Professionals Real Estate 
Common AI red flags and tips to protect your next home search.
Artificial intelligence is transforming property marketing and being used to enhance photos and written descriptions. While some edits are allowed, others can be misleading. Here’s what to keep an eye out for.
Acceptable photo touch-ups
Your agent can use digital technology to:
- Brighten the sky in a listing
- Touch up grass and lawns
- Remove dirt or marks from windows
- Remove temporary clutter or anything not attached to the home
- Removing leaves from the bottom of a swimming pool
- Removing shadows from the photos
- Add virtual furniture
- Write property descriptions
Unacceptable AI enhancements
Real estate agents should not:
- Remove trees, power poles or other permanent fixtures
- Erase defects like wall cracks from images
- Digitally add furniture to a room that wouldn’t actually fit (e.g. a double bed in a room that would only fit a single)
- Include details in the copy that are misleading, such as proximity to amenities and schools
Real estate agents always want to present a property in its best light, but with the rise of AI it is important to look beyond the photos.
One step to confirm a listing will match your expectations is to check the dimensions of the floor plan and the size of the property to understand its actual size. It can also be helpful to look at Google Street View, which provides a more realistic picture of the home and its surroundings.
Be wary of listings without clear branding associated with them, or ads that are on social media but not major property platforms like realestate.com.au or Domain.
Finally, if you can’t attend an inspection in person, ask for a video walk-through or send someone to visit for you.
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