Most of the time, you would find pictures of the house on various websites when you have bought or sold a house. These images worked well during listing, but there could be reasons you would wish them removed, either due to privacy concerns or perhaps because the information may prove outdated and be linked to your home.

Many homebuyers and sellers never realized that listing photos are not normally purged or even deleted after closing. Fortunately, it is possible to take action to have your home’s pictures removed from a realtor’s website.

Here is a step-by-step guide to withdrawing property photos from real estate platforms upon closing:

Why Are Your Home’s Photos Still Online?

Real estate listings, including photos and property details, are typically syndicated across multiple platforms. These images often remain online even after the sale is complete for several reasons:

• The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) archives listing data for record-keeping.
• Real estate websites may keep past listings as a market reference for future buyers and sellers.
• Some platforms do not automatically remove sold listings unless requested.

Since real estate agents, brokerages, and listing services don’t always remove photos post-sale, you may need to take action yourself.

Steps to Remove Photos from Realtor Websites

1. Contact Your Real Estate Agent

The first step is to contact your listing agent or the agent who represented the seller. If you had a seasoned realtor like Elizabeth from Listwithelizabeth, she would walk you through the process or start the request for you. Your agent can:

• Check MLS settings to see if the listing can be removed or edited.
• Request removal from third-party sites that received the listing via syndication.
• Communicate with the brokerage that originally listed the property.

2. Request Removal from the MLS

The MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is the primary database where real estate listings are published. While MLS listings are usually marked as “Sold” after closing, the photos often remain accessible.

To remove your photos from the MLS:

• Ask your agent to submit a request to their MLS administrator to delete or archive the images.
• Some MLS systems allow realtors to hide photos from public view while keeping transaction records intact.

Keep in mind that while the MLS can remove photos, some real estate websites may still retain cached copies, requiring further action.

3. Contact Major Real Estate Websites

Real estate platforms pull listing data from the MLS, but they operate independently. This means that even if the photos are removed from the MLS, they may still be visible on sites

To request removal, visit the website’s support section and look for a listing removal or privacy request form. Some sites allow you to claim ownership of the property and make updates.

4. Contact the Real Estate Brokerage

If the home was listed through a real estate brokerage, the listing may still appear on their website. Brokerages often archive past listings for marketing purposes, but they may honor removal requests upon request.

Find the brokerage’s contact information and request that they:

• Remove the listing and photos from their site.
• Ensure they are no longer syndicating the images to other platforms.

5. Submit a Takedown Request to Google

Even if a real estate website removes the images, they may still appear in Google search results due to cached pages.

To remove outdated photos from Google:

1. Visit the Google Remove Outdated Content Tool (https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content).
2. Enter the URL of the page where the photos were originally listed.
3. Request Google to update or remove the cached version of the page.

This process can take a few weeks, but it ensures the images no longer appear in search results.

6. Monitor and Follow Up

Even after requesting removal, check back periodically to ensure that the images have been deleted. If they are still visible after a few weeks:

• Follow up with the websites or MLS again.
• Check for duplicate listings on smaller real estate sites.
• Use Google Alerts to monitor if your home’s photos appear elsewhere online.

Can You Prevent Your Home’s Photos from Being Published?

If you’re planning to sell a home in the future but want to keep photos off public sites, consider these options:

• Request limited MLS syndication – Some MLS systems allow sellers to opt out of third-party syndication.
• Use privacy settings – Ask your agent to limit how many photos are included in the listing.
• Work with an experienced realtor – Agents like Elizabeth from listwithelizabeth can guide you on best practices for listing privacy.

Protecting Your Privacy After Closing

While real estate websites don’t always remove listing photos automatically, you have the right to request their removal. The best approach is to start with your real estate agent, then work with the MLS and major listing platforms to ensure the images are taken down.

If you need assistance with the home-buying or selling process, Elizabeth from listwithelizabeth is a trusted real estate professional who can help you navigate the market while keeping your privacy concerns in mind.