Has anyone run into homeowners posting pictures of their home that were “sellers pics” from Zillow of only to realize the house looks nothing like that inside and all of the furniture is different?
This has happened a couple of times with my sits. I look at the pics on TH and when I get the address I always google it. For a couple of these I have noticed that pics of the home that were posted on Zillow or Redfin prior to sale are the images the homeowners are using for current TH listings. Its the house but not the furniture or decor. I just find it strange that they’d do that.
Yes, this happens in a few listings. I suppose the owners are wanting to post the most impressive pictures available. Sometimes the realtor stamp is so clearly visible that it is laughable.
Listings with real estate photos are a red flag for us and we avoid them. If the homeowners are using old photos most likely those are best ones that they have, and the property doesn’t look any better now. People who are houseproud usually don’t mind showcasing their home, home décor and ambiance. They take pride in their homes and are usually more than willing to showcase them accurately and provide up-to-date photos. Using prior real estate photos without proper authorization could also potentially constitute copyright infringement, depending on the specific circumstances and location. The copyright for the photographs typically belongs to the photographer who took them or the real estate agency that hired the photographer. Reusing these photos without permission from the copyright holder could infringe upon their rights. I am surprised THS allows listing to go live with photos containing logos by real estate companies. Allowing listings with such logos without proper authorization could potentially lead to legal issues for both the platform and the homeowner.
Yes this has happened to us twice now and both times the sits weren’t clean - one gave us fleas and the other was so bad the owner was removed from the platform. I now know to look out for it as a red flag although it may just be the case they’re the best photos to hand as not everyone is going to have pictures of every room in their house and might just think it’s an OK shortcut to take.
Yes, after 50+ appointments, we have indeed encountered homes that are very different in pictures to what we found on arrival…we just make the most of the experience and have another thing to talk about at our dinner parties
( confidentiality maintained, of course!)!! It’s disappointing though, when the pool or bbq, are no longer available, “We’re working on it!”.
F.
After a while - especially if you spend too much time browsing home sale listings! - it becomes very easy to identify listing/staged photos. I understand that people want to show the best possible images of their house, and may not realize that sitters want to see the current condition instead.
If it was an otherwise desirable sit, I would apply but insist on a video tour of the house before confirming.
@BunnyCat You wrote “I am surprised THS allows listing to go live with photos containing logos by real estate companies.”
If you get a moment, please let support@trustedhousesitters.com know about this. Since it appears MS didn’t vet the listing properly to begin with, this would bring it to their attention and give them a chance to reach out to the HOs (so suitable/accurate photos can be submitted).
