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60+ Real Estate Social Media Statistics for 2026

Updated 12 October 2026

57% of REALTORS® use Instagram professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Member Profile, June 2026). The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026). In July 2025, 39% of REALTORS® named social media as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025).

This page combines Paper Route's own review of 182 public real-estate agent Instagram accounts (9 to 11 October 2026) and a separate review of 495 accounts (10 September to 7 October 2026) with figures from the National Association of REALTORS®, Zillow, Realtor.com, Pew Research Center, Meta and Wyzowl. Every number links to its original source and is dated. Paper Route is a content employee for real-estate agents: weekly reels written from scratch, featuring you on screen and in your own voice, sent by text.

Key takeaways

  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had 44% reels among its latest posts (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 received 5 likes on a typical post (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 75% of REALTORS® said they use social media in their real estate business in July 2025, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 39% of REALTORS® named social media as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads in July 2025, ahead of CRM at 23%, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 5% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 first found their agent on a social networking website or app, compared with 22% on a real estate website or app and 20% through a personal referral (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)

Real estate agent social media usage statistics

  • 75% of REALTORS® said they use social media in their real estate business in July 2025, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 76% of REALTORS® use Facebook professionally, the most of any social platform, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026)
  • 57% of REALTORS® use Instagram professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026)
  • 55% of REALTORS® use LinkedIn professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026)
  • 31% of REALTORS® use YouTube professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026)
  • 16% of REALTORS® use TikTok professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026)

Real estate Instagram statistics

Paper Route reviewed the public Instagram profiles of 182 real-estate agent accounts between 9 and 11 October 2026, chosen at random from licensed real-estate agents.

  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 38% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted less than once a week (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 7% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had not posted in the previous 90 days (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had 44% reels among its latest posts (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 8% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had no reel among their latest posts (up to 12 per account) (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 received 5 likes on a typical post (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had a typical reel with 883 views (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 75% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts whose reels Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 showed the agent's face, always or sometimes (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had 1,334 followers (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 39% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had fewer than 1,000 followers (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 87% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had a link in their Instagram bio (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 6% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route set out to review in October 2026 were dead, private or empty (Paper Route, October 2026)

Separately, Paper Route reviewed 495 real-estate agent Instagram accounts from a public directory between 10 September and 7 October 2026.

  • 36% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in September and October 2026 ran regular polished or designed video (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 51% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in September and October 2026 ran occasional or casual video (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 13% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in September and October 2026 had no video (Paper Route, October 2026)
  • 6% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in September and October 2026 had not posted in the previous 90 days (Paper Route, October 2026)

Real estate video marketing statistics

  • 48% of REALTORS® said in 2026 that they use drone photography or video (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 48% of home buyers' agents said in February 2025 that videos in a listing were highly important to their clients, in a survey of 1,266 REALTORS® (NAR Profile of Home Staging, May 2025)
  • 47% of home sellers' agents said in February 2025 that videos in a listing were more or much more important to their clients, in a survey of 1,266 REALTORS® (NAR Profile of Home Staging, May 2025)
  • 57% of US home sellers surveyed between April and August 2025 said their for-sale listing included a virtual tour, in a study of more than 7,400 sellers (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 66% of US home sellers surveyed between April and August 2025 said including a virtual tour in their listing was very or extremely important (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 75% of US home sellers surveyed between April and August 2025 said they are more likely to hire an agent who includes virtual tours and/or interactive floor plans in their services (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 30% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 said their real estate agent gave them a video tour of a home (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 70% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 agreed that 3D tours would give them a better feel for a space than static photos, up from 52% in 2019 (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)

