Housefishing Is the Latest Real Estate Scam You Don’t Want to Be a Victim of

Imagine this: You come across your dream home on Zillow, schedule a tour, and arrive at a property that looks drastically different (and often, significantly worse) than the listing photos. Unfortunately, it probably means you’ve fallen for the latest real estate scam. In other words, you’ve been housefished.

A play on the online dating term “catfishing,” housefishing refers to a home appearing different on the listing than in reality. More than manipulating the angle or increasing the brightness and exposure of a space, there are sellers and agents using artificial intelligence to completely transform a property. 

“Some level of polish has always been part of real estate marketing,” explains Gerson Seise of Gerson Seise Realty in Laguna Beach, California. “Wide-angle lenses made rooms appear larger, professional staging created aspirational spaces, and basic editing brightened skies and sharpened colors. But today, something different is happening. AI tools can now generate convincing images that add features, remove flaws, or even fabricate entirely new elements in a home.”

In California, a new law was implemented this past January to combat concerns for potential buyers. Assembly Bill 723 (AB 723) states that agents and brokers must disclose whether listing images have been digitally altered and share the “original, unaltered” image to compare. The law is primarily tackling any unethical changes to the images, such as adding upgraded fixtures or appliances that aren’t there, or removing less-than-desirable features like utility poles and streetlights.

“It’s a fine line, because some photographers will take a photo of a home on a cloudy day and replace it with a blue sky,” says Lindsey Harn, a residential real estate agent and owner of Lindsey Harn group in San Luis Obispo, California. “Some of that has been considered acceptable, but I think it’s really subjective on where and when this crosses the line.”

Harn adds that she’s seen some agents use AI to give buyers an idea of what the home could become. Examples include swapping out hot pink paint in a kid’s room for a more neutral colorway like Swiss Coffee, or even showing an AI-generated home to sell an empty lot. These moves might seem helpful, but typically lead to disappointment. 

“For buyers, the result can be confusion, frustration, and wasted time touring homes that look nothing like their online photos,” Seise says. “For now, at least in California, the answer is becoming clearer: show the dream—but also show the truth.”

Harn agrees, sharing that she always tells clients to put their home in the best—but also, the most accurate—light. And if you’re looking to purchase a home in your area, a quick drive-by can immediately confirm or deny your suspicions. If you’re planning to relocate, find a trusted real estate expert to visit the home and schedule a Zoom or FaceTime (ideally at different times of day) for a comprehensive virtual tour.

“There is something to just going out there and seeing things,” Harn says. “Even a camera angle can make a small living room feel a lot bigger than it is. Like anything, be cautious and do your homework.”