The Little-Known Security Mistake To Avoid At All Costs When Selling Your Home

For most homebuyers, the road to finding the perfect property begins online. For homeowners looking to sell, that means crafting a listing that stands out from the rest by thoroughly showcasing the interior, exterior, and any valuable assets. Unfortunately, it turns out there is such a thing as being too thorough. Posting that 360-degree video of the home you're trying to sell may be a bad idea. A new threat facing homeowners involves internet-savvy criminals who are using the photos and videos in sale listings as blueprints to plan more effective robberies.

Police detectives have discovered internet searches related to targeted houses on the confiscated devices of suspects in California. Photos and videos uploaded to real estate listing websites often give criminals all the information they need. "You gain more relevant data and intel than you ever did with [binoculars] and a vehicle outside the home," former NYPD detective Pat Brosnan said to Fox News Digital. Becoming familiar with the layout of a home and seeing where valuables may be stored gives criminals a head start. It also shows them which areas to avoid to remain undetected. According to Brosnan, 360-degree virtual tours are especially bad because they can show where security cameras are, which alarm systems are installed, and the path from one exit to another.

According to the 2023 National Association of Realtors' Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report, approximately 96% of potential buyers will first see the media you share to sites like Zillow and Redfin, so not uploading images at all is not the best option if you actually want to make the sale. Luckily, there are useful tips for staging your home like a pro and taking the perfect listing photos that you can amend slightly for added security. 

Adding props can make your home more inviting, but they can also be used strategically to amp up your security. In your yard, angle bird feeders with built-in cameras toward your doors and windows to identify robbers or toward the street to capture suspicious license plates. Inside, hide your security alarm behind a photo frame or incorporate it into a gallery wall so that someone zooming in on photos can't see the manufacturer or model number. 

You can also be strategic with the way your beautifully staged photos are taken so that your security isn't revealed for all to see. If there is a light fixture or chandelier hanging from the ceiling, taking photos from an opposite corner may hide the fact that there is a camera overlooking the room. Another option would be to use digital trickery. Removing small objects from photos using Photoshop or similar software for safety reasons is the kind of deception that most potential buyers would appreciate, especially since those real estate photos may stay online for years after they've purchased the home.