Have you been ‘housefished’? Misleading real estate photos are a huge growing problem
Now AI imagery is being used to help sell houses. But there’s a danger of disappointed buyers – or even the law being broken – when reality falls short of expectation The post Have you been ‘housefished’? Misleading real estate photos are a huge growing problem appeared first on Amateur Photographer .
Potential homebuyers beware – the enticing photos of properties you encounter online might not accurately represent the actual condition of the house. A growing trend among estate agents, or 'realtors,' involves using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the online appeal of a property. While this enhancement may be presented as an effort to help buyers envision the property's potential, others argue that it's a deceitful tactic to hide flaws.
This deceptive practice, coined 'housefishing,' is becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry. Real estate agents have a dubious reputation, and the introduction of AI in this context seems to be a further blow to their credibility. Although AI can be used for benign purposes, such as virtually furnishing an empty room or populating a garden, it can also be utilized to add windows to a room or mask intrinsic features, which could be considered a deliberate attempt to mislead customers and may violate the law.
Despite the law, industry insiders predict a rise in 'housefishing' as more agents become aware of the trend. Currently, it falls upon consumers to scrutinize AI-labeled images and make informed decisions about property purchases.
Written by urgent.news from Amateur Photographer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
