1. Begin with the rooms you know
Create a property manually, give it a clear name, then open Build the layout. Draw the biggest spaces first: living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom. At this stage, getting the order and connections right matters more than perfection.
2. Use measurements where they make the biggest difference
Start with room widths and lengths from a listing, a tape measure or a viewing. If you only know one dimension, use it to establish scale and keep the rest approximate until you can check it.
3. Add doors, stairs and awkward corners
These details decide whether a layout works. Put in the main entrance, internal doors, stairs and any alcoves before you start testing furniture. A small change to a doorway can change how a whole room feels.
4. Treat photos as evidence, not measurements
Listing photos are useful for window positions, kitchen runs and where rooms lead, but lenses distort space. Use them to improve the model, not to replace a measurement.
5. Keep refining after the viewing
Update the rooms that matter most after you visit. A model that helps compare sofa positions, storage or circulation can be valuable even when some dimensions remain approximate.