Remove Photos of Your Home from Real Estate Websites

Last Updated on May 27, 2024

Learning how to remove photos of your home from Zillow, Redfin and other real estate websites can help protect your online privacy and keep sensitive data and photos from appearing online. For many people, this is a growing concern.

Let’s look at why this presents a privacy risk to you, and what you can do about it.

Why You Should Remove Online Photos Of Your Home

If you have ever used these apps, you may have seen information and images of your own home, even if it isn’t for sale. When a house is up for sale online, real estate agents and brokers want interested buyers to have details about it. This includes photos showing the home’s current condition, furnishings, and appliances. They may even contain an image of a floor plan, and on some property listings, a virtual tour of the house on the app.

When your home’s images and details are accessible online, it might seem like a minor issue. However, this publicly available information can lead to several risks:

Identity Theft

Detailed images of your home can reveal personal information such as:

• Family photos
• Documents left on tables that could show your social security number, email address, or credit card information
• Mail with your name and address visible

This can be a goldmine for identity thieves. They can piece together small pieces of information to impersonate you or commit fraud.

Burglary

Detailed floor plans and photos of your home’s interior show potential burglars the layout of your property. This could include where valuable items are located or may be located. They can use this information to plan a break-in, knowing exactly where to go and what to take.

Scammers

Scammers might use the details of your property to create fake listings, attempting to rent out or sell your home without your knowledge. Unsuspecting victims of these scams could end up sending money to fraudsters, thinking they’re securing a rental or purchase.

Stalkers and Unwanted Attention

If you’re famous or need to stay anonymous for work, these listings can expose your sensitive information. Having photos of your house online can attract unwanted attention from fans or individuals with malicious intent.

Personal Privacy Invasion

Seeing the inside of your home online can feel like a violation of your personal space. It’s unsettling to know that strangers can virtually ‘walk through’ your living areas without your consent.

Insurance Risks

Insurance companies could use detailed images of your home to spot undeclared valuables or assess risks. This could affect your premiums or coverage.

Property Misrepresentation

If you changed your property a lot since the photos were taken, the old pictures might not show your home accurately. This could lead to issues and potentially affect the sale price if you decide to sell or rent in the future.

Harassment and Trespassing

Visible online photos of your home can lead to trespassers trying to get a closer look at your property. This can be a safety concern and an invasion of privacy.

How to Remove Photos From Real Estate Sites

People with bad intentions can use the photos, videos, and information they find to see what your home looks like. Real estate professionals are not responsible for removing this information.

However, the good news is that removing photos from real estate websites and mobile apps is easy and painless. Now you will learn how to remove photos and other private information from your home’s online listings.

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS), is a database that provides data on homes, units, and properties for sale. Members of the National Association of Realtors in the United States frequently utilize this tool.

The MLS automatically distributes the home’s information and photos to consolidate for sites like Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Trulia. That’s why you’ll likely see the same photos and information across each platform. 

Although the same information is published across multiple platforms, home owners will need to log into each individual platform to delete photos. Each real estate app involves claiming your home before selecting the photos and information you want to remove. 

For each real estate website, it’s pretty easy to remove images. Just follow these steps.

Removing Photos on Zillow

1. Sign in to your Zillow profile. If you do not have a Zillow account, sign up for one
2. Click on your profile image or initials in the top right corner (on a desktop screen). 
3. Select “your home”.
4. Enter your home or property’s address in the search bar.
5. Once you see your home appear, click, “Yes. Add it!”
6. Claim your home.
7. Under “Manage Photos”, click “hide photos displayed on your home’s Zillow page” box.
8. Click “Save”. 

Removing Photos on Redfin

1. Use a desktop computer (instead of your phone).
2. Sign in to your Redfin account, or sign up if you don’t have an account.
3. Go to the “owner dashboard”.
4. Search for your home or property’s address on the app.
5. Click the red “I’m The Owner” button
6. You should now see your house claimed under the “dashboard” tab.
7. Select “edit photos”.
8. On the “manage photos” page for your home, select the checkbox for “hide listing photos”.
9. Then, click the “Save” button.

Removing Photos on Realtor.com

1. Sign in to your Realtor.com account, or create an account if you don’t already have one.
2. Go to the “My Home” tab.
3. Enter your home or property address in the search bar feature.
4.  Once your home appears on the screen, select “Yes, Claim It”
5. Your home is claimed! Then, select “Remove Photos”.
6.  You’ll see an “owner verification” pop-up. Choose your name under the list.
7. Select, “Yes, Remove All Photos”.
8. It should take a few minutes to see the photos removed from your home.

Remove Photos of Your House to Protect Your Privacy 

In today’s digital age, maintaining privacy can be a challenge, especially when it comes to the place we call home. Removing photos of your house from real estate websites and apps is more than just a precaution. It’s a proactive step towards safeguarding your personal sanctuary and reputation.

Start taking steps to protect yourself, your family, and your tenants today. They could be at risk of identity theft, home break-ins, scammers, stalkers, and more online.

Reputation911 handles all online privacy issues or concerns, such as unwanted links, content, personal information or images posted online without your consent. Our team can help you remove this information once and for all.

About The Author

William DiAntonio

William DiAntonio is the Founder & CEO of Reputation911, a reputation management firm he founded in 2010 that has earned the trust of its clients for over a decade by helping individuals, businesses and brands control their online search results.