Sellers Eavesdrop on Homebuyers With Smart Cameras, Affecting 72% of Tours

3 articles · Updated · Realtor.com News · Jul 31

72% of recent homebuyers said they saw or suspected cameras, microphones or other recording devices during tours, while 56% of sellers said they had devices active during walkthroughs, according to a LendingTree survey.
19% of sellers said they listened in to learn what buyers liked or disliked, and 18% said they wanted to gauge interest—giving sellers potential leverage over price, timing and offer strategy.
22% of buyers said they avoided discussing budget or offer plans inside homes, 22% hid excitement, 21% avoided negative comments, and 19% left a showing or open house because they felt watched.
Audio recording is the biggest legal risk: agents said video is common, but undisclosed audio can violate consent laws, ethics rules and potentially trigger wiretapping claims in some states.
Brokerages and MLS listings increasingly require surveillance disclosures, but agents said enforcement is weak, leaving buyers to treat showings as negotiations and save candid reactions for outside.