More folks looking to buy a home are opening AI tools first, asking basic questions about budget, neighborhoods, and whether they should even be buying right now.
Realtor.com’s latest announcement leans directly into that reality. On March 17, the company launched a new app inside ChatGPT designed to guide buyers and renters through the early “pre-search” phase, meeting them before they ever start browsing listings.
That raises a bigger question for agents. If the first conversation is happening inside AI, who controls it, and what role do you play once the consumer is ready to move forward?
Here’s how Realtor.com is answering that.
Realtor.com’s AI Strategy Is About Owning the First Conversation
The product itself is simple on the surface. Inside ChatGPT, users can ask questions about what they can afford and where they might want to live, with prompts that guide them toward clearer search criteria.
Realtor.com is also building in a few core features to move users from vague ideas into real decisions:
- First-time buyer prompts that turn general questions into clear search criteria
- A conversational affordability tool based on income and savings
- Neighborhood comparisons based on commute, lifestyle, and schools
The experience is built for first-time buyers, helping them turn vague questions into clear search criteria and move toward connecting with an agent.
This lines up with how consumers are already behaving.
Realtor.com’s own data shows that 82% of Americans are using AI for real estate insights, so the first touchpoint is happening before an agent gets involved.
Damian Eales, CEO of Realtor.com, framed this as part of a larger evolution in how consumers search for homes:
“For 30 years, Realtor.com® has led every major technology shift in how Americans search for homes, while staying true to our mission of connecting them with the professionals who will help them. Today, AI represents the next transformational opportunity to simplify the home journey and deliver greater clarity and confidence to consumers. The combined strengths of Realtor.com®, REA Group and News Corp give us a unique competitive advantage, uniting world-class tech and talent, global insights and deep industry partnerships. With OpenAI, we will meet home buyers wherever they are, keeping the real estate professional central to the experience.”
The company is also making a point about visibility. It wants to be present in the earliest conversations, before consumers land on a portal or reach out to an agent.
Mickey Neuberger, Chief Consumer & Marketing Officer, explained how the platform is designed to meet users at that starting point:
“Our commitment is to make Realtor.com® omnipresent wherever consumers are having conversations about real estate. Our new app in ChatGPT raises the bar, especially for first-time home buyers, putting powerful guidance and clarity in front of consumers from the moment they begin pre-searching. We brought real estate listings to the internet. Now we’re bringing them to AI. As the most trusted site among real estate professionals, we see this as a win for buyers, agents and the broader industry.”
There’s also a clear boundary around how listings are used. The app shows only limited previews, with the full experience still living on Realtor.com.
Anna Marie Castiglioni, Head of Realtor.com® Next, clarified how that structure keeps agents and MLSs involved:
“The Realtor.com® app in ChatGPT is designed to keep agents and MLSs at the center of the real estate transaction, while raising the visibility of their listings. Realtor.com® does not receive listing data through an IDX feed; instead, our unique, direct relationships with MLSs ensure we operate in the best interests of home buyers and sellers, partnering with MLSs that uphold accuracy and transparency across the industry. By only showing a preview of property images and details, the app guides consumers to Realtor.com® to connect with a local expert, schedule a tour, and explore our full suite of advanced search tools.”
Agents still handle everything that follows, even as AI takes on the early questions.
So, the starting point for your next client may not be Google or your website. It may be a question typed into an AI tool late at night, long before that person is ready to talk to anyone.
Realtor.com is building a path that captures that moment and connects it back to an agent.
