3D home tours.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a panoramic 3D image tells an even better story. The number of 3D home tours created on Zillow’s free iPhone app nearly tripled (up 188 percent) in March vs. February, the company said on its website. And in the last week of March, created tours jumped more than five times (408 percent) compared with a typical week in February.

“The uptick in use has been extraordinary,” says Olsen.

More good news for sellers: People searching for new homes on the site are clicking on ones that offer 3D views more frequently. In March, listings with 3D home tours saw 50 percent more site visitors and were saved about 60 percent more frequently, Zillow data show.

Another plus is that sellers who don’t want a videographer or agent traipsing through their home to shoot the 3D images can execute a DIY strategy using easy-to-use apps like the Zillow 3D Home app.

The app provides instructions on how to shoot the video, best camera angles, lighting tricks and the most efficient way to map out the room-by-room video presentation. The goal? Tell a home’s story without a potential buyer ever stepping inside.