Photos of properties advertised online are not always as they seem and Aussies are noticing a rise in “fake” or “misleading” images of homes being shared by real estate agents — with those sick of the digitally altered images calling them out on social media.
One “shameless” image shows a newly built, $670 per week rental in Leneva, in northern Victoria sitting on what looks to be fake grass — with any sign of a driveway leading up to the garage removed. “Beautiful driveway,” a person shared sarcastically on Sunday alongside the image in a property Reddit thread.
Photos in the online listing also show the inside of the home looking out onto the front yard. One image clearly shows the outside is still under construction, with trucks, dirt and fluoro temporary fencing surrounding the home instead of bright green grass.
Aussies label editing ‘shameless’
The rental property’s listing confirms the “grass has been drawn in” while “landscaping is completed”, however, people have shared how unimpressed they are with the editing.
“Taking the real out of real estate,” one responded. “There should be a law against doctoring photos,” a second said. “They’re just shameless,” a third added.
Other examples of property image alteration
Not an isolated incident, another “misleading” image was shared on the same forum on Saturday showing a home in Tullamarine, Victoria for sale with a price guide of between $780,000 and $820,000. Images of the edited photo look starkly different to those of the real property and have left hundreds in shock.
Last month, images of a Sydney apartment showing a Photoshopped sunset overlooking the balcony and a bizarrely small outdoor lounge set edited into the scene sent onlookers into a flurry
Despite the backlash, the real estate agent for the Sydney listing, who Yahoo News decided not to name, defended the practice by claiming “everyone does it” and said it was necessary given the property is being sold unfurnished.
“It’s called digital styling… it helps it look more appealing,” the agent told Yahoo News.
What are the rules?
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), it is illegal for real estate agents to mislead consumers, regardless of whether it is deliberate or not.
Consumer Affairs Victoria, who is now investigating rental properties that have been inaccurately depicted in online listings, states real estate agents should not use photos that give the wrong impression of a property. This includes those that are digitally or otherwise enhanced to hide undesirable features or promote other features.
In NSW, like across the country, it is the responsibility of the agent to ensure images used in real estate advertising are not misleading. NSW Far Trading states a representation can be taken to be false or misleading if it “leads to a reasonable belief in the existence of a state of affairs that does not in fact exist”.
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Kenyan authorities have threatened to arrest and prosecute property agents practicing without permits in an ongoing campaign to net more taxes from the real estate sector.
The Estate Agents Registration Board has warned property owners against procuring services of unregistered agents to avoid disruptions in services at their property.
“In order for the EARB to continue protecting the interest of the public and enhance professionalism in the real estate sector, consumers are advised to deal with registered estate agents only,” Hellen Abuya, the board’s registrar, said in a notice.
The notice comes at a time when the Treasury has pledged more funds to facilitate enhanced registration of agents to help report landlords who are not remitting rental income tax to the Kenya Revenue Authority.
The Estate Agents Act requires practitioners to register with the board and be issued with an annual practicing certificate.
Registration of estate agents is open to full members of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya practicing in valuation and estate management, building and land management, or a holder of a degree, diploma, or licence from a university or college recognised by the board.
The board can also list a member who does not have the aforementioned qualifications if it is satisfied that he or she is of good character and has not been convicted of fraud or dishonesty, amongst other qualifications.
A person practicing as an estate agent without requisite registrations faces a fine of as much as Sh20,000 or a jail term of up to two years or both upon conviction under the law.
The Treasury has sounded an alarm over low compliance levels among landlords in filing and remitting taxes to the KRA even after the process was “simplified”.
Residential property owners generating an average monthly income of between Sh24,000 and Sh1.25 million are under the “simplified” process required to pay tax at the rate of 7.5 per cent of the gross earnings.
The current rate took effect in January following changes in the Finance Act 2023 that lowered it from the previous 10 per cent.
“The simplification was introduced to enhance compliance. Though it has increased the number of taxpayers, it has not achieved the envisaged compliance [in remitting rental income tax],” Treasury wrote in the 2024 Budget Policy Statement.
“To address compliance challenges in rental income taxation, the government will enhance the registration of property agents, mapping of properties, and leveraging on technology. In this regard, and to ensure fairness and equity, the government will review taxation of residential rental income.”
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Residential Real Estate Council’s (RRC) Sell-a-bration®, now in its 36th year, promises a transformative experience for hundreds of top-producing real estate agents. From February 29 to March 2, 2024, at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, attendees from 48 US (United States) states, one US territory and 10 countries will gather to:
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Elevate their networks: Forge meaningful connections with Certified Residential Specialists (CRS) Designees, RRC members and other top-producing real estate professionals, expanding their referral base and fostering long-term business relationships.
