The rise of ‘housefishing’ – when does using AI go from enhancing to misleading?

AI-enhanced property photos are prompting concerns that buyers may be misled about what a home is really like. The practice, dubbed “housefishing”, can help people picture a property’s potential, but changes that disguise its size or features may waste viewers’ time.

Olivia Nicole found the rooms, windows and decor of a south-west London home differed from its online images, which had been AI-enhanced without clear labelling; the listing sites later removed them. A survey of 906 UK homebuyers found one in five recent buyers had viewed a home whose photos were digitally improved. Some sellers and property professionals consider edits such as adding furniture acceptable, but draw the line at changes to structural features.