How homebuyers can get listing photos taken down from real estate websites

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Real estate listing websites have become a key tool for many aspiring homebuyers, allowing users to explore high-quality photos of homes in their area and beyond. While those photos often remain online after a purchase, removing them isn't particularly difficult.

A spokesperson for real estate company Zillow told KXAN that it has a straightforward process for buyers to claim their listing and remove its associated photos.

“Some buyers prefer to remove photos and some prefer to leave them available, and that should be up to them," the spokesperson said. "Zillow has long had an easy and transparent way for homeowners to remove or change photos if they’d like.”

However, the spokesperson noted that some websites aggregate from listings in Multiple Listing Services, or MLS. For these, buyers who worked with a realtor can ask their agent to remove any photos from the local MLS system.

The Austin Board of Realtors and Unlock MLS told KXAN that they updated their policies around photos on closed listings earlier this year. Now, a closed listing in the Austin-Round Rock metro will only contain a single photo of the property.

"When a home is sold through Unlock MLS, our participants and subscribers must follow these rules, providing homeowners and sellers with added protections," an ABOR spokesperson said.

Policies like Zillow's and ABOR's only apply to their platforms, and there isn't a state or federal law that mandates the removal of photos.

"If a property is sold outside of Unlock MLS, those safeguards don’t exist," ABOR's statement read. "In a non-disclosure state like Texas, the MLS is the only system built on cooperation and rules that prioritize both transparency and homeowner protections."

Non-disclosure means that buyers and sellers are not required to report a property's sale price to the state government.

"This is why using Unlock MLS matters. Not only does it protect homeowners with compliance standards, but it also serves the broader public interest by ensuring real estate professionals, appraisers and the community have access to accurate, trustworthy information about the housing market," ABOR said further.