H
ouse hunters are spotting a surge of AI‑generated photos in real‑estate ads, calling them deceptive. DeAnn Wiley posted on X a fabricated image of a Detroit home on Zillow that looks idyllic, yet Google Maps shows a very different, worn‑out property. “Landlords are using AI to stage pictures, but the software also cleans up walls, paint and windows, so the actual place looks far more dilapidated than the photos suggest,” she wrote.

    Wired interviewed Elizabeth from Michigan, who scrolls listings daily and has noticed impossible details—stairways that lead nowhere, rooms that don’t exist. She shared the odd images on Reddit. A local realtor began posting AI‑altered houses for sale, while another Reddit user found a StreetEasy listing in New York where an AI image made a cramped loft bedroom appear spacious.

    Realtor Jason Haber told Wired he’s unconcerned. “Why pay $500 for a virtual stager when I can generate a realistic image in 45 seconds with ChatGPT?” he said, noting that the 20‑year‑old virtual rendering industry is being displaced by AI.

    The National Association of Realtors forbids misleading imagery, but companies like AutoReel convert listing photos into AI videos, a trend likely to persist. Real‑estate photographers affected by this shift are encouraged to contact the tip line for support.

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