Virtual staging rules in Australia

The short version

• Change only the furniture and decor. Never the property itself.
• Label every staged photo as virtually staged.
• Consider showing the empty original next to the staged photo.
• Check your state or territory's guidance and your agency's policy before you publish.

What the law expects

The Australian Consumer Law prohibits misleading or deceptive conduct in trade or commerce, and false or misleading representations, including about land and property for sale. Property advertising is covered. A photo can mislead even if every word in the listing is accurate.

Each state and territory also regulates real estate agents through its own laws and its fair trading or consumer affairs office. Some publish guidance on advertising and images. Requirements and guidance change, so check the current position with your regulator, your agency's compliance team or a lawyer.

Using staged photos on realestate.com.au and Domain

Both portals accept virtually staged photos in listings. Each has its own advertising terms, and those terms expect listings to represent the property accurately. Read the current guidelines of each portal you publish to. We don't reproduce them here because they can change.

How to label staged photos

• Put a clear label such as “Virtually staged” on the image itself, where it stays with the photo if it is shared or reused.
• Add a line to the description, for example “Some photos have been virtually staged.”
• Where you can, include the empty original next to the staged version.
• Tell buyers at the inspection that the rooms were staged digitally if they ask about the furniture.

What not to change

Staging should add movable furniture and decor only. Don't use it to:

• change walls, windows, doors, floors, ceilings or the layout
• add or remove fixtures and fittings, such as a kitchen, built-in robes, air conditioning or a pool
• change the view, the outlook or the neighbouring properties
• hide damage, stains, cracks or other defects
• use furniture at a scale that makes a room look bigger than it is

How ListingSight helps

ListingSight only adds furniture and decor. It keeps the walls, windows, floors, light and camera angle of your photo. You still review every image before it goes live: if anything other than the furniture looks different, restage the photo with a note or leave it out. Labelling the published photos is your responsibility as the advertiser.

Free previews carry a ListingSight watermark. That watermark is not a disclosure label, so add your own label to the clean files you publish.

A checklist before you publish

1. Compare each staged photo with the original. Only furniture and decor have changed.
2. The room looks the size it really is.
3. Each staged photo is labelled.
4. The description says some photos are virtually staged.
5. You have checked your state's guidance and your agency's policy.

This guide is general information for Australian agents, not legal advice. For advice on a specific listing, speak to your agency's compliance team or a lawyer. Related: virtual vs physical staging.