Real estate listings face scrutiny over edited photos and faux features

In short: More home listings are using photos that can confuse buyers, like faux fireplaces or digitally improved outdoor scenes, raising concerns about misleading advertising.

What's going on

Real estate listing sites are increasingly filled with photos that show features a buyer might assume are real. A common example is the faux fireplace. These are real products and DIY projects, and they can be purely decorative or use an electric insert that only imitates flames and sometimes provides heat.

The problem is that a photo of a fireplace can easily suggest a working, wood burning or gas fireplace unless the listing spells out what it actually is. Some designs are intentionally nonfunctional, meaning the opening is for looks only. Without clear wording like “decorative” or “nonworking,” buyers may build expectations that do not match the home.

The same basic issue can apply to other listing photos. For example, a photo might suggest a better view than the property really has, or show “virtual landscaping” (digitally edited plants and grass, like using a photo filter but for the yard). The supplied sources do not document specific enforcement cases for these examples, but the broader concern is straightforward. If images materially change what a buyer thinks they are getting, they can create misleading listing or false advertising risks.

What to watch

Expect more pressure on agents and listing platforms to label altered or simulated features clearly. Buyers can also protect themselves by asking direct questions, such as whether a fireplace works and what type it is, and whether photos have been digitally changed.

Source: NYTimes