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Sharpen their expertise: Pre-conference courses led by CRS Certified Instructors, Lee Barrett, and Addie Owens, delve into “Mastering the Evolving Buyers Brokerage Agreements” and “I Do Until, We Must Part the Assets: Navigating Divorcing Customers,” equip agents with valuable strategies for today’s complex market.
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Learn from the best: This year’s Sell-a-bration features an enriching lineup of 28 education sessions spread across two days. These sessions have been meticulously chosen by an advisory panel comprised of CRS Designees and RRC members, ensuring a curriculum that is both relevant and beneficial for attendees.
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Unleash innovative strategies: Gain actionable takeaways from industry leaders and inspiring keynote speakers, including Kyle Scheele, dubbed “the patron saint of crazy ideas” for his unconventional yet impactful approaches. Jeff Henderson will share his journey of overcoming adversity, empowering attendees to achieve their dreams. Crowdsourced Comedy, an improv group, will inject humor and engagement into the learning experience.
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Celebrate achievements: Witness the inaugural CRS Commencement, where over 40 new CRS Designees are recognized for their dedication and accomplishments in the field joining “the best of the best.”
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Connect and unwind: Network with peers, source new business opportunities, and enjoy educational sessions and inspirational content.
“Sell-a-bration offers a unique and comprehensive platform for real estate professionals to thrive,” says Tricia Nekota, 2024 RRC President. “As we stand on the threshold of the 36th Sell-a-bration, I am reminded of the power of community and the incredible achievements we can accomplish when we come together. This event promises unparalleled opportunities for learning and growth, embodying the resilience, innovation, and spirit of excellence that defines our members and our organization.”
The conference includes a Night Out in Las Vegas sponsored by RRC Nevada, providing a fun and social setting to solidify connections and celebrate success.
Sell-a-bration is unrivaled in its distinction, just like the CRS Designation, RRC members, certified instructors, RRC State Networks and Global Partner Networks. Sell-a-bration addresses industry challenges and opportunities. It solidifies RRC and its events as the “go to” for education and networking during challenging times, demonstrating its role in providing pivotal leadership within the broader real estate industry.
Sell-a-bration 2025 will be held at the Omni Nashville, TN, March 17 – 19, 2025.
About the Residential Real Estate Council: The Residential Real Estate Council is the leading education and networking organization for residential real estate agents. It awards the prestigious CRS Designation to experienced residential real estate professionals who have completed advanced professional training and proven outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rrcs-36th-sell-a-bration-uniting-and-advancing-the-best-in-real-estate-302076376.html
SOURCE Residential Real Estate Council
Aussies are used to seeing QR codes when they order at cafes and restaurants, but now the technology is rising in prominence for prospective renters and property buyers.
Real estate agents have started using QR code technology to lure in potential renters and buyers. However, unlike a typical real estate sign, the QR code signs don’t include the name of the listing agent, phone number, images of the property or even whether the property is for lease or sale.
Instead, the sign is a simple QR code that takes interested renters and buyers through to the online listing.
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One Melbourne resident, who spotted a sign from Casey Estate Agents, called the new tactic “interesting”, while another questioned the effectiveness of the signs and said they’d “rather look at the pictures”.
“It worked didn’t it?” another pointed out. “You wondered what the bright pink QR code was for and followed it. Probably wouldn’t have taken a close look at a regular sign.”
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Real estate agent Komal Bornino, from Casey Estate Agents Melbourne, said the agency had been using boards with just a QR code to advertise properties for the past six months.
“We’ve obviously had negative feedback as we [thought] we were going to receive,” Bornino told Yahoo Finance. “But, at the same time, we’ve also had positive feedback where people say, ‘What a game changer’.”
Bornino said the main benefit of the QR code signs was that they focused on the property in question, rather than the real estate agent trying to lease or sell it.
“We’re saying it’s not about our faces as a real estate agent, it’s not about our brand. We’re there to sell or lease the property,” she said.
“With all these faces on boards and mobile numbers – we’re taking away all that and just focusing on the property. If people are genuinely interested, they will scan that QR code.”
Bornino said some of the negative feedback to the QR codes had come from people with disabilities and those who said they were unable to scan the code when driving past.
“We’ve had people say, ‘What is that? It doesn’t even make sense’ and a general, ‘I don’t like that’,” she said.
Bornino thinks the use of QR codes will become more common among real estate agents, noting that many other businesses already included them on boards.
“Sometimes, they’ve got a general QR code that links through to the agency website, whereas our QR codes are all individual. They are printed purely for that property and when you scan it, it will purely take you through to that listing,” she said.
