings should be included in the tour and floor plan.
- Set aside more time. A Showcase shoot includes photos plus the 3D and floor plan capture, so plan for the home to be empty of people for longer than a photo-only shoot.
The home: what matters more for 3D and floor plans
A 3D tour sees every corner of every room, not just the angles in the photos. So the usual photo prep (see our room-by-room checklist) goes further:
- Every room is on camera. Closets, laundry rooms, mudrooms and basements will be visible in the tour if they are included, so tidy them too.
- Open interior doors to every room that should be captured, and close the ones that should not.
- Clear walkways. The photographer moves through the home in a path; boxes and furniture in hallways make the tour choppy.
- Lights on, fans and TVs off in every room, including closets and stairways.
- Hide valuables, medications and documents, since the tour is viewable by anyone online.
- Mirrors and glass should be clean; reflections show up in 360-degree capture.
- Pets and people out for the whole capture, so nobody appears in the scans.
Floor plan readiness
- Make sure every finished level is accessible, including attic rooms and finished basements.
- Tell us which spaces are finished and which are unfinished so the plan is labeled correctly.
- Remember that floor plan measurements are approximate and for marketing; buyers should verify square footage.
Exterior and drone
- Move cars, bins, hoses and toys out of view, and mow or shovel.
- If drone photos are part of the order, give us the address early so our FAA Part 107 pilot can check the airspace (see drone rules near Logan and Hanscom).
Condos and multi-families
- Get building approval for any common areas (lobby, gym, roof deck) that should be photographed.
- For tenant-occupied units, give tenants written notice and this checklist ahead of time.
- For multi-families, decide which units and common areas will be in the tour.
After the shoot
- Review the delivered photos, tour and floor plan before the listing goes live.
- Check that room labels on the floor plan match how you describe the home in the listing.
- Photos are typically delivered within 24 hours; tell us your go-live date so we can plan around it.
Book a Showcase-ready shoot
Sham RE Media captures photos, Zillow 3D tours and floor plans across Greater Boston, the North Shore, the Merrimack Valley and Southern NH. Book online, request a quote or call (617) 858-7268.
Ready for your next listing? Request a quote, book online or call (617) 858-7268. See also: our services, FAQ and areas we serve.