Alt text examples for real estate photos
Listing photos carry the details buyers screen for: layout, light, finishes and outdoor space. Alt text that says "living room" throws all of that away.
Rules for this kind of image
- Name the room, then the feature that sells it (light, finish, size cue).
- Floor plans are complex images: summarise in alt, list rooms and sizes in text.
- Avoid unverifiable claims ("stunning", "luxury"); describe what is visible.
- Check fair-housing rules in your market: describe the property, not the kind of person it suits.
6 examples, weak vs better
Front of a two-storey house · Listing hero image
Weak
houseBetter Two-storey brick house with a covered front porch and a single-car garage73 charspasses checks
Gives style, materials and parking at a glance.
Kitchen with island · Listing gallery
Weak
beautiful kitchenBetter Kitchen with a white quartz island, gas range and windows over the sink71 charspasses checks
Swaps an opinion for the finishes buyers ask about.
Floor plan drawing · Listing page
Weak
floor planBetter Floor plan of the ground floor; room dimensions are listed below64 charspasses checks
Short alt plus a text list is the complex-image pattern.
View from a balcony · Apartment listing
Weak
viewBetter Balcony view over the harbour toward the city skyline53 charspasses checks
The view is the selling point; say what it is of.
Play icon over a video thumbnail · Virtual tour link
Weak
playBetter Play the virtual tour of 14 Elm Street38 charspasses checks
Linked image: describe the action and destination.
Agent headshot beside their name · Contact card
Weak
agent photoBetter alt="" (empty)
Name is in adjacent text; empty alt avoids repetition.
Have your own images? Draft alt text with the AI alt text generator, then edit it using these patterns.
Questions people ask
How detailed should real estate alt text be?
One sentence per photo: the room or area and the one or two features visible that a buyer would care about. Leave measurements and lists for the listing text.
Do listing portals use my alt text?
Many MLS feeds and portals do not carry alt text through. Add it on your own website, and check each portal's photo settings for a caption or description field.