The New Age of Property “Catfishing”
We’ve all been there. Scrolling endlessly through property portals for that perfect apartment, you finally find it: a photo of a sun-drenched living room with gleaming floors and minimalist furniture. It looks straight out of an interior design magazine. You book a visit, full of hope, only to arrive at a dingy, damp-smelling flat with peeling paint and a suspicious stain on the ceiling.
This classic bait-and-switch, a frustrating rite of passage for many renters, has received a powerful and deceptive upgrade: Artificial Intelligence. Now, landlords are using AI to make photos of nasty apartments look clean and modern, creating a new wave of what can only be described as “property catfishing.”
How AI Turns Grime into Glamour
Landlords and real estate agents are now harnessing AI image generators and editors to digitally transform their grimiest properties into dream homes. That crack in the wall? Gone with a click. The mouldy patch in the corner of the bathroom? Magically replaced with pristine tiles. A dingy, yellowing kitchen is now a bright, modular masterpiece with a trendy backsplash.
Tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature make these digital renovations incredibly easy. A landlord can take a photo of a cramped, poorly lit room and use a simple text prompt like, “make this room look spacious, modern, and fill it with natural light.” The AI effectively lies on their behalf, adding virtual furniture, changing wall colours, and even altering the view from the window.
The motivation is simple: get more clicks, more inquiries, and more desperate tenants willing to pay a premium. In hyper-competitive markets, a good-looking listing gets snapped up in days. By presenting a false, idealized version of the apartment, landlords can lure in prospective tenants who might be tempted to book without a physical visit.
The Real-World Consequences of Digital Deception
This isn’t just a harmless touch-up; it has real-world consequences. It wastes the time, money, and energy of apartment hunters who travel for viewings based on AI-generated lies. More dangerously, it erodes trust in the rental ecosystem and puts honest landlords, who post genuine pictures of their properties, at a disadvantage.
How to Spot AI-Generated Listings and Protect Yourself
So, how can you, the beleaguered house-hunter, avoid being duped by an AI-generated fantasy?
-
The Golden Rule: Always Visit in Person. This cannot be stressed enough. No matter how stunning the photos are, never sign a lease or pay a deposit for a property you haven’t seen with your own eyes. An AI-generated photo can’t hide a leaky faucet or a broken floorboard in real life.
-
Request a Live Video Tour. If you’re relocating and an in-person visit is impossible, insist on a live, unedited video call. Ask the agent or landlord to show you everything—inside cupboards, the water pressure from the taps, the dark corners, and the view from every window.
-
Look for Telltale Signs of AI. While AI is getting better, you can sometimes spot inconsistencies in AI-altered photos. Look for unnatural lighting, textures that seem too perfect, furniture that doesn’t cast a realistic shadow, or warped lines in the background. If it looks too good to be true for the price, it probably is.
-
Trust Your Gut (and Google). Do a quick search for the building or society online and read reviews if available. Old-school due diligence is still your best weapon against modern deception.
Technology is a double-edged sword. While it can bring convenience, it can also be a powerful tool for deception. In the wild west of the rental market, AI is the new ghost in the machine, creating dream homes that are nothing but a digital mirage. Remember, an algorithm can hide a leaking pipe, but it can’t fix one. Your best defense remains your own two eyes.
