The ‘magic number’ of listing views for a fast sale 

Every for-sale listing on Zillow includes some key details unrelated to the home or neighborhood itself — "views" and "saves" — that indicate varying levels of consumer interest. But what does that data actually tell home shoppers and sellers?

According to a recent Zillow analysis, those data points can be used to estimate how quickly a home is likely to sell. With pending home sales down compared to this time last year, understanding how to interpret those consumer signals can be helpful for sellers and agents looking to move quickly.

The magic number of views, shares and saves: Zillow's research, which assessed home sales over the past two years, found a strong correlation between consumer engagement and a listing's eventual sale speed and price.

Listings with at least 250 daily views tended to reach a pending sale status within one week, and 75% sold within two weeks. "Shares" were another useful indicator: Most listings that were shared 10 or more times per day also went pending within a week.

If shoppers added a property to their "Saved Homes" portal, it was also likely to perform better. The researchers found that the "magic number" for daily saves was five, at which point listings "typically accept an offer in a week."

When average daily saves exceeded 50, homes tended to go pending in just three days. At the other end of the spectrum, listings that averaged less than one save per day sat on the market for over a month.

The sweet spot for higher offers: The number of saves can also provide insight into a listing's chance of selling above asking price. The tipping point? If a home received 10 or more daily saves, it was likely to sell for more than list, with the price-to-list ratio continuing to improve as saves increased.

Views and shares can also be good indicators of sale price. Listings with 500+ daily views "often sold for more" than the seller's asking price, Zillow found, as did a majority of homes with 20 or more daily shares.

Getting buyers to engage: Piquing shopper interest by drawing attention to attractive home qualities can help increase a listing's daily views and saves, Zillow noted, pointing to research published last year showing that certain "modern features," such as outdoor showers and soapstone countertops, boosted sales.

Spotlighting popular features within a listing can increase consumer engagement, helping the home sell faster and at a higher price, Zillow said.