CRE Photography Market Projected to Hit 5 Billion by 2032 📈

Visual Marketing Grows at 7 Percent CAGR Through 2032

Author

Anne Morgan
September 17, 2025

In partnership with

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Hello, Commercial Real Estate Pros! 🏢

An openPR release reports that the commercial real estate photography market is estimated to be worth $3 billion in 2025, projected to reach $5 billion by 2032, with an annual growth rate of approximately 7%.

We highlight the forces behind this rise, including drone and 3D imaging, as well as the spread of virtual tours. The players shaping the space, such as Matterport and Zillow, and where regional momentum is building, with the Asia Pacific flagged as a significant opportunity.

Let’s walk through it.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

  • 📷 CRE Photography Market to Hit $5B by 2032

  • 🏦 Commercial Mortgage Delinquencies Top 2008 Peak

  • 🏡 ‘Nepo Homebuyers’ Rise As Parents Help Fund Purchases

📷 CRE Photography Market to Hit $5B by 2032

Forecasts point to 7% CAGR as drones, 3D capture, and virtual tours become table stakes. The release highlights key players and expanding regional demand.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🚀 Market Outlook: Global market reaches $5B by 2032 from $3B in 2025, growing at 7% CAGR.

  • 🛰️ Drone Adoption: Aerial shoots surge as drones become standard for listings, improving storytelling and site context for significant assets.

  • 🏙️ Immersive Tours: 3D and virtual tours boost engagement, letting buyers screen properties remotely and raising inquiries for premium spaces.

  • 🧩 Competitive Landscape: Players like Zillow, Matterport, and VHT Studios expand services from 3D capture to editing and staging.

🏦 Commercial Mortgage Delinquencies Top 2008 Peak

New analysis says delinquencies now exceed the 2008 crisis high. The piece breaks down which property types and lenders feel the most pressure.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🏢 Delinquencies Spike: Delinquencies surpass prior crisis peak, led by offices, as retail and multifamily stress builds.

  • 📉 Refi Math Breaks: Refinancing stalls as higher rates and lower valuations meet a heavy 2025 to 2027 maturity wall.

  • 🏦 Lender Exposure: Regional banks and CMBS investors face rising special servicing, loss severities, and workout complexity.

  • 🔧 Playbook Shifts: Expect more extensions, deed-in-lieu deals, and targeted asset sales as lenders prioritize cash flow and occupancy stabilization.

🏡 ‘Nepo Homebuyers’ Rise As Parents Help Fund Purchases

The story follows adult children who rely on family money and co-signers as high rates squeeze their budgets. Agents dub them “nepo homebuyers,” raising fairness questions.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🏦 Parental Cash Rises: More first-time buyers rely on parental gifts or family loans for down payments and closing costs as rates and prices stay high.

  • 🤝 Co-Buying and Co-Signing: Parents co-buy or co-sign mortgages, helping kids qualify while shifting leverage in negotiations with sellers and lenders.

  • ⚖️ Equity Concerns: Critics warn that family funding entrenches inequality, advantaging households with intergenerational wealth and widening the homeownership gap.

  • 📝 Lender Rules Apply: Lenders still require gift letters and paper trails, and co-signing affects credit, taxes, and liability if payments fall behind.

Why It Matters

These trends influence budgets, timelines, and reputation. Better visuals and immersive tours can reduce production time and expedite listings to market, which helps capture attention and secure deals.

Teams that lag on quality or tool choice risk slower cycles and weaker brand perceptions, while tracking the leading vendors and regions reduces execution risk and supports credible pricing and delivery.

Catch you in the next issue,

Anne Morgan
Editor-in-Chief
Commercial Real Estate Weekly

P.S. Interested in sponsoring a future issue? Just reply to this email and I’ll send packages!

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