What My buyers hate most at showings!

There is a new rule in California that every seller should know about before photo day.

Starting January 1, 2026, if any listing photos are digitally altered in a way that changes how the home actually looks, that must now be clearly disclosed. That includes virtual staging, changing paint colors, improving landscaping, removing power lines, swapping views, or using AI to “fix” things that are not really there. Agents must also provide access to the original unedited photo. 

And honestly? I think this is a good thing. Beautiful marketing absolutely matters. Great photos are what stop buyers mid-scroll and make them want to come see your home. But the real magic happens when a buyer walks through the front door and feels exactly what they were hoping for.

That is why I spend so much time helping my sellers prepare before the photographer ever arrives. The goal is never to make the house look like something it is not. The goal is to make sure it shows at its absolute best in real life.

Because disappointment kills momentum. If buyers fall in love online and then walk in to find cluttered countertops, oversized furniture, dark rooms, or deferred maintenance that was hidden by angles and editing, the trust is broken before we ever get to the kitchen.

Virtual staging can absolutely help buyers understand how an empty room can live, and it is completely acceptable when properly disclosed. But no photo trick will ever outperform a well-prepared home that feels clean, bright, and emotionally easy to say yes to. 

That is why I always guide my sellers to do the work up front so buyers are even more impressed in person than they were online.