Cameras are changing how buyers behave during home tours

Buyers may want to save their strongest reactions – and any talk about money – until after they leave a home showing.

More than half of recent sellers said recording devices were active during their most recent home sale or listing, according to a new LendingTree survey. Buyers are noticing, and the possibility that someone is watching or listening is changing how some tour homes and approach negotiations.

Among people who bought a home within the past five years, 72% said they had seen or suspected cameras, microphones or other recording devices during a tour. Nearly two-thirds said they were concerned about sellers watching, listening to or recording them.

That concern is leading some buyers to keep their opinions – and their negotiating position – to themselves.

What buyers said they did because of recording concerns:

• 22% avoided discussing their budget or offer strategy
• 22% hid their excitement about a home
• 21% avoided saying what they disliked
• 19% left a showing
• 18% decided not to make an offer

Overall, 34% of Americans said knowing recording equipment had been used during a showing would make them less likely to submit an offer.

For real estate agents, the findings offer another reason to prepare customers before walking through the door. Buyers can focus on evaluating the property during the showing, then discuss price, enthusiasm, concerns and offer strategy after leaving.

“Assume you’re on camera the moment you walk through the front door,” said Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst.

Sellers most commonly said they used the devices to monitor a vacant property, protect the home or valuables and track who entered. But some also reviewed recordings to learn what buyers liked, gauge their interest or gather information that could be useful in negotiations. Among sellers who had active devices, 45% said what they saw influenced negotiations.

The study also found a divide between how people view cameras as buyers and sellers. While 64% of recent buyers expressed concern about being recorded, 62% of consumers said they would likely leave recording devices active if they were selling a home.

Recording laws vary by state, particularly when audio is involved. Sellers should make sure their devices comply with applicable laws, while agents can remind buyers to treat every showing as though someone may be listening.

LendingTree commissioned QuestionPro to survey 2,000 U.S. adults from June 2-11, 2026. The online survey used a nonprobability-based sample with quotas intended to reflect the broader population.

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