AI for Real Estate Agents: Start With the Problem That Costs You Most

“It sounds nice and glossy, but unless I really know how to use it, I’m not going to do it.”

A realtor client of mine said that as we chatted about AI for real estate agents and I gave her some ideas for her business.

Out loud. On a call. Without a hint of apology.

She wasn’t being difficult. She was telling me the truth, and then she told me exactly what would change her mind:

“Show me what I need to do, and then I can do it.”

And honestly, who doesn’t like an old fashioned show and tell?

Not a laundry list of skills or AI tools for real estate agents. Just a first step she can actually take.

And with that, take a seat while I stand in front of the class and explain what real estate agents can do with AI to improve their business.

What do real estate agents actually do all day besides showing homes?

A lot of it has nothing to do with showing homes or getting a listing ready.

• Entering and tagging contacts in the CRM
• Following up with leads and past clients
• Posting on social media and writing captions
• Writing listing descriptions and marketing copy
• Coordinating showings, photographers and stagers
• Preparing comparative market analyses and pricing reports
• Chasing paperwork, signatures and deadlines during a transaction
• Updating clients on where their deal stands
• Networking, sending handwritten notes and staying in touch

Every agent I’ve spoken to dislikes the first one: CRM hygiene. Going in, adding people, tagging them correctly, not totally sure how the CRM works in the first place, typing leads in by hand. I’m pretty sure nobody got into this business for that type of work.

Which reminds me, I had another call with the same agent. She was spending time every day taking at least 10 to 15 business cards and entering them into her CRM. The point was to get her contacts tagged and segmented so she could send a blast email. And according to her,

“Right now they’re just sitting.”

A pile of cards, untagged contacts and emails she never got around to sending. Somewhere in all of that chaos is someone ready to sell their home. And sadly, without the right system, she’ll never get to them.

None of this is showing homes or working with a listing. It’s behind-the-scenes operations. It’s the work of being seen, so that someone might ask you to show a home or sell theirs.

And on top of it all, agents have a worry that if they don’t use AI, they’re going to fall behind and lose business to a real estate agent who uses AI. It’s the same way they feel about social media.

You wear every hat in your business and you’re also the one with the least time to try on a new one.

How do I use AI as a real estate agent?

Start with the one problem that costs you time, energy, or money, and point AI at that before anything else.

Here are some examples of things AI can do in your business. Pick one that costs you the most and start there:

• Follow-up. Give AI your notes on a lead or past client and have it draft the text or email. New leads, open house sign-ins, past clients, your sphere. You read it, edit it and send it.
• CRM cleanup. Hand it names, notes and business card details and have it format, tag and segment them so the list is ready to use. No more typing leads in by hand.
• Content. Turn your own notes into listing descriptions, market updates and social captions. Give it samples of your writing first so it sounds like you.
• Transaction admin. Paste in the key dates from a contract and have it build a checklist of deadlines, or draft status updates for your clients.
• Prep. Have it outline a listing presentation or neighborhood talking points before a meeting. You verify every number and fact.

Two things make any of these work. First, give it context before you ask for anything: who you serve, where, your goals and how you talk. Second, review everything before it reaches a client. AI drafts; you decide what goes out. Check your brokerage’s policy before putting client details into any AI tool.

You don’t need to build an entire AI Operation in one afternoon. Instead, pick one, build it, see how it works for you, and make improvements until it works the way you need. Then move on to the next.

What are the best AI tools for real estate agents?

The best AI tool depends on the job, and some of the best people using AI every day use more than one. Here’s what I’d reach for, by task:

• Claude Cowork for integrated workflows. It connects to the tools you already use, like your email, calendar and files, so you can build repeatable workflows such as follow-up and CRM cleanup. This is what I use.
• ChatGPT for image generation. Create visuals and graphics to go with your posts and marketing.
• Canva or Higgsfield for content creation. Build the posts, flyers and visuals you share on social media.
• Perplexity for deep research. Dig into a neighborhood, a market trend or a question before a client meeting. Verify what it finds before you share it.

The tool matters less than which problem you point it at. A great tool aimed at a minor problem will lose to an average one aimed at the right problem. I don’t make the rules. ;)

Will AI replace real estate agents?

Absolutely not. I think AI will make good agents great and great agents otherworldly. But at the end of the day, real estate is a relationship driven business. People want to work with real people, especially on high stakes transactions such as buying a home.

That’s not to say AI won’t have an impact on the industry at all. Buyers are seeking counsel from AI more often, scrutinizing listing information, comparing neighborhoods based on their lifestyle preferences, and more.

This will put pressure on agents and brokerages to offer something that AI can’t: discernment, relationship-building, judgment, and true local expertise. Not every agent will be up to the task.

The best agents will continue building relationships, networking, taking people to listings, and giving clients a high-level experience. That last one is what’s expected of agents right now, especially with people pushing back on commissions.

You didn’t get into this to be a data-entry department. You got into it for people.

A prompt to get you started with AI

If an agent told me they’d never touched AI, this is where I’d have them begin. Open Claude or ChatGPT and prompt something like this:

Hi, my name is [your name], and I’m a real estate agent in the [county or area you serve] area. I focus on helping [who you serve]. I want to grow my business by [X] percent. I normally get business through [where do most of your leads come from]. What type of work can you handle to help me reach my goal? Give me five to 10 things you can do that would take work off my plate and help me get there. Ask me clarifying questions.

Notice what’s important. You told it who you are, who you serve, where your business comes from, and what you want. Then you asked what it can take off your plate.

If the list is a little off, tell it. The conversation is how you stop using a chat window and start building a real system that does work for you. I covered the bigger picture for any small business owner in my last article.

Not sure which problem is the best one to start with?

On velvetrook.com there’s a free gap analysis that shows you where the gaps in your business are, the ones AI can help fill.

Fun story, and this has happened with several clients of Velvet Rook. They came in thinking they had one specific problem, we went through a custom gap analysis, and they learned there was a larger opportunity that needed to be prioritized. Once they saw that, we prioritized the right problem and got to fixing it.

Tell me what task you want AI to take off your plate: hello@velvetrook.com. I’d love to hear from you.

KC