It’s 2019 and technology is here (duh). How many homes do you see with ‘house lines’ anymore? Or maybe even a better question… how many homes do you see with a “STANDARD” door bell? Technology is here, and it’s here to stay. Home devices are only getting smarter, and we are seeing a higher adoption rate. What does this mean for you when you’re purchasing a home, and why do I suggest you keep it quiet? More than ever, your words can HURT you if you are not careful.

In MANY homes today, from the time your car pulls up to the curb to the certain spots in a home, you’re probably under surveillance. Most of the outdoor / doorbell cameras can pick up sound quality (well from 30-50 feet away). That means the driveway when you arrive, and most importantly, the driveway when you walk out of a home to have a conversation with your agent.

Think you’re in the clear when you are inside a home? Think again. With companies like Nest, Ring, Amazon, Blink, etc etc, interior cameras are becoming more and more normal. In a kitchen or family room, aka a common area? You can almost bet on it. In the privacy of a bedroom? Who knows. It’s Vegas after all!

When I am working with Buyers, I mention and set the expectations to just honestly expect to have a camera present in the home when you’re viewing the property, even if it’s vacant. Most of these cameras simply need an internet connection to record, and I’ve been in a number of homes that have been left completely empty, with the exception of a few cameras and a modem/router. It happens. Our local Association of Realtors has even introduced a new section of a document to disclose the rampant and wide use of video and audio recording.

My recommendation is always this. If you don’t like the home, but don’t want to be rude, just keep the comments to yourself. We know. We can go in and out quickly, and just not say anything. But more importantly, if you DO love the home, then it’s even more important to keep your emotions in check. Wait til you get out of the home, and outside of the scope of the camera (in a car, on a phone call later, etc). Gushing about your love for the home will potentially put you at a disadvantage in terms of an offer. Example: "I love this house. Gosh, they are asking $300,000 for it. Let’s offer $290,000, but if we need to, we’ll easily go to asking or above list price. We WANT IT”. Guess what? Your leverage is GONE if the seller listens or catches this. So when your offer is very clean, and they have NO other offers, and you get a counter offer to $300,000, don’t be surprised.

Another example. Say like you like the home, but you make a comment to your agent… “we like this one, but we’re worried we won’t get our financing.” Or “we like this, let’s see what the OTHER home seller says on our offer.” You may not get a favorable response, or the seller may ask for you to remove contingencies quicker, etc.

How is this Legal, and do the Sellers need to disclose? The answer, is simply, NO they do not. This is their private and personal property, and they are allowed to record, as Nevada is a one party state which means essentially one party (the owner) needs to have consent for things like this. You know how you go to the Gym, and in the locker room it states NO RECORDING OF ANY KIND IS PERMITTED. This is because as a public place, and in a private situation such as a locker room, you as a citizen expects certain rights. This does not hold in a Private Residence. This is why we don’t even ask for a seller to disclose, because they are under no obligation to disclose the info, even if requested.

So, hate a home or love it, the best bet is to keep your opinions to yourself, until you know you are out of audio and visual capabilities and have a conversation with your Real Estate professional then, it just could save you THOUSANDS of dollars!

Do you feel weird, or act differently if you KNOW a camera is on?