I showed a home recently where the listing photos looked great. Bright and clean, with every wall looking freshly sanded and professionally painted, to the point of perfection. Almost too clean. No scuffs, no nail holes, none of the normal wear you'd expect in a home people live in. No shadows, no dark corners, none of the uneven light you normally see in real rooms.
Looking closer, things didn't add up. Furniture was missing from one photo of a room but showed up in the background of another. One shot of the front room showed a step down into a living area. That step doesn't exist.
In person, the house was fully lived in, with furniture and belongings in every room. The floors were a different color than the photos showed. The entry hall was narrower. A doorway in the basement that looked like it led to a hallway actually opened to a crawl space. The bathroom counters were a dated, yellowed marble, not the crisp white in the listing.
None of the editing was disclosed. Columbus REALTORS MLS rules require that digitally altered photos be labeled, with the original photos available for comparison. That disclosure wasn't there, so I reported it.
This isn't just a Columbus issue. A review this year by the real estate data firm Coraly found that more than 90% of the altered listing photos it identified on Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com had no visible disclosure. California now requires agents by law to label altered photos and make the originals available.
To be fair, I don't think anyone was trying to hide a serious problem. But this listing came from one of the most prominent agents in Central Ohio, and this kind of editing is getting more common. It costs everyone time.
If You're Selling
Good photos matter, and some editing is normal. Brightening a dark room is fine. Removing belongings, changing floors or counters, or reshaping a room is not, unless it's clearly labeled. Buyers notice the difference the second they walk in, and that first impression is hard to undo. A house that matches its photos builds trust. One that doesn't makes buyers wonder what else isn't accurate. More on selling your home.
If You're Buying
Watch for these signs in listing photos:
No shadows or natural light changes from room to room
Walls and surfaces that look too smooth or polished
Furniture that appears in one photo but not another of the same space
Rooms or features that don't line up between shots
If something looks off, ask your agent before you book a showing. A quick look at the original photos or a video walkthrough can save you a trip. More on buying in Columbus.
If you'd like help making sense of a listing, or want to talk about getting your home ready to sell the right way, let's talk.