Major estate agency group Spicerhaart has been testing artificial intelligence technology to enhance property photographs, marking what industry observers suggest could become standard practice across the sector.
Paul Smith, from Spicerhaart, detailed the company’s trials with AI staging software on property images in a recent statement. The technology allows agents to digitally remove clutter, furnish empty rooms, and demonstrate potential decorative schemes without physically altering properties.
From competitive advantage to industry standard
Smith, who previously worked as a photographer for national newspapers, noted that tools offering competitive advantages can quickly become widely available across the industry. “When everyone has access to the same technology, owning the tool is no longer the advantage,” he said.
The AI applications being tested can remove items such as washing-up, children’s toys, and scattered clothing from photographs in seconds. Empty rooms can be digitally furnished in various styles including contemporary, coastal, Scandinavian or traditional designs, whilst partially renovated spaces can be shown with completed finishes.
The technology represents a shift in how existing properties are marketed, bringing them closer to the computer-generated imagery long used by property developers for new-build sales. However, Smith emphasised the importance of transparency, stating that enhanced images should be clearly labelled and original photographs made available to buyers.
Regulatory and trust considerations
Trading Standards guidance requires that enhanced images be clearly identified. Smith drew a distinction between acceptable enhancements such as removing temporary clutter or furnishing empty rooms, and problematic alterations including making rooms appear larger, hiding structural defects, or disguising poor views.
The technology arrives as the property sector increasingly adopts digital tools. Rightmove recently reported AI expansion alongside revenue growth, indicating broader industry movement towards automated solutions.
According to Spicerhaart’s trials, sellers have responded positively to enhanced images, with many preferring them to original photographs as they show properties without everyday clutter. The company reports that sophisticated marketing materials including video, virtual furnishings, and multiple image versions can now be produced more quickly and at lower cost than previously possible.
Market implications
Smith warned that widespread adoption of identical AI-generated staging could create uniformity rather than differentiation. “If every agent chooses the same virtual sofa, the same grey walls and the same Scandinavian living room, we won’t have improved property marketing,” he stated.
The development comes as the UK property market experiences shifting conditions, with house price growth slowing to 1.8% in July, potentially increasing pressure on agents to differentiate their marketing approaches.
Industry analysts suggest that as AI enhancement tools become more accessible, the ability to apply them appropriately rather than simply possessing the technology will determine competitive positioning. The shift mirrors broader changes across the property sector, where technological standards increasingly influence property valuations and marketability.
Spicerhaart maintains that AI should complement rather than replace traditional photography skills, with the original photograph often remaining superior to over-enhanced alternatives. The company continues to trial various applications whilst emphasising that agents should avoid dependence on single platforms or software solutions.
