Redfin has introduced Sunscore, a property-level rating that shows how much natural light a home receives on a 0-to-100 scale. The feature is live on for-sale listings on Redfin.com, with iPhone and Android app availability expected later this year.
Developed through a US partnership with Shadowmap, Sunscore gives buyers a sunlight reference before they schedule a tour. For agents, it adds another pre-showing data point to conversations already shaped by price, square footage, schools, commute times, walkability, and climate risk.
A survey of 1,005 US residents conducted by Ipsos in March 2026 suggests sunlight can influence buyer expectations. Nearly half of respondents, 44%, said they would choose a smaller home with more sunlight over a larger one with less. By comparison, 24% said they would choose the larger, dimmer home.
The score shows sun exposure, not interior brightness
Sunscore is based on a property’s 3D exterior geometry and shadows from terrain, trees, and nearby buildings. The model analyzes how sunlight reaches the property’s surface at different times of day and across different days of the year. Higher scores indicate more available sunlight, and Redfin describes a score of 80 as “super sunny.”
Agents should explain the limit early: Sunscore is not an interior-light rating. It does not directly measure window size, glass quality, floor plan, room depth, finishes, or a condo unit’s floor level. A home with strong exterior exposure can still feel dim inside if the layout or windows limit light.
The reverse can also be true. A lower-scoring home may still show well if the main living areas are open, well-oriented, or toured at the right time of day. The score can help buyers ask better questions, but it cannot replace an in-person read of how the home lives.
Buyer interest is real, but not uniform
The survey found that about two-thirds of US residents said sunlight affects satisfaction with their living situation. Among respondents who considered natural light important when evaluating a home, 53% cited mood and mental well-being as the main reason. Energy costs and aesthetics ranked lower.
Preferences also vary by client profile. Baby boomers were the most likely to favor sunlight over square footage, with 54% choosing the smaller, brighter home. Gen Z and millennial respondents were more willing to trade light for space, with 35% of each group choosing the larger, dimmer home.
Regional differences are worth noting. The strongest preference for sunlight over size came from the Northeast, at 57%, followed by the Midwest, at 48%. Agents in colder or cloudier markets may hear more Sunscore questions than agents in sunnier regions.
How agents can use Sunscore without overselling it
Buyer’s agents should check Sunscore before showings when clients are using Redfin in their search. A low score does not automatically disqualify a property, but it gives agents a reason to preview how the home feels in person. A high score still needs to be tested against the floor plan, window placement, and showing conditions.
Listing agents should review the score before launch. If the home has strong natural light, the score can support listing copy and showing strategy. If the score is weaker than the home’s in-person feel, agent remarks, photo timing, and tour scheduling can help set expectations.
Agents should avoid using Sunscore as a proxy for value, energy performance, or solar savings. Federal rooftop solar guidance points to factors such as roof age, tree cover, roof size, roof slope, orientation, local weather, electricity rates, and installer estimates.
Sunscore is not a standard MLS field, and it is not a substitute for a showing. It is a new search signal that can shape buyer expectations before the first appointment. Agents who understand its limits can keep clients from overreacting to one number and turn the score into a sharper conversation about how the home functions.