Home buyer and seller online and social media statistics

  • 52% of buyers found their home online, according to surveys of recent buyers and sellers from July 2024 to June 2025 (NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, November 2025)
  • 70% of buyers used mobile or tablet devices during their search, according to surveys of recent buyers and sellers from July 2024 to June 2025 (NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, November 2025)
  • 94% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 used at least one online resource, such as a website or mobile app, when looking for a home, in a study of about 10,200 buyers (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 73% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 used an app on a smartphone or tablet to search for a home, up from 51% in 2019 (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • Nearly 90% of current or recent US home buyers and sellers relied on social media for housing information in August 2025, in a survey of 1,000 adults (Realtor.com, October 2025)
  • 73% of current or recent US home buyers and sellers used YouTube for housing information in August 2025, the most of any social platform, in a survey of 1,000 adults (Realtor.com, October 2025)
  • 52.6% of current or recent US home buyers and sellers called social media a positive use of their time for housing information in August 2025, compared with 65.6% for real estate agents, in a survey of 1,000 adults (Realtor.com, October 2025)
  • 30.5% of current or recent US home buyers and sellers said in August 2025 that social media gave an inaccurate picture of the housing market, in a survey of 1,000 adults (Realtor.com, October 2025)

Real estate social media lead statistics

  • 39% of REALTORS® named social media as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads in July 2025, ahead of CRM at 23%, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 12% of REALTORS® named digital ad campaigns, such as Google or Facebook ads, as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads in July 2025, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 5% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 first found their agent on a social networking website or app, compared with 22% on a real estate website or app and 20% through a personal referral (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 33% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 first found their agent through an online channel, up from 23% in 2018 (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 6% of US home sellers who used an agent, surveyed between April and August 2025, first found that agent on a social networking website or app (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)
  • 35% of US home sellers who used an agent, surveyed between April and August 2025, first found that agent through an online channel, up from 15% in 2018 (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025)

Social media and short-form video usage statistics

  • 84% of US adults say they ever use YouTube, the most of any platform, based on 5,022 adults surveyed between February and June 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025)
  • 71% of US adults say they use Facebook, based on 5,022 adults surveyed between February and June 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025)
  • Half of US adults say they use Instagram, up from 40% in 2021, based on 5,022 adults surveyed between February and June 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025)
  • 37% of US adults say they use TikTok, up from 21% in 2021, based on 5,022 adults surveyed between February and June 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025)
  • 24% of US adults say they use TikTok at least once a day, based on 5,123 adults surveyed between 24 February and 2 March 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025)
  • Instagram reached 3 billion monthly active users worldwide in the third quarter of 2025 (Meta third-quarter 2025 earnings call, October 2025)
  • Time spent watching video on Instagram rose more than 30% in the year to the third quarter of 2025 (Meta third-quarter 2025 earnings call, October 2025)
  • When asked how they would like to learn about a product or service, 63% of respondents in Wyzowl's late-2025 survey said they would most like to watch a short video, compared with 12% for a text-based article (Wyzowl, 2026)

Real estate marketing spend and AI statistics

  • 36% of REALTORS® spent an average of $50 to $250 a month on technology for their business in 2026 (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 27% of REALTORS® spent an average of $50 to $250 a month on lead generation in the 12 months to July 2025, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025)
  • 23% of REALTORS® used AI daily in 2026 (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 75% of REALTORS® who use AI said in 2026 that they use it to write listing descriptions, the most common use (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 56% of REALTORS® who use AI said in 2026 that they use it for social media posting, the second most common use after writing listing descriptions at 75% (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 55% of REALTORS® said in 2026 that AI has had a positive effect on their real estate business (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 81% of REALTORS® said in 2026 that saving time is their primary goal in adopting new technology, up from 66% in 2025 (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)
  • 63% of REALTORS® said in 2026 that the learning curve is their biggest challenge in adopting new technology (NAR Technology Report, September 2026)

What these numbers mean for your 2026 strategy

Platform use versus posting cadence. 75% of REALTORS® said they use social media in their real estate business in July 2025 (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025), and 57% of REALTORS® use Instagram professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026). The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026). 38% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted less than once a week (Paper Route, October 2026). The real estate social media marketing guide compares the six ways agents run social media marketing and what each costs.

