I experienced something recently that made me rethink the future of our industry. I used an AI agent app to book a haircut, and while that might seem completely unrelated to selling homes, stay with me—because this technology is about to reshape how real estate agents work.

Before we dive into the implications for Realtors, let’s break down what an AI agent actually is, because this is crucial to understanding the coming change in our industry.

 

Siri “on steroids” 

 

An AI agent is essentially a digital assistant that can take real actions on your behalf—not just answer questions or provide information. Imagine, Siri, but on actual steroids. Think of it as having a highly capable personal assistant who can:

1. Understand your specific requests and preferences
2. Take concrete actions in the real world (make calls, send emails, book appointments, negotiate…)
3. Make basic decisions within the boundaries you set
4. Communicate with other AI agents

 

Here’s a simple example of how it works in practice:

When I needed that haircut, instead of spending time searching, calling, and negotiating, I simply told my AI agent what I wanted. I opened the app and said, “I need a haircut appointment nearby on Friday at 6 pm”.

The agent knew my schedule from my calendar, understood my preferences, and within 10 minutes made actual phone calls with a natural-sounding voice to a whole bunch of hair salons in my area. It handled the entire booking process—calling multiple salons, checking availability and scheduling the appointment.  It even confirmed the pricing.
Within a few minutes, the appointment appeared in my calendar.

 

AI agents could handle scheduling at lightning speeds

 

Now, this example just scratches the surface.  It uses AI and a fancy combination of Google searches to actually make AI voice calls.  I’m sure some of the salons were spooked to hear an AI calling them on my behalf and asking for an appointment, however, most of them interacted with the AI and were more than willing to book the appointment.

But imagine taking things to the next level. Many Realtors struggle with keeping up with phone calls, texts and emails. In an era where clients seek instant gratification, a missed call often equals a missed opportunity. 

The real power comes when businesses also have their own AI agents. Then the interaction becomes lightning-fast. From beginning to end, it too my AI agent seconds to book my haircut and put it in my calendar. 

Now, imagine this same efficiency applied to real estate. Instead of the traditional back-and-forth that can take days or weeks, we’re looking at a future of instant, intelligent interactions between buyers’ AI agents and real estate agents’ AI agents.

 

Five key implications for real estate 

 

1. The evolution of property search and matching

Forget about buyers endlessly scrolling through listings. Soon, a buyer’s AI agent will communicate with multiple Realtors’ AI agents simultaneously, instantly matching properties based on detailed criteria. 

But here’s the key—it won’t just match based on bedrooms and bathrooms. 

AI agents will understand nuanced preferences like “character homes with good natural light” or “quiet street with a strong community feel.” This means agents need to be incredibly thorough in their property documentation and descriptions, making sure their listings communicate both tangible and intangible features in a way AI agents can understand.

 

2. Showings and open houses transform

The traditional open house schedule is about to get a major upgrade. AI agents will coordinate showings by matching multiple buyers’ schedules with agent availability.

Smart agents will need systems that can interface with these AI schedulers to make the showing process nearly frictionless. This will mean the in-person experience becomes even more critical—because when buyers do show up, they’re more likely to be serious and well-matched to the property.

 

3. Local expertise becomes programmable knowledge

Your deep understanding of neighbourhoods, school districts, and local market trends needs to be digitized and structured in a way that AI agents can access and communicate. This isn’t just about writing blog posts—it’s about creating detailed, structured data about neighbourhood characteristics, local amenities, and market insights that can be easily parsed by AI systems. The goal is to make your local expertise programmatically accessible while maintaining its human value.

 

4. Relationship building gets supercharged

When AI handles mundane tasks like scheduling, document collection and initial property matching, agents can focus on what truly matters: building relationships and providing strategic advice. The successful real estate agent of tomorrow will be more advisor than scheduler, using the time freed up by AI to develop deeper client relationships and provide more sophisticated guidance about neighbourhoods, investment potential, and property values.

 

5. Transaction coordination becomes seamless

The days of manually coordinating with stagers, mortgage brokers, and inspectors are numbered. AI agents will handle the complex dance of transaction coordination, automatically scheduling inspections, following up on mortgage approvals, and keeping all parties updated on progress. This means agents need to ensure their transaction management systems can communicate effectively with AI agents while focusing their own time on handling negotiations and solving complex problems.

 

How this could work in practice

 

Let’s envision a typical property search in this new world: You have a buyer who says, “Find me a three-bedroom home with a big back yard, a renovated kitchen, and a finished basement apartment,  in a family-friendly neighbourhood under $800,000 with a good school district.”

Buyer’s AI agent:

• Analyzes past search and lifestyle preferences
• Communicates with multiple real estate agents’ AI agents
• Cross-references school ratings and neighbourhood data
• Looks through pictures and descriptions to identify a modern kitchen and a finished basement
• Schedules viewings based on buyer’s calendar
• Pre-qualifies mortgage options
• Coordinates with other service providers (inspectors, title companies)

 

Realtor’s AI agent:

• Matches listings with buyer criteria
• Provides detailed neighbourhood analysis
• Schedules and coordinates showings
• Generates comprehensive property reports
• Initiates preliminary paperwork
• Coordinates with seller’s agent AI

This entire initial process could happen in minutes rather than days, freeing up real estate agents to focus on what truly matters—providing strategic advice and guiding clients through the emotional journey of buying or selling a home.

The implications are clear—real estate agents need to start preparing for this shift now. This means:

• Structuring your listings and market knowledge to be AI-friendly
• Building systems that can communicate with AI agents
• Creating detailed, structured content about your local market
• Developing unique value propositions beyond basic property matching
• Focusing on the human elements that AI cannot replicate

 

The traditional model of real estate—where success was built on MLS listings and phone calls—is evolving into something more sophisticated. Soon, the first point of contact with a potential client might be your AI agent speaking with theirs. The question is: will your business be ready?

Just like my simple haircut booking experience showed me the future of service scheduling, it’s clear that the industry is heading toward an AI-agent-driven model. The agents who thrive will be those who embrace this change, adapting their businesses to work seamlessly with AI agents while doubling down on the human expertise that no AI can replace.

The future of real estate isn’t just digital—it’s delegated. Those who are preparing will have a significant advantage in this new landscape. Because soon enough, “have your agent call my agent” won’t just be a phrase for Hollywood or haircuts—it’ll be how real estate deals begin.

The time to prepare for this future is now. Are you ready?