One in six show off online using fake photos of ‘home’

THE days of keeping up with the Joneses by showing off a well-kept garden or a new car have been replaced by the desire to have the best home on social media, even if it is not yours.

A survey has found one in six British adults (16.5 per cent) confess to posting pictures of a house that wasn’t theirs in order to impress others on Instagram.

A further 26 per cent were so green with envy at images of friends’ properties that it made them miserable.

The need to impress is so overwhelming for some that 44 per cent of adults, aged 25-35, confessed that they would buy an item for their home with the sole purpose of photographing it for social media. Nearly half would then return it to the shop for a refund. A home that did not look “Instagrammable” would put off 18 per cent of potential buyers aged 18-24, while almost 17 per cent would be willing to pay more for a property that would look good on the social network.

A further 6 per cent said they would consider how the surrounding area looked on social media before putting down a deposit on a new home.

Researchers also found that 45 per cent of homeowners aged 35-45 found interior design ideas on social sites.

The Ideal Home Show surveyed 2,000 UK adults. Justin Levett, a spokesman for the organisation, said: “Our research reveals that an obsession with social media is causing Brits to lie about what their properties really look like online in an effort to keep up with the Joneses.”