What are the MLS photo requirements by state?
California (CRMLS, CLAW, BAREIS): 25 photos max, first must be exterior, no misleading edits. Texas (NTREIS, HAR, Austin Board): 25-36 photos, minimum 640x480 resolution, no watermarks. Florida (Stellar MLS, Miami MLS): 50 photos max, virtual staging must be disclosed. New York (REBNY, Hudson Gateway MLS): no aggressive HDR, no fabricated features, disclosure required for virtual staging. Check your local board's rules before uploading.
Is AI editing of MLS photos allowed?
Yes, with limits. Allowed: sky replacement, exposure balancing, color correction, decluttering, virtual staging (with disclosure), vertical straightening. NOT allowed: adding features that don't exist (fake fireplace, fake deck, changing flooring material), removing visible defects (water stains, cracks, damage). NAR Code of Ethics Article 12 requires accurate representation. When in doubt, disclose.
How many listing photos can I edit per month?
EditThisPic Pro is $29.99/mo for 150 edits. A typical listing has 25-30 photos, so Pro covers 5-6 full listings per month. For agents with 10+ listings/month, the Pro plan works for about half; the rest go through the Standard ($12.99/mo, 50 edits) add-on or on-demand $1.99 credit packs. Free tier is 1 edit/week, fine for testing but not for a working agent.
Do I need to disclose AI-edited photos in California listings?
California DRE requires accurate representation. CRMLS requires disclosure for: (1) virtual staging, (2) virtually removed or changed features. Color correction, sky replacement, and exposure balancing do NOT require disclosure per current CRMLS rules. Always check with your local board — SF, LA, and Orange County boards each have supplementary rules.
What about Texas MLS systems (NTREIS, HAR, ABoR)?
Texas MLS systems allow AI enhancement: NTREIS (Dallas/Fort Worth) — up to 25 photos, first must be exterior, no brand watermarks. HAR (Houston) — up to 36 photos, virtual staging allowed with disclosure. Austin Board — 25 photos, similar disclosure rules. San Antonio Board — 25 photos, minimum 640x480. All Texas MLS systems require disclosure for virtual staging and major feature changes.
Florida Stellar MLS requirements?
Stellar MLS covers most of Florida (Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale) and allows up to 50 photos per listing — the most of any major MLS. Virtual staging must be disclosed with 'virtual' or 'virtually staged' in the caption. Miami Association of Realtors has additional disclosure rules for waterfront listings. Florida FREC requires accurate representation per Rule 61J2-10.025.
New York REBNY and NYC MLS rules?
REBNY (NYC) and Hudson Gateway MLS (NY suburbs) have strict rules: no aggressive HDR that misrepresents the space, no fabricated features, no removing visible defects. Disclosure required for virtual staging. NY DOS (Department of State) enforces strict anti-deception rules — NYC agents face higher penalties for misleading photos than most states.
Can I batch-edit all 30 photos at once?
No — EditThisPic processes one photo at a time to let you apply different prompts per photo (exterior = sky replace, kitchen = brighten counters, empty room = stage). For true batch automation (same edit on 30 photos), use a desktop tool like Lightroom with a preset. But most MLS photos need specific edits per scene, so per-photo is usually faster anyway.
Does AI editing save time vs outsourcing to a photo editor?
Outsourced real estate photo editing (PhotoUp, Virtual Staging Solutions, BoxBrownie) runs $1-$5 per photo with 12-48 hour turnaround. EditThisPic Pro at $29.99/mo ($0.20/edit for 150 photos) is 5-25x cheaper and returns in 30 seconds. For agents listing 5+ homes/month, that's $100-$500/month saved — and same-day turnaround means faster time-to-market.
Should I still hire a pro real estate photographer?
Yes, for luxury listings ($1M+). Pro photographers bring wide-angle lenses, bracketed HDR, drone shots, and compositional skill that AI can't replicate. EditThisPic enhances photos AFTER a good shoot — it doesn't replace the photographer's eye. For mid-market listings (<$500K), phone photos plus EditThisPic often beat the budget pro photographer's work.
Is virtual staging always worth it?
For vacant homes, yes — vacant listings sell 3-6% lower than staged ones. Virtual staging at $0.20/photo is obviously cheaper than physical staging at $2K-$10K. Don't stage if: (1) the home is occupied and photos show existing furniture, (2) the listing is a teardown where features don't matter. Always disclose.
Can I remove my neighbor's trash can or parked car from an exterior shot?
Yes, and you should. Parked cars, trash cans, and neighbor's yard debris are 'distracting clutter' and can be legally removed in most states. Describe the removal specifically: 'remove the trash can on the left of the driveway, fill with continuation of the driveway concrete.'
How much does EditThisPic cost?
You get 1 free edit per week — no account needed. After that, credit packs start at $1.99 for 3 edits. Monthly plans start at $4.99/mo for 15 edits with unused credits rolling over. All edits are full resolution with no watermark.
