A real estate agency has been reported for using “fake” images to advertise a property.
A listing for a new-build rental for $670 a week in Leneva, northern Victoria, shows a lush green lawn outside the house.
But eagle-eyed house hunters were quick to point out that the lawn was photoshopped and that construction was still underway and visible through one window and in the reflection of another window.
Fed up Reddit users criticized the real estate agency and called the “digital style” practice misleading.
An advert for a $670-a-week new-build rental in Leneva, northern Victoria, shows a Photoshopped lush green lawn outside the house.
In this shot you can see trucks, dirt, temporary fluoro fencing, and even a gate surrounding the house instead of lush grass.
“Beautiful driveway,” one person wrote sarcastically.
Another said: “Take the real thing out of real estate.”
Others suggested: “There should be a law against photo manipulation,” saying estate agents are “just cheeky.”
Other photos in the listing show the interior of the house overlooking the front yard, which is clearly still under construction.
Trucks, dirt, temporary fluoridated fencing and even a gate can be seen around the house in place of lush grass.
The real estate agent included a “note” in the listing that said, “The grass has been removed as landscaping is currently being completed.”
“A temporary fence will be installed on the right side for the first month of the lease before the new fence, the rest of the grass and the retaining wall are installed.”
However, as people continued to share photos on the thread, it became clearer that this was not an isolated incident.
Another property listed for sale in Tullamarine, Victoria, which had also been “digitally designed” to look completely different to the real property, left social media users fuming.
Last month, the advert for a two-bedroom apartment in Schofields, in Sydney’s northwest, was in the spotlight after a photoshopped sunset was added to give the impression of a larger balcony space .
Despite the backlash, a Sydney-based real estate agent defended the practice, stating that “everyone does it” because properties are sold unfurnished.
Images of the two-bedroom apartment in Jerralong Drive, Schofields, in Sydney’s west, show a ‘fake’ sunset in the distance and a strange computer-generated outdoor lounge located on the balcony.
“It’s called digital styling…it helps make it look more attractive,” said one real estate agent.
“It’s called digital styling…it helps make it look more attractive,” the agent said. yahoo news.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), “it is illegal for estate agents to mislead consumers about the price of a property or any other information about it.”
It is understood Consumer Affairs Victoria is now investigating rental properties that have been inaccurately described in online listings.
This includes those that are digitally or otherwise enhanced to hide unwanted features and promote other features or encourage higher offers or bids.
In New South Wales, as throughout the country, it is the agent’s responsibility to ensure that images used in property advertising are not false or misleading.