In today’s digital age, real estate websites are ubiquitous, providing comprehensive platforms for property deals. These platforms often retain property details and listing photos long after the property has been sold or rented. This can lead to lingering privacy concerns, as interior and exterior images of your home may remain accessible online, along with sensitive information like floor plans. Such details could potentially be exploited by ill-intentioned individuals. Fortunately, you can take steps to have these images removed. This guide will walk you through the process for major real estate sites such as MLS, Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.
How to Remove House Photos from an MLS
A Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a primary source of property data for websites like Zillow and Redfin. Real estate brokers and agents upload home information and photos to MLS portals. To have your photos removed from an MLS, you must contact a licensed agent or broker, as these portals are not accessible to the general public. Request that your listing agent—either one you hire or one involved in your property transaction—remove the photos on your behalf. Note that this process may take time, and the agent is not obligated to comply unless it’s stipulated in your contract.
How to Remove House Photos from Zillow
For Zillow, you can handle the removal yourself. Sign into your account, or create one if necessary. Locate your home on the site, select “More,” and then “Claim ownership.” After verifying your identity, go to “Your homes” via your account avatar. Select the property, choose “Edit facts,” and remove the photos by selecting and deleting them. Alternatively, you can hide the photos from public view while still retaining access. Note that Zillow’s policy does not allow complete removal of property pages.
How to Remove House Photos from Redfin
Redfin follows a process similar to Zillow’s. Sign into your account, hover over your profile badge, and click “Owner Dashboard” to claim your home. Select the property, access the “Edit Photos” button, and opt to hide all listing photos. A Google Street View image will replace the original photos. Complete removal of the listing from the web is not possible on Redfin.
How to Remove House Photos from Realtor
Realtor’s process is also comparable to Zillow and Redfin. Sign into your account, click “My Home,” and enter your address to claim your property. After answering security questions, visit the property page as an owner and click “Edit home” to modify photo visibility. Realtor imposes additional restrictions, such as six months post-sale during which changes cannot be made. Some alterations may require contacting your listing agent. As with other platforms, you cannot entirely remove the listing from Realtor.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the visibility of your home’s photos online, enhancing your privacy and security.
