What going viral online means for Denver-area real estate

Most people scroll Zillow Gone Wild for entertainment, but social media buzz is one way for serious home shoppers to notice your listing, Denver-area agent Matt Bachus tells Axios.

Why it matters: " Screen appeal is the new curb appeal," Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy tells Axios.

Bachus' Morrison listing — a funky '70s estate designed by the architect who did John Denver's home — was featured on Zillow Gone Wild in December. The feature has almost 2 million likes on X and nearly 40,000 Instagram likes .

• Instagram commenters had, uh, questions about the yellow carpeted bathtub, but roughly 80 acres for under $3 million isn't too shabby.
• Media attention brought at least one serious potential buyer to the table, Bachus tells Axios.

The intrigue: Unique homes beget unique marketing opportunities. "I once had a house I was selling in Evergreen that had a stripper pole in the primary bedroom — it was featured on 'The Today Show,'" Bachus says.

Follow the money: " Zillow Gone Wild " creator Samir Mezrahi parlayed his popularity into a new HGTV show that cashes in on viewers' nosiness about other people's homes.

• "When I'm bored on my phone, I like to look at houses everywhere. And I think other people do that, but there wasn't a space for people to talk about that," Mezrahi said at a South by Southwest panel.
• He posts what he calls "the most interesting homes across America," from castles to brightly colored mansions .

Between the lines: Generating leads is top of mind for many agents. Home sales fizzled last year, and a big settlement could curtail the commissions real estate professionals get paid.