Compliance guide for real estate professionals
BC permits virtual staging with mandatory disclosure. Real Estate Services Rules prohibit "false or misleading advertising" - undisclosed digitally altered photos breach this standard.
Buyer complaints, rescission claims, professional conduct investigations.
The BC Real Estate Services Act's Rules prohibit 'false or misleading advertising.' Unlabelled virtual staging falls under this prohibition. Apply visible watermarks stating 'Virtually Staged' to each enhanced image, ensuring they're legible on REW.ca, Realtor.ca, and local real estate board systems.
Include original, unstaged photographs in your listing gallery. This exceeds minimum requirements but significantly reduces complaint risk. Vancouver and Victoria buyers are sophisticated and expect transparency—providing originals builds credibility.
Keep records of where and when disclosures were made: MLS remarks, image watermarks, property information sheets, and verbal disclosures at showings. If BCFSA investigates a complaint, comprehensive documentation demonstrates due diligence.
BC's active pre-sale market means buyers often purchase based entirely on marketing materials. Virtual staging of proposed units must clearly indicate what is speculative—buyers can pursue rescission claims if they feel marketing was misleading.
Under BC consumer protection law, buyers misled by advertising may have rescission rights. While virtual staging isn't inherently problematic, undisclosed or misleading staging could expose you to contract rescission claims and professional conduct complaints.
"Images have been virtually staged to illustrate the property's potential. Furniture and decor shown are digitally rendered and are not included with the property. Please refer to the original photographs for an accurate representation of the property's current condition."
"This home features virtual staging to help you visualize its potential. The furniture shown is digitally added and not physically present. Schedule a showing to see the actual space. #VirtualStaging #RealEstate"
"This listing includes virtually staged photographs. Digital furniture and decor have been added to help you visualize the space. These items are not present in the physical property. Original photographs are available upon request."
"VIRTUALLY STAGED – Furniture shown is digitally rendered"
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