It’s hard to believe we’re already in the second half of 2025. London’s property market has been buzzing all year, and if the first few months were anything to go by, the rest of the year promises even more exciting developments.
One thing is for sure: real estate photography in 2025 is not merely about showing a house. It's about creating immersive, eye-catching experiences that so engage buyers, renters, and investors, they stop scrolling and start imagining themselves inside the property.
So what have been the trends in property marketing so far this year and what can you expect as we approach the final few months of 2025? Let's look at the most important real estate photography trends ruling London today.
AI-Enhanced Property Photography
One of the biggest topics of conversation in 2025 has been the arrival of AI-powered photo editing programs. They can virtually stage an empty room, balance light in tricky interiors, or even enhance the grey London sky. While still early in adoption, AI is quickly becoming a thrilling new tool in real estate marketing.
To estate agents, property managers, and Airbnb hosts, the advantage is clear: listing is faster and better finished, without the need for perfect conditions or costly staging. AI doesn't replace professional photography and editing; it supplements it, giving that additional wow needed to reach its buyer on the internet.
By 2025, AI is likely to start to shift from being a new experiment to being a part of property marketing procedures. Experts even forecast that the global AI real estate market will double more than over the next decade, as more demand for smarter and better marketing instruments increases. (GlobeNewswire, 2023).
Short-Form Video & TikTok-Style Tours
Scrolling through Instagram Reels or TikTok, you’ve probably noticed the growing number of bite-sized property videos. In fact, in the first half of 2025, more London estate agents and property managers embraced short-form video to reach younger, mobile-first audiences.
These videos should be quick and eye-catching: swift walk-throughs emphasising a property's showstoppers, like a sleek contemporary open-plan kitchen or stunning views over the terrace. They're perfect for social media algorithms too, which adore engaging, vertical video content.
Google studies have shown that approximately 40% of Gen Z use TikTok or Instagram as a search engine to discover items like where to dine. A trend that increasingly encompasses important decisions like accommodation (TechCrunch, 2022) With this trend accelerating, short-form video property tours are becoming a key marketing tactic in London's sales and rental competitive market.
Aerial Photos and Video
This year, aerial property video and photography have been the rage for creating that 'wow' effect. What was once reserved largely for high-end penthouses or new buildings is now being made available more and more across properties.
Up to this point this year, aerial footage has been employed to highlight new construction in Nine Elms, Clapham townhouses with individual gardens, and homes in green outer boroughs where garden space is an enormous selling feature. By 2025 end, anticipate aerial images being employed much more extensively. Not just to advertise a property itself, but to provide context regarding its location.
For foreign buyers especially, aerial footage is pure gold. It gives a clearer idea of where the property is located in London, emphasising local amenities like parks, transport links, and even proximity to the Thames. It's selling lifestyle, not property.
Their economic value is also beyond doubt: PwC UK estimates the contribution drones might make to the UK economy at £42bn by 2030, with real estate among the fastest-growing applications (PwC UK, 2018).
Virtual Tours for Remote Buyers & Renters
Virtual tours have been gradually in vogue for a few years, but in 2025 they're rapidly becoming indispensable. Airbnb property owners are employing them increasingly to entice visitors, while property developers rely on them to sell off-plan developments, notably to foreign buyers who can't call by.
And the statistics are mind-boggling: listings of 3D virtual tours can generate more enquiries and sell or let homes faster. In global city London, where foreign buyers and foreign tenants make up a significant proportion of the market, virtual tours are a powerful way of building confidence and saving time-wasting viewings.
By the end of 2025, virtual tours will likely be a standard feature rather than an option in listings.
Lifestyle & Community Storytelling
One of the most exciting trends in 2025 is the trend towards lifestyle photography. Buyers and renters aren't asking, "What does the flat look like?" They're asking, "What is life like there?"
This means property photography moving more and more out of the home and into the locality to capture highlights. For example:
In Hackney, a property description might include bustling markets and independent coffee shops.
In Richmond, riverbank promenades and leafy parks are the images that sell the lifestyle.
In Hampstead, photographs of village streets and cultural spots put depth into the story.
By the end of 2025, expect increasing agents offering "neighbourhood portfolios" that help buyers and renters visualize not only the property itself but the lifestyle that comes with it. In as cosmopolitan a city as London, this can be the difference between a listing selling and a listing sitting.
Looking Ahead
The second half of 2025 is set to be a fascinating time for property marketing in London. Those days are gone when properties are just showcased; with AI photography to aerial video walk-throughs and lifestyle-focused storytelling, how the properties are showcased is also rapidly changing.
While we can't place precise dates on when each trend will peak, one thing is for sure: adoption is accelerating. We got a glimpse of what's in store for us in early 2025, and the coming months will only witness these trends going more mainstream.
If you are an owner, agent, or host on Airbnb, now is the perfect time to update your listings. Prime Perspectives is here to help you take advantage of these trends and put your properties at the top of their market.