T
he real estate industry has taken to using generative AI to create misleading property listings. These images can be deceiving, with features like smooth frontages and altered room layouts that don't reflect reality. A £350,000 property in Durham is a prime example, where the lead image shows an awning over the door that doesn't make sense and a wall that turns into a hedge.
Upon closer inspection, the original photograph fed to the image generator reveals a very different story. The flowerbeds and hedges are gone, and a commercial property adjoining the premises has been edited out of existence. Other photos in the listing flip between the house being sold and another house, with empty bedrooms "staged" with virtual furniture.
Adrian Tagg, an associate professor of building surveying at the University of Reading, believes that using AI for imagery in property listings is a major red flag. He notes that altered images can be considered a property misdescription or misrepresentation, unless explicitly stated as such. Estate agencies have little obligation to be accountable for their actions, and the use of AI can exacerbate this issue.
Roseberry Newhouse, the agency responsible for the Durham listing, isn't alone in using AI to enhance its listings. Startups like REimagineHome offer "virtual staging" services, where empty rooms can be filled with furniture at the click of a button. However, altering a room's underlying structure or removing features altogether is a step too far.
Historically, such misleading listings would have fallen foul of the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991, but this law was repealed in 2013. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 does not specifically target property sales, leaving a loophole for estate agencies to exploit.
Other agents are also using AI to create misleading images, with some even failing to disclose that the photos have been altered. A reader shared an experience of viewing a house only to discover that all of the pictures from the website were AI images and the actual house was in poor condition. The industry's rush to embrace technology has led to a lack of transparency and trust, which is paramount when buying a property.
