AI-generated home listings raise concerns about misleading real estate photos

Misleading AI home staging

If you’re shopping for a home, or just doomscrolling listings, it’s getting harder to tell what’s a dream home and what’s been dreamed up by artificial intelligence. FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - If you’re shopping for a home, or just doomscrolling listings, it’s getting harder to tell what’s a dream home and what’s been dreamed up by artificial intelligence.

The backstory:

On platforms like Zillow, sellers can already use virtual staging to furnish empty rooms and showcase different styles, from modern luxury to coastal designs. At the click of a button, you can change the views to fit your vibe.

Those images are typically labeled. But AI-generated photos may not be.

Courtesy: Google Veo

"There’s a difference between a rendering, or something that’s unfinished, and taking an existing home and making it something that it’s not," Katy McBrayer-Lynch with Premier Sotheby's International Realty said.

Why you should care:

McBrayer-Lynch, a Sarasota-based agent, says she tested AI tools and found they can go far beyond cosmetic changes.

"When I did that, it changed the structure of the home. It didn’t just put furniture in, it moved a wall, it changed the window," McBrayer-Lynch said.

McBrayer-Lynch says she’s also seen listings that appear to misrepresent properties, leading to frustration when buyers arrive in person.

"It’s not representing the home as it is. And so, it’s a problem when people get there," McBrayer-Lynch said.

FOX 13 conducted its own test using Google’s Veo 3.1, starting with a real home photo and prompting the system to create a more modern, high-end look.

The result: a noticeably different property.

Dig deeper:

The issue is now drawing attention from lawmakers.

In California, a new law requires disclosure when AI is used to alter listing photos and requires original images to be shown alongside edited versions.

Officials in New York have also issued warnings about deceptive advertising tied to AI-generated real estate images.

Experts say more states could follow.

In Florida, there is no specific law addressing AI in real estate listings, but misleading advertising is already prohibited.

What they're saying:

"That’s why these laws are coming into play, it’s coming to a point where it’s too much," Sharon Love-Bates with the National Association of Realtors said.

McBrayer-Lynch says she relies on professional staging companies and experienced real estate photographers to accurately present her listings.

"They know what they’re doing, and they’re making sure that they’re not being deceptive," McBrayer-Lynch said.