Member Highlight: Little Hinges’ 3D tour data challenges traditional real estate assumptions
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Proptech Australia member Little Hinges has released a landmark white paper, "The rooms that actually sell homes”, challenging industry assumptions about how buyers and renters evaluate property.
Real estate metrics have long relied on structural checklists, such as bedroom counts and floor plans. Little Hinges’ new research, based on the use of its 3D walk-through technology, suggests traditional beliefs capture only a fraction of how value is perceived by today’s buyers and renters.
Drawing on behavioural data from more than 12 million virtual property inspections, the study examines how users move through spaces when given the freedom to explore without time pressure or agent-led direction.
The findings reveal attention is not distributed evenly, and consistent "value anchors" drive engagement.
Key Insights: What the Data Tells Us
The research identifies a clear hierarchy of how buyers inspect a home using a 3D tour.
The Core: Open-plan living, kitchen and dining zones act as the primary drivers of perceived value. These spaces record the longest dwell times, averaging 65.2 seconds per visit, and high re-entry rates as users assess how functional zones relate to one another.
Functional Checkpoints: Conversely, bedrooms and bathrooms function primarily as "hygiene-factor" checkpoints. Users visit them quickly to confirm they meet baseline expectations rather than conducting in-depth evaluations.
The Importance of Flow: Entrances and hallways receive disproportionately high attention. Hallways account for 16% of total inspection time, suggesting that flow and orientation are critical to a property’s perceived quality.
Emerging Differentiators: Garages and home offices are becoming meaningful differentiators, particularly as prices rise. For properties valued at more than $1.5m), home office dwell-time spikes to 42.3 seconds, reflecting a demand for purpose-built workspaces.
Shifting the Industry Perspective
“The data shows people inspect homes the way they actually live in them – moving back and forth and spending time where value is being assessed,” says Josh Callaghan, the CEO of Little Hinges.
For agents, developers and investors, this research provides an evidence-based framework for prioritising renovation, staging and marketing efforts. By aligning property presentation with observed behaviour, the industry can move beyond simple room counts to better reflect what buyers value.
Interested in how these behavioural insights can transform your property marketing strategy? To learn more about the research, or to book a walkthrough of the platform, visit https://littlehinges.com.au/.
