Estate Agents Embrace AI To Stage Rental Listings (vice.com) 17
Estate agents are increasingly using AI tools to digitally furnish empty rental flats, a practice known as "virtual staging," to make them look occupied in listings. While virtual staging has existed for years, AI advancements have made the process faster and cheaper. One major UK estate agency already offers AI staging services to customers, Vice reported this week. Industry insiders cited by Vice said AI virtual staging is likely to become more widespread as costs fall. The unrealistic furniture from AI staging can be noticeable, such as bunk beds with overlapping ladders. But the technology continues advancing in quality. The story adds: Although some agents have experimented with using popular AI image generators like Dall-e and Midjourney to "fix" property pictures, the results are usually pretty bizarre, like in this example, where the AI has envisioned bookcases in every corner of the living room and put a hob at perfect height for a toddler. Companies like Virtual Staging AI, ModelProp and Gepetto, which describes itself as like "Pinterest on steroids," are now taking this technology and tailoring it specifically to virtual furnishing.
Should be misrepresentation... (Score:3)
Ok, adding furniture, sure, seems safe enough.
But the samples go further.like inventing what appears to be built in shelving or removing a sink. It's obvious also that the view to the outside in some of the pictures is AI generated.
Misrepresentation that is only salvaged by looking like an MC Escher work to betray it is so obviously fake.
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It's a sleazy business all around. What the buyer doesn't see, you get away with. But this is only about interesting people in the space, they need to walk it to confirm it is as stated, so over-dressing it up is going to result in a lot of disappointed viewers and then the agent gets a bad reputation. Which means other agents aren't going to want to do business with them. So there are limits on this.
Most of the time, whatever was not disclosed at the outset is found, and adjustments are demanded or els
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they need to walk it to confirm it is as stated
I can guarantee there are people who don't do a walk through before buying. Just like there are people who buy a vehicle without ever having driven it [cargurus.com].
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Used or new car? I'd -never- buy a used car unseen from a stranger.
New? I've done it three times through official dealers, no problem. Two were local. The other was opposite side of the country. Didn't see the car until it rolled off the transport truck at my place.
Long History of misrepresentation... (Score:3)
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It was reported recently, that most US home buyers did not actually go look in person at the house they bought!
I suspect they did at closing where the deal could fail; however, my new neighbor closed without his family seeing the house and now they are selling the place after a few years -- off the peak, which is when they bought it.
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It was reported recently, that most US home buyers did not actually go look in person at the house they bought!
Wow! Well, I suppose if most of the people you are selling to are idiots then you won't need to work very hard to fool them which at least makes it easier for the rest of us who won't cough up several $100k without spending a few $100 on a plane ticket to see the house first.
Seems odd to me (Score:5, Insightful)
I want to see the bare room, the condition of the walls, electric outlets, etc
Even more important is a dimensioned floor plan
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Most buyers are incapable of imagining the rooms with stuff in them. I also prefer an empty structure when buying but when I sell I either have my stuff there cleaned up or I rent show furniture. Sells faster and higher.
As far an online pics go, my last house they photoshopped in extra flowers outside that weren't there and put a fire into my never used fireplace.
Don't need AI to create false photos.
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I mean they can't imagine *empty* rooms with their own stuff in them.
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And that's why there exists a whole industry that makes furniture about 20% smaller than normal size. This is used for staging places so it appears the place is bigger than it really is.
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My last sale I had moved out before the showing so I had staged furniture. Iirc, yes, it was a bit smaller. They also put a bunch of classic books all over and hung some ugly paintings/prints as well. I started to read one of the books but didn't have time to finish it before the sale closed :-)
In general, a staged house will sell better than an empty one, which is why they do it. Is it sleazy to put small furniture in and photoshop extra flowers outside, etc? Yes, absolutely. But buyers should be awa
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I want to see the bare room, the condition of the walls, electric outlets, etc
Even more important is a dimensioned floor plan
This is ultimately why viewing a house is an absolute must. You can never trust the photos or even a dimensioned floor plan to be remotely accurate.
Just label the pictures as modified (Score:3)
Just like ads where the photos have been modified or simulated, these AI-enhanced photos need to be labeled clearly as such. Most buyers don't have a problem with rendered photos or pictures of new housing that has yet to be built, as long as it's obvious that the photos are artificial. There is still some value in artificial renderings.
Breaking News! (Score:3)
This just in... Real estate agents will lie as much as legally possible to make a sale! More at 11.