Primary-source research for listing agents
Search 32 national, state, MLS, and portal entries. Every conclusion is tied to a public primary source; uncertainty stays visible.
Showing 32 entries
Article 12 requires REALTORS® to present a true picture in advertising, marketing, and other representations. The published code does not prescribe a virtual-staging label, so members should pair accurate imagery with a clear disclosure and check local MLS rules.
Stylst guidance: Label every altered image as virtually staged, retain the original, and follow the stricter state, MLS, or portal rule that applies.
AB 723 requires a conspicuous disclosure on or adjacent to a digitally altered image and access to the original image through a link, URL, or QR code. On a licensee-controlled site, the original image or a link to it must also be provided.
Stylst guidance: Use “Virtually staged—digitally altered” on or beside the image and place the original immediately beside it or behind an obvious original-photo link.
CRMLS requires the unaltered image immediately before or after the altered version and a photo-description label such as “digitally altered” or “virtually staged.”
Stylst guidance: Upload the original and staged image as an adjacent pair, repeat the disclosure in the photo description, and do not alter permanent property facts.
REcolorado permits virtual staging when it is disclosed in remarks or the individual photo description and does not misrepresent the property’s true appearance.
Stylst guidance: Put “Virtually staged” in every altered photo description and preserve permanent features, landscaping, views, and condition.
Stellar MLS requires each altered photo description to say “Virtually staged,” the virtual-staging field to be selected, and the Public Remarks to begin with the published disclosure sentence.
Stylst guidance: Use all three Stellar disclosures and limit edits to removable furnishings and décor in an existing property.
MRED permits adding or replacing personal-property objects when virtual staging is disclosed in the specified field. Elements outside the owner’s control may not be added or removed.
Stylst guidance: Confine staging to removable personal property, complete MRED’s disclosure field, and retain the source image for compliance review.
A HAR rules PDF describing virtual staging was located, but its official public host currently fails normal certificate validation. Until HAR supplies a stable public source, confirm the current rule directly with HAR compliance.
Stylst guidance: Confirm locally with HAR before upload; clearly disclose virtual staging in the Photo Description and retain the original image.
RECO requires online advertising to comply with Ontario advertising rules and remain current and accurate. The bulletin does not publish virtual-staging-specific wording.
Stylst guidance: Clearly label altered images, keep the originals, and confirm any brokerage, board, or portal-specific requirement before publishing.
BCFSA warns licensees not to alter or enhance property photos in a way that misrepresents the property and recommends a disclaimer whenever an image could be ambiguous.
Stylst guidance: Place “Virtually staged—image digitally altered” directly beside the image and make the original easy to review.
RECA states that real-estate advertising must be truthful and must not be false or misleading. Its public advertising guidance does not prescribe virtual-staging-specific wording.
Stylst guidance: Disclose every staged image, preserve the original, and confirm brokerage and board requirements before publishing.
Trading Standards guidance says property photographs must not mislead and warns against doctoring images or using techniques that distort what a buyer will find.
Stylst guidance: Label virtual staging prominently, show the unaltered version, and avoid changing condition, dimensions, views, fixtures, or surroundings.
Ireland’s statutory minimum standards prohibit a licensee from knowingly publishing false or misleading property advertising. The code does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
Stylst guidance: Clearly label altered images, provide an original, and do not change permanent features, condition, dimensions, or views.
The ACCC states that real-estate businesses must not mislead consumers and must provide truthful and complete property information. Its guidance does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
Stylst guidance: Disclose virtual staging on the image or immediately beside it, show the original, and preserve the property’s factual condition and features.
Domain’s production guidelines support standard corrections but reject heavy retouching, artificial changes, and removal of physical imperfections. The page is production guidance, not a complete portal-wide virtual-staging policy.
Stylst guidance: Treat these as conservative visual-integrity guidelines and confirm the current listing-submission policy directly with Domain.
REA’s generative-AI guidance expressly includes virtual staging and says licensees remain responsible for the quality and accuracy of customer-facing marketing produced with AI.
Stylst guidance: Review every generated image, label it as virtually staged, retain the original, and never use AI output to conceal a defect or invent a permanent feature.
REA says marketing must match the property and must not contain false or misleading claims. Its public page requires accurate marketing but does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
Stylst guidance: Pair each altered image with a conspicuous virtual-staging label and an original photo, and preserve all permanent facts of the property.
REA training material says a photograph cannot be edited to make a property look better when the result misrepresents it. It distinguishes ordinary brightness or sky corrections from edits that change property facts.
Stylst guidance: Use brightness and color correction only when the result stays truthful; label virtual staging, provide the original, and do not change property condition or permanent facts.
We did not find a publicly accessible Zillow source that states a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule. Requirements can also depend on the listing feed and local MLS.
Stylst guidance: Confirm the current rule with Zillow and the originating MLS; meanwhile label every altered image and retain the original.
We did not find a public Realtor.com source that provides a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule for listing submissions.
Stylst guidance: Confirm the current portal and feed-provider rule; use a visible virtual-staging label and keep the unaltered image.
A useful, public, virtual-staging-specific FMLS rule was not located. Member-only or current input-system instructions may apply.
Stylst guidance: Confirm locally with FMLS compliance before upload; disclose altered images and retain originals.
A useful, public, virtual-staging-specific Georgia MLS rule was not located. Current member rules may require authentication.
Stylst guidance: Confirm locally with Georgia MLS before upload; disclose altered images and retain originals.
A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging rule was not located for Intermountain MLS.
Stylst guidance: Confirm the current member rule before upload; label staged images and preserve originals.
A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging-specific rule was not located for OneKey MLS.
Stylst guidance: Confirm current requirements with OneKey before upload; use an image-level disclosure and retain the original.
A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging-specific rule was not located for NTREIS.
Stylst guidance: Confirm current NTREIS requirements before upload; clearly disclose virtual staging and keep originals.
A useful public REALTOR.ca source with a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located; board and feed rules may also apply.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with the originating board and REALTOR.ca before publication; visibly disclose staged images.
A public Rightmove source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with Rightmove and apply UK misleading-advertising requirements; disclose every altered image.
A public Zoopla source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with Zoopla and apply UK misleading-advertising requirements; disclose every altered image.
A public realestate.com.au source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm the portal rule and comply with Australian misleading-advertising law; label altered images.
A public Trade Me source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with Trade Me and follow REA accuracy guidance; label virtual staging and retain originals.
A public OneRoof source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with OneRoof and follow REA accuracy guidance; label virtual staging and retain originals.
A public Daft.ie source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with Daft.ie and follow Irish misleading-advertising requirements; disclose altered images.
A public MyHome.ie source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
Stylst guidance: Confirm with MyHome.ie and follow Irish misleading-advertising requirements; disclose altered images.
Disclosure-label generator
This produces practical wording, not a policy determination. Replace the authority and verify the rule before publishing.
Common questions
No. Requirements vary by state, MLS, brokerage, and portal. This directory records only what a cited public source supports and marks unresolved authorities “Confirm locally.”
Ask the MLS or portal compliance team before upload. As a conservative practice, label every altered image, retain the original, and never change permanent features, condition, dimensions, views, or surroundings.
No. It is source-linked informational research for agents and compliance teams. The controlling law, contract, MLS rule, and current authority guidance take precedence.
State of Virtual-Staging Disclosure report · Dated change feed · Citation kit