Video share and video audiences. The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had 44% reels among its latest posts (Paper Route, October 2026). 8% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 had no reel among their latest posts (up to 12 per account) (Paper Route, October 2026). 84% of US adults say they ever use YouTube, based on 5,022 adults surveyed between February and June 2025 (Pew Research Center, November 2025), and time spent watching video on Instagram rose more than 30% in the year to the third quarter of 2025 (Meta third-quarter 2025 earnings call, October 2025).

Agent view and client view of leads. In NAR's survey of agents, 39% of REALTORS® named social media as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads in July 2025 (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025). Zillow's surveys asked buyers and sellers a different question, where they first found one agent: 5% of recent US home buyers surveyed between April and September 2025 first found their agent on a social networking website or app, compared with 22% on a real estate website or app and 20% through a personal referral (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025). 6% of US home sellers who used an agent, surveyed between April and August 2025, first found that agent on a social networking website or app (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025).

AI adoption and uses. 23% of REALTORS® used AI daily and 25% used it weekly in 2026 (NAR Technology Report, September 2026). 56% of REALTORS® who use AI said in 2026 that they use it for social media posting, after writing listing descriptions at 75% (NAR Technology Report, September 2026). 81% of REALTORS® said in 2026 that saving time is their primary goal in adopting new technology, up from 66% in 2025 (NAR Technology Report, September 2026).

Paper Route writes weekly reels from scratch, featuring you on screen and in your own voice, and sends them by text. Paper Route makes 6, 10 or 16 posts a month depending on the plan and takes changes by text; how Paper Route works shows the steps.

Methodology

Every statistic was verified against its original source on 12 October 2026, and each entry states the period it covers and the month and year its source was published. Third-party statistics come only from primary sources: the publisher's own report, release, survey page or earnings call. In the Realtor.com statistics, "current or recent US home buyers and sellers" means US adults aged 18 and over who were interested in buying or selling a primary residence, or had done so in the past two years, in a survey of 1,000 adults on 7 and 8 August 2025. Study 1 is Paper Route's review of 182 real-estate agent Instagram accounts, chosen at random from licensed real-estate agents; public profiles were read between 9 and 11 October 2026, 171 could be read and 11 were dead, private or empty. Figures are counted over each account's visible recent posts (up to its latest 12 posts, or the last 90 days). Each figure uses the accounts where that field could be read, between 148 and 169 for most. The reel-view, face-on-camera and link-in-bio figures were recorded for only part of the sample, 56, 28 and 52 accounts, and those accounts were not separately chosen at random. Study 2 is Paper Route's review of 495 accounts from a public directory of real-estate Instagram accounts, read between 10 September and 7 October 2026; video was recorded for 429 and a 90-day posting check for 445. The three video categories (regular polished or designed, occasional or casual, none) are the reviewer's judgement of each account's recent posts. The two studies are never combined, and both describe the accounts Paper Route reviewed, not all agents.

Frequently asked questions

75% of REALTORS® said they use social media in their real estate business in July 2025 (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025), and 57% use Instagram professionally, according to a 2026 survey (NAR Member Profile, June 2026). The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026).

75% of REALTORS® said they use social media in their real estate business in July 2025, in a survey of 1,241 members (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025). A 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members found 76% use Facebook professionally, the most of any social platform (NAR Member Profile, June 2026).

Facebook, at 76% of REALTORS® using it professionally, according to a 2026 survey of more than 5,000 members (NAR Member Profile, June 2026). The same survey found 57% use Instagram, 55% LinkedIn, 31% YouTube and 16% TikTok professionally, so Instagram is second among the five platforms NAR reports.

The median real-estate agent Instagram account Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted 1.4 times a week (Paper Route, October 2026). 38% of the real-estate agent Instagram accounts Paper Route reviewed in October 2026 posted less than once a week (Paper Route, October 2026).

39% of REALTORS® named social media as the technology that gave them the highest number of quality leads in July 2025 (NAR Technology Survey, September 2025). Buyers and sellers answer a different question: 5% of recent US home buyers and 6% of US home sellers who used an agent first found that agent on a social networking website or app (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report for Agents, October 2025).

By James Anderson

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