Sellers are using smart cameras to eavesdrop on homebuyers but listening in comes with risks

Smart home security was designed to keep burglars out, but it’s increasingly being used to keep tabs on potential buyers—creating a tense new dynamic in the real estate market.Almost three-quarters (72%) of recent homebuyers say they have either seen or suspected cameras, microphones, or recording devices during a home tour, according to a recent survey by LendingTree.And, at least 56% of sellers surveyed admitted they had recording devices active during a walkthrough.While most sellers (61%) surveyed said their tech setup is for protection, at least 19% admitted they used the devices to listen in during showings to find out what potential buyers liked or disliked about the home, and at least 18% said they wanted to gauge the buyers’ interest.Another 6% said they wanted to hear what their real estate agent said about their home.“Homebuyers today should just assume everything they say or do is being recorded when they are looking at homes and plan accordingly,” says Cara Ameer, an agent with Coldwell Banker who is licensed in California and Florida.

“The seller is likely watching from somewhere.”The danger of using security devices as spy cams, though, is that it can stifle the home buying process.“Once the buyer realizes that there is audiovisual recording, he/she stops talking, tours quickly, and leaves the property without creating any emotional attachment,” says Daniel Cabrera, owner of Sell My House Fast SA TX in San Antonio. “In other words, a silent buyer is a buyer that never falls in love with the house.” One of the first questions that comes to mind for most people is the legality of recording home showings, and with good reason.Privacy laws vary among federal, state, and even local municipalities.While a homeowner is absolutely allowed to protect their property with security cameras, if potential buyers don’t know they’re being recorded with audiovisual devices, things can get sticky.“Video recording inside the priv...