Would you tour a home knowing the seller was watching (and listening) via security cameras?
More than 60% of U.S. households have at least one security camera, according to SafeHome.org figures cited in a recent House Beautiful article.
The share was 52% in 2024, up from 42% in 2023.
Not all states require full disclosure of any in-house active camera and their locations. For buyer’s agents, an innocent comment about the home’s condition, a buyer’s excitement or even their maximum budget can cost them negotiating leverage or the deal itself. For listing agents, sellers who listen in could be exposing themselves to legal risks.
House Beautiful spoke with agents who’ve seen these situations play out. Here’s what happened and what agents on both sides of the transaction should be doing differently.
Casual Showing Talk Can Cost Buyers Leverage
A buyer who says too much on a tour can hurt their own position in two ways:
- They can give away negotiating leverage.
- They can upset the seller enough to change how the seller responds to an offer.
Luxury Palm Beach real estate advisor Greg Forest to two sentences that can do the most dam
“The two sentences I never want a seller to hear are ‘This is the one’ and ‘We could go higher.’ Those are the most expensive words in real estate, and the front step is exactly where they get said.”
Forest compares a showing to a game of poker. These are his rules for buyers:
- Don’t talk about negotiation strategy
- Don’t announce your maximum
- Don’t gush or wax poetic about the home
The emotional side can do as much damage, as Sassower’s client found out. The agents House Beautiful spoke with said interior cameras and microphones inside the house make buyers uncomfortable, and they can hold up a sale.
Forest explained why:
“Buyers who feel watched move fast, and a buyer who rushes does not fall for a house.”
Sellers Are Overhearing What Buyers Say on Tours
Agents said that sellers with cameras are hearing buyers say things they’d never say to the seller’s face.
Here’s what sellers are picking up:
- Excitement about the home
- The buyer’s maximum price
- Criticism of the property
Kori Sassower, a principal agent at Compass, saw the last one cost a client a deal. Her client brought their parents to a showing, and the parents pointed out maintenance problems and possible water issues, and made it clear they wanted nothing to do with the house.
The client made an offer anyway. The seller had heard the whole conversation through security cameras and rejected it.
Sassower told House Beautiful the seller felt hurt by what they heard.
“A seller’s emotional attachment to their home can be just as powerful as their interest in the offer. The parents thought they were having a private family discussion; the seller felt they were insulting a home they loved.”
The Play for Agents
Agents on both sides of a deal can plan for cameras before the next showing.
Buyer Agents
Buyer’s agents can start by setting ground rules with clients before the tour.
Here’s a showing protocol that takes cameras into account:
- Keep conversations about price and negotiation strategy for after the buyer has left the property
- Hold off on discussing how motivated the buyer is until everyone’s in the car
- Share reactions during the tour through neutral notes or texts to the agent
Some agents start the conversation before pulling into the driveway. They warn clients not to say anything about the house, flattering or otherwise, until they’re in the car again.
Tamara Mattox-Kabat, a licensed Realtor in Denver, sets the same expectation with her clients.
“I treat every showing as though a camera could be present.”
Before each walkthrough, Mattox-Kabat asks the listing agent if the property has any cameras or devices that record. Sassower’s buyers sign a form stating they understand a seller may be listening during the tour.
Allison Freeman, a luxury agent in Florida, shared what happened when one of her buyer clients tried to use the cameras to his advantage.
“I was once showing a house and mentioned to my client that I’d spotted cameras. He loved the house, so I was surprised when he made a point of loudly announcing that it was overpriced, and by exactly how much. That number was really just what he hoped to get it for. I don’t think that approach serves a buyer well.”
The buyer’s intent may have been to nudge the seller into accepting a lower offer, but agents have seen it backfire in a big way.
Listing Agents
Listing agents need to talk with sellers about the legal side. Audio-recording laws vary from state to state, so sellers should get legal guidance on their own setup before assuming their devices are compliant.
Forest explained the risk for sellers in Florida.
“Florida requires consent from everyone in a private conversation before it is recorded, so a seller listening in is taking on real exposure. Every seller should ask their own attorney about their own setup.”
The rules can depend on the type of property. Freeman’s business centers on vacation rentals, and interior cameras aren’t permitted in those properties. For a buyer touring a primary or second home, she works from the assumption that a camera is on.
The agents in the article have no problem with sellers keeping outdoor cameras in place, presumably including Ring doorbell cameras.
All the more reason to caution your buyers against gushing over or criticizing the home right outside the front door.
Mattox-Kabat explained where she draws the line.
“If a home is vacant, I’m comfortable with sellers keeping security cameras on for protection. The key is transparency. Security is one thing; using surveillance as part of the negotiation is another.”
Home cameras are becoming a normal part of the showing process. A short conversation about them during pre-showing prep with buyers and at listing appointments with sellers can protect clients on both sides of the deal.
