I’m a private investigator and this is the one thing every homeowner should stop doing

Buying your first home is an exciting milestone in Australia, so much so that it’s almost a tradition to post a picture proudly posing in front of the ‘sold’ sign. 

However, a private investigator has warned homeowners never to share social media photos taken in front of the sign – no matter how many personal details you try to digitally erase such as the address or the real estate agent’s phone number.

Cassie Crofts, who runs a licensed private investigation service called Venus Investigations in Australia, works on cases involving unfaithful partners, including stakeout surveillance and background checks.

The PI, who splits her time between NSW and Queensland, said your ‘I bought a house’ post could potentially reveal more information than you realise. 

She said one of the simple tactics she uses to track down people’s addresses in just minutes is looking at the ‘sold’ sign for clues.

‘If you’re buying a house, you need to hear this,’ Cassie said in a video. 

‘I know you think it’s safe to post your sold sign after taking out the address but all someone like me or someone more nefarious needs to know is your real estate agent.

‘They can go to the website, look at recently sold houses and figure out which one yours is from the pictures.’

Private investigator Cassie Crofts has warned homeowners never to share social media photos taken in front of the sign

The PI said it was straightforward to match the online listing photos with those on the sign, making it easier to narrow down a home address. 

Another thing many people don’t realise is that home listings now feature a QR code, allowing potential buyers to scan it with their phones and be taken directly to the details online. 

‘I bought my first home and I used an app to erase all the texts from the ‘sold’ sign in my photo – including the address and the real estate agent’s contact details. I shared it on my Instagram and didn’t think anything of it,’ a homeowner told Daily Mail.

‘A year later, a friend told me she was able to find my address and how much I paid for the house in seconds because the QR code on my sign was still active. 

‘I immediately took the photo down.’

The PI, who splits her time between NSW and Queensland , said your ‘I bought a house’ post could potentially reveal more information than you realise (stock image)

Buying your first home is an exciting milestone in Australia, so much so that it’s almost a tradition to post a picture proudly posing in front of the ‘sold’ sign (stock image)

The private investigator’s warning is a reminder for homeowners to be vigilant before posting on social media to celebrate what they believe to be one of their biggest achievements in life. 

Her video has been viewed more than 12,000 times – with some confessing they always try to track down a friend or family’s address by looking up clues from their ‘sold’ sign.

‘I’m a buyers agent and I make it a game to work out where properties are from sold sign pictures in my area,’ one said.  

‘This is my biggest flex and favourite online hobby. Not nefarious though… just creepy,’ another added.