AI is changing how homes are sold — and raising new questions
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way homes are bought and sold, helping turn empty lots and vacant rooms into fully realized living spaces — sometimes before construction even begins.
From digital renderings of future neighborhoods to virtual staging inside listings, real estate professionals say AI is opening new possibilities for marketing properties. But critics warn the technology can also cross the line into misrepresentation, fueling a growing concern known as “housefishing.”
In Southington, realtor Rachael Cisz from Serhant Connecticut Cisz Team faced a familiar challenge: how to generate interest in 12 undeveloped residential lots, where buyers had little more than dirt and drawings to look at.
To bridge that gap, Cisz teamed up with Ascend Studios, which used AI tools to transform plans and blueprints into detailed 3D renderings and cinematic videos showing what the development could become.
“That’s crazy. That’s AI,” Cisz said while viewing the finished product. “Even the way the sun hits the furniture.”
Cisz said the technology allows agents to market properties in ways that weren’t possible even a year ago.
“I think one of the biggest benefits to our industry has been the way that AI has allowed us to market properties in ways we have never seen before,” she said.
At Ascend Studios, co-founder Sebastian Cango said advances in AI have dramatically sped up production timelines and expanded creative possibilities.
“Some of the things that we’re doing these days, we couldn’t do six months ago,” Cango said.
Ascend works directly with developers and builders, starting with official drawings and blueprints. AI is then used to generate three-dimensional models, which designers refine and turn into video content.
“We get the drawings from them, the blueprints, and then we use AI to build on that, to create a 3D model, and then we process that into a video,” Cango said.
AI-powered tools are also becoming increasingly common in home listings, particularly through virtual staging. Empty rooms can be digitally furnished to help buyers visualize how a space might be used.
“It’s allowing them to see the potential in properties that they may not have been able to see before,” Cisz said.
But sometimes those digital makeovers go too far.
Across the country, critics have pointed to listings where AI-generated images added lush lawns, altered landscaping, or even changed driveways; features that do not exist in reality. The practice has been dubbed “housefishing,” a play on the term catfishing, and has sparked debate over whether such images inspire buyers or mislead them.
Ascend Studios says realism and accuracy are essential, even when using advanced technology.
“We also make sure it’s realistic — a king-size bed can fit,” said Cristian Vinan of Ascend Studios. “We try to measure our virtual staging to become an actual, normal-sized bedding.”
The company also emphasizes transparency, ensuring AI-altered images are clearly identified.
“We tend to always speak with the client to let them know, ‘Hey, this is going to be watermarked as virtual staging or AI rendering,” Vinan said. “So nobody is being misled when it comes to putting a listing online.”
That disclosure is becoming increasingly important. California now requires clear labeling when listing photos that have been altered by AI. The National Association of Realtors also has guidelines governing the use of digital enhancements in marketing.
“It is important for consumers to know that, so they don’t feel catfished by a property,” Cisz said.
Beyond marketing, AI is increasingly being used behind the scenes in real estate, from pricing analysis to transaction management. Morgan Stanley predicted last year that AI could lead to $34 billion in cost savings across the industry by 2030.
In some markets, buyers are already using AI-powered tools to navigate much of the home-buying process independently. Still, real estate professionals say technology cannot replace on-the-ground expertise — or the value of making sure a listing accurately reflects a home.
“We kind of see AI as a tool to help us eliminate as much risk and stress as possible,” Cisz said, “and really elevate their buying and selling experience.”
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.