Quick answer: For a typical NYC or Long Island listing, aim for 30 to 50 edited photos, scaled to the size of the home: roughly 30–35 under 1,500 sq ft, 40–50 under 3,000 sq ft and 50+ above that. OneKey MLS, which covers the area, requires at least one front exterior photo within 24 hours of entry, accepts JPG, HEIF and HEIC files, and resizes high-resolution photos automatically. StreetEasy accepts JPG, PNG and GIF files up to 2MB each. Deliver JPGs, send high resolution, put the exterior first and keep branding off the images.
Why listings end up looking “broken”
Most photo problems aren’t about artistry. They’re about mismatches: a file type one platform doesn’t accept, a huge file another platform won’t take, an upload in the wrong order, or a logo on an image that gets flagged. The agent guesses, the listing goes live, and the first photo is a crop of the wrong room.
The fix is to know the actual rules, which are published by the platforms. Here they are, plus a photo-count guide for NYC and Long Island.
What OneKey MLS requires
OneKey MLS is the MLS most agents on Long Island and in the NYC area list through [CONFIRM: coverage wording and whether your clients also use other MLSs]. Its support center spells out the rules in two places.
Photo specs. According to OneKey’s guide to adding photos in Matrix (last updated March 2026):
- Accepted file types are JPG, HEIF or HEIC.
- You can upload up to 50 photos at a time. The article doesn’t state a total cap per listing, so check your account if you’re planning more than 50.
- High-resolution photos are recommended and are resized automatically. A “Low Resolution” tag is informational only and won’t stop an upload.
- Captions are mandatory. The system suggests captions like “Kitchen” or “Living Room,” and OneKey says you can’t save a listing without valid photo captions. Descriptions are optional.
- If uploads are slow or fail, try two or three photos at a time.
What triggers fines. OneKey’s photograph-required rule (Section 309.1-4 of the MLS Rules & Procedures) says:
- Every listing except businesses for sale or rent must have at least one front exterior photo, uploaded within 24 hours of entry, and violations carry an automatic fine.
- At closing, the first (primary) photo must be the exterior front.
- Once a listing is no longer active, other than Coming Soon or Temporarily Off Market, photos can’t be deleted.
- Sellers who don’t want photos published can opt out only with written instructions submitted within 24 hours.
The help article also lists what to avoid: using another agent’s or office’s photos without written consent, agent or office branding such as yard signs or logos, and misleading photos that misrepresent the property.
What does this mean for dimensions? OneKey doesn’t publish a required pixel size. It asks for high resolution and does the resizing. So “wrong dimensions” is rarely the MLS’s problem; the real risks are a missing exterior photo, missing captions, branding in the image, or low-resolution files that look soft once resized.
What StreetEasy accepts
If you’re listing in NYC, the other platform that matters is StreetEasy. From its help article on adding photos:
- Accepted types: .jpg, .jpeg, .png and .gif.
- File size: no more than 2MB per file.
- It doesn’t state a photo maximum or minimum dimensions.
And its listing quality policy requires that photos be of the actual unit advertised. Representative photos are allowed only if they show the same layout, room count and finishes from the same building, and the listing clearly says so. It also bars agent or brokerage marketing on photos, including text or a watermark, and StreetEasy may remove all or part of a listing for violations.
OneKey vs. StreetEasy at a glance
| OneKey MLS | StreetEasy | |
|---|---|---|
| File types | JPG, HEIF, HEIC | JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF |
| File size | Not stated | 2MB max per file |
| Resolution | High-res recommended; auto-resized | Dimensions not stated |
| Photo count | Up to 50 per upload | No maximum stated |
| Captions | Required | Not stated |
| Branding on photos | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Must-have | Front exterior photo within 24 hours | Photos of the actual unit |
The trap is in the middle of that table. A photo straight off a modern phone can be a HEIC, which OneKey accepts and StreetEasy’s help page doesn’t list. And a full-resolution image can blow past StreetEasy’s 2MB limit. That’s why one master set isn’t enough: you want a version for each destination. Zillow and Realtor.com have their own specs; check the platform’s current page before you finalize.
