Property Shares React to AI Hype, While Real Estate Agents Stand Firm

If you follow the financial headlines, you may have noticed a ripple through the property sector this week, as investor speculation on AI effects shares in major real estate firms.

The trigger? Growing speculation that advances in artificial intelligence could make traditional estate agency obsolete, but it overlooks what a people-focused industry property is and what really drives a successful sale.

Local Knowledge, Real Experience

There’s a reason our offices are on the high street. Nothing beats a face-to-face conversation with a local expert.

We know the people, have the connections and we physically visit your home. We see the light in the garden at sunset and hear the quiet of the street on a weekday morning. We can answer a buyer’s spontaneous questions with confidence because we’ve been there ourselves. This isn’t data you can glean from the internet. It’s real experience.

The Art of Negotiation

An AI can process a multitude of house prices and tell you the theoretical value of a property. But it can’t negotiate a deal in person and it does not appreciate all of the implications of a property sale.

A skilled agent has a gift for reading a room. When we sit with a buyer, we’re not just listening to numbers. We’re reading their body language, understanding what matters to them and building the kind of trust that leads to an agreed sale. AI, for all its clever algorithms, cannot look someone in the eye. It can’t build a connection when it matters most, nor understand the emotional journey of moving home to our clients

The Online-Only Experiment

Online agents have tried before to take over the industry, with significant investment behind them. Their promise was simple: lower fees, less fuss.

It hasn’t worked on a wider scale because they misunderstood the business. When a sale hits a problem, when a chain gets tricky, sellers don’t want a chatbot. They want the person who shook their hand, who knows their home and who can physically be there to help sort things out. You can’t replace that with an app.

AI is a Tool, Not an Agent

Let’s be clear. AI is a useful tool. It helps us streamline tasks and can even assist with drafting descriptions. But it works best alongside experienced agents, not instead of them.

Take property listings. AI is still not accurate enough to be left alone. A small change in wording could misrepresent a home, missing the charm of an original fireplace or describing the layout incorrectly. We have to check everything it produces. Why? Because AI hasn’t walked through the front door. It doesn’t know what really stands out.

Like many others in the property industry, we’d argue that it remains a relationship-driven business . AI can draft a contract, but it cannot navigate the nuances of a negotiation.

AI helps us work more efficiently. But it cannot replace the judgement, the local knowledge, and the real-life experience that are at the heart of what we do.

There’s an old saying: home is where the heart is. For something that matters that much, you need a real-life person and expert by your side. If you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’ll be happy to help. Book a free, no-obligation valuation here and your local office will get in touch. 

Sources:

Property sector hit as investors bet AI can replace estate agents

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