Tech of a Life 6 - Is AI Changing the Ways Consumers Search for Properties?

Rich Hayes, Chief Operating Officer at Zoopla, discusses how AI is enhancing personalisation, improving property listings, and streamlining processes like conveyancing — to enable agents to give consumers the slicker transaction experience that they have long been crying out for. While AI has not yet reached its full potential in revolutionising the residential property industry, Rich identifies that huge opportunities lie ahead in reducing inefficiencies and enhancing customer experiences.

How is AI and automation transforming the experience of buying, selling, and renting homes for consumers?

At the moment, AI is not having a massive impact on the home-buying process, but it is making strides in key areas. At Zoopla, we are particularly focused on personalising user experiences. By analysing user intent, we can serve more relevant content and tailor digital interactions based on advanced intent scores.

Another key focus is enriching property listings. We are exploring ways to analyse images and extract valuable insights – such as whether a home has a sea view, a kitchen island, or a garage – since these are frequently searched features. This enhances the search experience and allows for greater customisation.

AI-powered recommendation engines also present exciting opportunities. We’ve seen their success in industries like recruitment and e-commerce, where platforms suggest jobs or products based on user preferences. AI can similarly guide consumers to relevant property listings, offering a “next best action” approach that improves the overall search experience.

Looking further ahead, AI has the potential to transform customer support. While human agents will always play a critical role in the final stages of property transactions, AI can assist by collecting and processing information, identifying anomalies, and flagging potential errors. Although not widely implemented yet, this kind of automation could create more efficient pipelines and internal processes.

Consumers now expect faster, more personalised interactions. How can Estate Agents use AI to improve customer experience while maintaining trust and transparency?

AI should be seen as an enhancement rather than a replacement for human interaction. For consumers, trust and personal connections remain fundamental, just like in industries such as hairdressing. However, AI can optimise the process by handling labour-intensive tasks such as data entry and document analysis.

For instance, AI is already making strides in legal tech by analysing contracts and identifying key risks. Estate Agents can similarly use AI to automate administrative tasks, ensuring transactions proceed smoothly and allowing them to focus on building trust with clients.

Another area where AI can add value is market analysis. Being an expert in local house prices is a powerful tool for Estate Agents to engage potential sellers. AI can efficiently analyse pricing trends and provide insights that enhance an agent’s credibility. This data-driven approach is especially useful for social media engagement and local marketing.

Transparency is key in maintaining trust when integrating AI. Consumers need to understand which aspects of the process are AI-driven and which are managed by human agents. By clearly defining these roles, Estate Agents can reassure clients that AI is being used to enhance their experience, not replace personal service.

What advancements in AI will have the biggest impact on consumer decision-making in the next few years?

Speed and reliability are top priorities for consumers. AI has the potential to significantly reduce transaction times and minimise the risk of deals falling through. One key application is in conveyancing, where AI can analyse deeds and land registry documents to identify issues early in the process.

Many aspects of the property transaction process are still outdated and paper-driven, leading to inefficiencies and errors. AI can mitigate these risks by ensuring accuracy and reducing the likelihood of costly mistakes. For Estate Agents, this translates to higher conversion rates and lower operational costs. With commissions under pressure and fewer transactions occurring than in previous decades, agents must either increase their fees – a challenging prospect in a competitive market – or find efficiencies.. AI can help optimise workflows, making businesses more efficient and sustainable.

In terms of search functionality, AI can improve the relevance of property recommendations. Recent discussions around “agentic search” – where AI bypasses traditional property portals – have sparked debate. However, portals remain invaluable to consumers because of their extensive data processing capabilities. By continuously enhancing data quality and search relevance, portals can maintain their central role in property transactions.

Estate Agents consistently tell us that they don’t just want more leads; they want quality leads. AI can help by refining search experiences, ensuring that the right properties reach the right buyers. Importantly, AI can introduce an element of discovery. Consumers often have rigid criteria when searching for a home, but AI can suggest properties that might not have been on their radar.

Over time, AI-driven search experiences will likely evolve, but the businesses that invest in high-quality data and sophisticated personalisation will have the greatest advantage.