How many photos should a listing have?
The platforms mostly don’t set a number, so the answer comes from the property. Team PicPros’ standard range, by home size:
| Home size | Edited photos |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sq ft | 30 to 35 |
| Under 3,000 sq ft | 40 to 50 |
| Over 3,000 sq ft | 50 or more |
Why those numbers? A one-bedroom co-op has fewer distinct spaces than a four-bedroom colonial with a finished basement, and the photo count should show each space once, well. The rule of thumb is simple: every room, every angle a buyer would ask about, nothing duplicated. Thirty strong photos beat sixty near-identical ones.
For a clean sequence:
- Front exterior (required first, and the hero image).
- Living or main room, then the kitchen.
- Dining area and any standout feature (fireplace, built-ins, views).
- Bedrooms and bathrooms, primary suite first.
- Basement, laundry, home office and other functional spaces.
- Backyard, patio, building amenities and the surrounding block.
- Twilight or aerial shots where available, as the closing images.
For aerials, remember that NYC has its own drone rules; see our guide to drone photography rules in NYC before adding them.
Specs checklist before you upload
- Save as JPG unless a platform says otherwise. It works everywhere listed above.
- Keep each file under 2MB if it’s going to StreetEasy.
- Send high resolution to the MLS; it resizes automatically, so a small original gets soft.
- Put the front exterior first, since OneKey requires it as the primary photo at closing.
- Write real captions in the MLS. You can’t save without valid ones.
- No logos, watermarks, signs or agent branding in the image.
- Only show the actual property, and disclose anything representative.
- Upload in small batches if the system stalls: two or three at a time.
- Upload a front exterior within 24 hours, even if the rest of the set comes later.
How we deliver
Team PicPros galleries are delivered within 24 hours of the shoot and within 48 hours for complex jobs, according to our FAQ, already sized for MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, social media and print, so you don’t have to resize files before uploading. Every image is HDR-processed, color-corrected and perspective-corrected. [CONFIRM: delivered file format(s), whether each gallery includes a StreetEasy-sized (under 2MB) set, and the resolution of the MLS set.]
Photo counts come with the property size, as above. You can see packages on our pricing page, or book a shoot and we’ll recommend a count for your listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many photos should a real estate listing have?
There’s no official number, so match the home. A good standard is 30–35 edited photos under 1,500 sq ft, 40–50 under 3,000 sq ft and 50 or more above that. OneKey’s Matrix lets you upload up to 50 photos at a time, and it doesn’t state a total cap in that guide.
What are the OneKey MLS photo requirements?
OneKey requires at least one front exterior photo within 24 hours of the listing being entered, with an automatic fine if you miss it. Photos must be JPG, HEIF or HEIC, captions are mandatory, and branding or misleading photos are prohibited.
What size should MLS photos be?
OneKey doesn’t publish a required pixel size. It says high-resolution photos are recommended and are resized automatically. Upload your highest-quality version, and check the destination’s rule if you’re posting elsewhere.
What file type and size does StreetEasy accept?
StreetEasy lists .jpg, .jpeg, .png and .gif files of no more than 2MB each. Export a smaller JPG for StreetEasy and keep the full-resolution version for the MLS.
Can I put my logo or watermark on listing photos?
No. OneKey’s guide says don’t use agent or office branding, and StreetEasy’s policy bars agent or brokerage marketing on photos, whether as text, a watermark or otherwise.
Which photo should come first in a listing?
The front exterior. OneKey says that at closing, the primary (first) photograph must be the exterior front of the property. It’s also usually the best hero image for buyers scrolling search results.
Can I delete photos after a listing goes off market?
Generally not. Under OneKey’s rule, once a listing is no longer Active (other than Coming Soon or Temporarily Off Market), photos may not be deleted. Get the set right before you upload.
How soon do I get my photos after a shoot?
For Team PicPros, most galleries are delivered within 24 hours of the shoot and complex jobs within 48, already sized for MLS and other platforms. Book a shoot to get started.
