Perhaps never before have two initials together captivated the masses like A and I have. Artificial Intelligence has become so buzzworthy as to simultaneously amaze and alarm, with working people on one hand thirsting to utilize its extraordinary powers while on the other worrying whether their job skills might soon be rendered obsolete.
It’s fully the former for those in the residential real estate industry, as human interactions are the very essence of the business, establishing relationships with clients to guide them through the winding process of buying and selling homes. Rather than seeing threats, agents are focused on the opportunities AI now providees to make their jobs easier, saving time on former busy-work type tasks.
“AI has been a gamechanger,” says Raegen Trimmer, co-owner of Madison, Wisconsin-based RE/MAX Preferred, “especially when it comes to efficiency and agent support. One big way we’re using AI is in content creation. Instead of spending hours writing and rewriting, we can fine-tune messaging in minutes and keep things consistent across platforms. We’ve revamped our entire agent-training programs using AI programs to train on the right topics at the right time, giving our agents valuable information and data to support their businesses.
“We also use AI for market insights, analyzing large amounts of data from our MLS regarding current listing and sold trends. We’re able to quickly identify shifts in the market to better educate our agents and clients about what’s happening in our local markets. This allows our agents to give clients real-time, data-driven advice.
“Another area where AI has improved our brokerage is in recruiting and onboarding new agents,” he continues. “AI-driven data helps us track agent performance, making the recruitment process more strategic, and allowing us to recruit the agents who fit our culture and business model. Once an agent joins, we streamline onboarding with automated reminders and interactive resources that help them get up to speed quickly. It makes the transition smoother and ensures they feel supported from day one.”
For Pam Rosser Thistle, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® in Philadelphia, AI can serve useful purposes, but the downside is no longer being on top of everything.
“In the 2010s, AI seemed like the magic everyone was striving for,” she says. “And it has helped productivity. I have mastered how to use it as a productive tool that I can blend with my personality and experience. But some use it too much, and without thought. It can feel like agents are running their businesses on autopilot. Also, the information often needs editing. AI has not been taught about Fair Housing, and uses forbidden words like ‘family room’ and ‘master suite.’ And it seems too flowery without substance sometimes.
“Where are we going with this? In my opinion, we have enough. I also have some concern about the environmental impact of AI. An incredible amount of energy is needed to power it. But I am grateful for the efficiencies it has given me, reducing the stress of my day-to-day life.”
Broker Sean Adu-Gyamfi, of Coldwell Banker Warburg, in New York City, relates that AI has been a powerful and strategic tool for growing his business, and one of the most impactful ways has been developing and executing proper social media strategy.
“As I mapped out my 2025 business plan, I had AI help me break down the demographic insights of the major social media platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube,” he explains. “In the past, I’ve used the same content and captions for each platform. AI has allowed me to create platform-specific messaging that resonates with each audience. This targeted approach has improved engagement and expanded my reach while positioning me as a thought leader. I wanted to maximize my online presence in the most meaningful way, and AI has helped tremendously.”
At RISMedia’s Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year virtual event, attended by thousands of agents and brokers nationwide, four industry leaders provided perspectives and advice in a session titled, “How AI Can Increase Your Value to Clients.”
They were Morgan Carey, CEO of Real Estate Webmasters; Sam Debord, CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO); Marki Lemons-Ryhal, a speaker with ReMarkiTable; and Kimberly Offord, a business coach with The Referral Store.
Discussing the transformative impact of AI in the real estate industry, the panel explored practical applications of AI for agents and brokers, such as systematizing documentation, creating personalized branding and enhancing client communication. They highlight tools like ChatGPT for generating elevator pitches, Studio D-ID for creating avatars and Midjourney for image generation. The discussion also covered the importance of developing a unique voice for AI models, and using AI to produce training materials and lead magnets.
DeBord shared his practical advice. “Systematize, digitize, automate,” he says. “You’ve got to have your current documentation together—your differentiator, your value proposition.” He encouraged using AI to help craft the perfect elevator pitch.
Offord explained how agents could leverage AI to build their personal brand and niche. “Use ChatGPT like it’s your branding manager…to understand your strengths, weaknesses and target market.”
Lemons-Ryhal recommended developing a unique “voice” before training AI models, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the customer’s needs, not just promoting yourself.
Carey raved about the Captions app, which allowed him to create an avatar of himself to produce content. “You can have it generate funny scripts and just send goofy stories to the kids,” he says.
Other points made included:
- Agents are often on the go, so providing audio versions of training materials can make them more accessible
- The goal is to make learning and retaining foundational skills easier, more efficient and repetitive for agents
- AI allows agents to focus more time on building client relationships
- By gathering top listing presentation examples from team leaders to have ChatGPT analyze and create a best practices guide, ChatGPT is able to produce a better standardized listing presentation than the original examples
- Leveraging AI can save a lot of time and produce amazing content
- Developing a personalized “voice” or writing style is important when using AI tools
So how will AI impact real estate sales even more going forward? Dan Bertelson, co-owner of RE/MAX Preferred with Trimmer, sees it this way.
“If agents aren’t leveraging AI in their businesses, they’re wasting time,” he says. “For me, AI has been a major efficiency booster allowing our agents to do more in less time, creating more availability for serving additional clients. One of their favorite ways to use it is for communication. They can draft personalized emails, define property searches based on buyer behavior and maximize a seller’s home value using AI-driven pricing strategies. This gives both buyers and sellers a far more tailored experience.
“Additionally, as efficiency is improved in the transaction process, we are able to reduce paperwork, automate follow-ups and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This will speed up closings, making transactions smoother for both buyers and sellers. One of the most underappreciated aspects of AI right now is how predictive analytics play a huge role in
what we do. AI can help agents and brokers anticipate market shifts, help clients identify the best times to buy or sell and uncover hidden opportunities. Instead of reacting to the market, we are proactively guiding clients with real-time data-backed insights.
“At the end of the day, AI won’t replace real estate professionals, but it will amplify our ability to serve more clients, build more personalized relationships and close deals faster. It’s about working smarter, not harder. The agents who embrace AI will have a competitive edge, and that’s why we’re making it a priority here.”
