Disclosure overlay

Visible "Virtually Staged" or "Digitally Altered" text baked into an AI-edited listing photo at 14-18pt minimum, per Bay East MLS standard 2025.

What it does (the operator translation)

Three-step compliance pass. Step one — overlay on the image itself, 14-18pt minimum, baked in. Step two — paired original of the same room uploaded immediately before or after the staged photo in the MLS sequence. Step three — one line in the listing description: "Photos include virtual staging. Original unaltered photos available in this listing." Two minutes per photo. The Hendersonville Tuesday workflow runs the overlay through the same image editor that staged the room.

Why a working REALTOR cares (the breakpoint)

NAR Code of Ethics Article 12 + Standard of Practice 12-10 already apply in Tennessee today. California AB 723 took effect January 1, 2026. TREC is teaching AI disclosure in the 2026-2027 Legal Update curriculum. The fines are coming. Edward Zorn, VP and General Counsel at CRMLS, framed the enforcement reality: "We don't need new regulation. We just need to enforce the rules that we have. This standard under Article 12 — and that is almost word for word in most MLS rules — works great."

What this is NOT (the category-flip)

A disclosure overlay is NOT a caption underneath the photo. It has to be ON the image — text rendered into the pixels, not a tag below it. It is also NOT the same as a footer disclaimer in the listing description. That disclaimer is step 3 of 3. Skip steps 1 and 2 and you're looking at a four-figure MLS fine plus a misrepresentation suit if the buyer feels misled.

Where this comes up in The Listing Machine

The three-step compliance pass lives on the Photography pillar. The Listing Machine teaches the overlay step every time, on every staged photo, no exceptions — that's the difference between "AI staging" and "AI staging that survives a buyer's-agent walkthrough."