Michelle ThompsonThe agency apologized after an ad claimed a house in Farley, NSW, was near two “excellent” schools, despite none existing in the area.
The principal of an LJ Hooker branch, one of Australia’s largest real estate firms, admitted to using ChatGPT for property listings after a rental ad mistakenly claimed a Farley, NSW home was near two “excellent” schools that don’t exist. The listing for the four-bedroom rental, posted on the LJ Hooker website, Domain, and realestate.com.au, initially highlighted its “proximity to excellent educational institutions” as a key feature, stating families would “appreciate being within a short distance from several highly-rated schools.” The agency corrected the error shortly after being notified by Guardian Australia.
The principal of an LJ Hooker branch, one of Australia’s largest real estate firms, admitted to using ChatGPT for property listings after a rental ad mistakenly claimed a Farley, NSW home was near two “excellent” schools that don’t exist. The listing for the four-bedroom rental, posted on the LJ Hooker website, Domain, and realestate.com.au, initially highlighted its “proximity to excellent educational institutions” as a key feature, stating families would “appreciate being within a short distance from several highly-rated schools.” The agency corrected the error shortly after being notified by Guardian Australia.
The principal of an LJ Hooker branch, one of Australia’s largest real estate firms, admitted to using ChatGPT for property listings after a rental ad mistakenly claimed a Farley, NSW home was near two “excellent” schools that don’t exist. The listing for the four-bedroom rental, posted on the LJ Hooker website, Domain, and realestate.com.au, initially highlighted its “proximity to excellent educational institutions” as a key feature, stating families would “appreciate being within a short distance from several highly-rated schools.” The agency corrected the error shortly after being notified by Guardian Australia.
A screenshot of the original rental listing in Farley, NSW. Photo: LJ Hooker Edensor Park.
The LJ Hooker Edensor Park branch advertised a Farley, NSW rental property with details generated by ChatGPT, incorrectly listing nearby “Farley Primary” and “Farley High School” as highlights, though neither school exists. The closest schools are actually in Rutherford and Telarah. After being alerted by Guardian Australia, the agency removed all school references from the listing, which had been posted on major platforms.
Branch principal Patrick Huynh acknowledged the error, attributing it to human oversight and vowing closer review processes. Huynh noted AI’s widespread use in real estate for ad efficiency, explaining that ChatGPT often adds unverified details, which can be problematic, as real estate listings typically only generalize proximity to schools and amenities.
A spokesperson for LJ Hooker emphasized their commitment to accuracy, stating the error was quickly corrected. Renters’ rights activist Jordan van den Berg, who posted about the listing on X, expressed concerns over AI use in real estate, noting it can easily produce inaccuracies without proper verification.
