AI‑edited property photos mislead buyers, experts warn

AI‑enhanced property photos are misleading homebuyers, a practice now dubbed “housefishing”. Estate agents use AI to enlarge rooms, repaint walls or add features that are not real. Olivia Nicole, 29, searched for five‑bedroom homes in south‑west London on Rightmove. The pictures showed a spacious, bright interior, but the actual house had smaller rooms, different décor and a raised wall behind the sofa that was missing from the images. The windows were also smaller. Olivia took her own photos and discovered the listing photos had been altered with AI. The same images appeared on Zoopla and Winkworth, and the three companies said they have strict AI guidelines and have removed the pictures. The Guild of Property Professionals admits it cannot measure how common the practice is, but it has issued guidance on responsible use. A survey of 906 UK home‑buyers found that one in five recent purchasers had seen photos digitally enhanced to look better than the real property. Jack Bushrod, who runs the “Housing Horrors” channel, says he has noticed a surge in AI‑edited listings over the past six months. He says removing a pillar, adding a window or cleaning carpet stains are examples that cross the line into deception. Cara, 38, selling a house in Lowestoft with the agency Howards, saw AI remove toys from her son’s room and change the shape of a rug in her daughter’s room. Howards acknowledged the edits and later took the altered images down. Buyers and sellers say undisclosed AI changes waste time and erode trust.

Context

AI tools make photo manipulation fast and inexpensive, so their unchecked use can distort the housing market and hurt consumer confidence.