Bornino noted the boards did not have an impact on how quickly properties were getting leased or sold, but said this was the case for boards in general.
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An undercover investigation by Newsday into housing discrimination on Long Island has resulted in penalties for some brokers ensnared in the probe.
The New York Department of State revoked licenses from three agents, suspended the licenses of seven and fined five between $500 and the maximum allowed of $2,000.
There were a total of 36 agents named in Newsday’s Long Island Divided series, the outlet reported. Decisions are pending against five of them, while cases were dismissed against four. In two instances, the state dropped their cases, while the state didn’t pursue discipline for 10 of them.
Himanshoo Sanghvi (who worked for Century 21 American Homes at the time of Newsday’s series), was among the agents who lost their licenses. He offered opinions on a local school district and referred to a neighborhood as a “mini United Nations.” He was initially suspended six months before an appeal led to the revocation of his license.
The other agents to have their licenses revoked by the state were Aminta Abarca of Keller Williams Realty of Greater Nassau and Anne Marie Queally Bechand of Signature Premier Properties in Cold Spring Harbor.
Not every case resulted in discipline. Ana Pizaro, who worked at Signature Premier Properties, allegedly gave a white tester 18 listings in Plainview and Syosset and none in Huntington, but gave a Hispanic tester more than 60 listings in Huntington — a predominantly Hispanic area — and few in Plainview and Syosset. Her case was dismissed because investigators didn’t provide evidence establishing the race of the testers and couldn’t prove “discriminatory intent.”
RE/MAX Beyond associate broker Joy Tuxson told a white tester that Wyandanch — a hamlet with a predominantly Black and Hispanic population — the area was a good place to “buy your crack.” Her license was ultimately suspended until the completion of a fair housing course, but that discipline was connected to separate comments she made about schools.
She took a three-hour course the day she learned of the suspension and had her license restored the very next day. Her license status lists her as an associate broker with RE/MAX Integrity Leaders.
Newsday’s three-year probe involved sending undercover testers to meet with agents and secretly videotaping allegedly discriminatory action.
State and local authorities have followed up the investigation with increased efforts to tackle discrimination and comply with fair housing laws. Long Island Realtors unveiled a fair housing campaign a couple of years ago. In November, New York Attorney General Letitia James launched a program to fund fair housing testers across the state.
— Holden Walter-Warner
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PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today sentenced two former real estate agents to 30 years jail after dismissing their appeals for kidnapping a businesswoman for a RM2 million ransom nine years ago.
Lew Ngee Chin was spared the rotan as he turned 50 last August, but Chin Yoon Tack @ Chin Yoon Tock, 48, was also sentenced to two strokes of the cane.
Lew and Chin and a third accused, Telaha Sanchis, 32, were sentenced by the Shah Alam High Court to natural life imprisonment in March 2020 after they were found guilty of kidnapping Lim Hoe at a wellness centre at Taman SEA in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at about 6pm on Nov 10, 2015.
Telaha, who was unemployed, won his appeal today and his life imprisonment sentence was set aside.
The three were charged under the Kidnapping Act 1961 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code with the common intention to commit the offence.
However, judges have been given discretion since last year to impose a jail term of between 30 and 40 years, while whipping is discretionary for the offence.
Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who led a three-member Court of Appeal bench, said the High Court judge did not commit any appealable error in the case of Lew and Chin to warrant any intervention.
“There is overwhelming evidence to establish a case beyond reasonable doubt against Lew and Chin,” said Vazeer, who sat with Justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and SM Komathy Suppiah.
Vazeer said the victim positively identified Lew and Chin in a car used to abduct her and in a shophouse where she was held captive.
“The victim’s DNA was also found in the car and the shophouse,” he said, adding that marked currency notes matched those recovered from the two men.
However, he said the money that Telaha led police to recover did not match that seized by the police.
“The victim also did identify him during the period she was confined. The element of common intention was not proved,” he said.
The facts of the case revealed that the three men abducted Lim at the health centre and held her captive for six days at a shophouse in Taman Bukit Anggerik, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
They initially demanded RM12 million from her two sons, but the amount was reduced to RM2 million. The money was left at a spot along the southbound New Klang Valley Expressway.
Lim was released on Nov 16, 2015, near the Sentul LRT station.
In a follow-up police operation, the three men were arrested and RM700,000 was later recovered.
Deputy public prosecutor Eyu Ghim Siang represented the prosecution, while lawyers Goh Kim Lian, K Vikneswaran and N Ratnavathy appeared for Lew, Chin and Telaha, respectively.