ANN ARBOR = Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries once thought immune to automation, and the U.S. real estate business could be among the first major professional sectors to feel the impact.
For decades, home buyers and sellers have relied on real estate agents to access listings, negotiate deals, manage contracts, and navigate the complex paperwork involved in property transactions. But new AI-powered platforms are beginning to automate many of those tasks, raising questions about whether traditional real estate agents could become far less necessary in the coming years.
Technology entrepreneurs say the shift is already underway.
Sasha Poparic, founder of the international property platform Immobilium and author of Immobilium: The Global Real Estate Revolution, believes advances in digital marketplaces and artificial intelligence could dramatically change how people buy and sell homes.
“In much of the world, people already buy and sell property directly without an agent,” Poparic said in interviews promoting his book. “Technology is making it possible for buyers to research, analyze, and complete transactions online with very little friction.”
Jobs Most Vulnerable To AI Disruption
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Jobs Most Likely To Be Disrupted By AI
Profession Why AI Could Replace Parts of the Job Real Estate Agents Property search, valuations, contracts and listing management Lawyers Contract review, legal research, document drafting Doctors Medical imaging analysis, diagnostics, treatment recommendations Accountants Tax preparation, auditing, financial analysis Financial Advisors Portfolio management and investment recommendations Customer Service Chatbots handling inquiries and support Source: McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and academic AI labor studies
Why The U.S. Real Estate Model May Be Changing
The American real estate system has long relied on agents acting as intermediaries between buyers and sellers. Agents typically earn commissions that often total about 5% to 6% of a home’s sale price, which can translate into tens of thousands of dollars on a typical transaction.
But technology is beginning to challenge that model.
AI tools can already perform many tasks traditionally handled by agents, including:
• Searching property databases
• Analyzing comparable home sales
• Estimating property values
• Generating contracts and disclosures
• Scheduling showings and inspections
• Assisting with mortgage approvals
Online property marketplaces are also making listings widely accessible to consumers, reducing the advantage agents once had by controlling access to property information.
Poparic’s Immobilium platform aims to connect buyers with properties across more than 50 countries, allowing investors to compare international real estate opportunities on a single digital marketplace.
Advocates say the next evolution could be “one-click” property transactions, where buyers can browse, analyze, finance, and purchase real estate almost entirely online.
Global Trends Show A Different Model
In many international markets, the real estate industry already operates very differently from the United States.
Poparic argues that in much of the world, a majority of property transactions are conducted directly between buyers and sellers without traditional agent involvement.
If digital property platforms continue expanding and AI tools become more sophisticated, the U.S. market could move closer to that model.
For buyers, the potential benefits include:
• Lower transaction costs
• Faster closings
• Greater transparency
• Easier international property investing
For real estate professionals, however, the shift could force a major rethink of their role.
Rather than serving as gatekeepers of listings and paperwork, agents may increasingly need to position themselves as advisors, negotiators, or local market experts.
AI Is Disrupting More Than Real Estate
The transformation underway in property markets reflects a broader shift across the economy.
Artificial intelligence systems are now capable of performing many analytical and administrative tasks once handled by highly trained professionals.
Industries already experiencing disruption include:
Law
AI software can now review contracts, perform legal research, and draft documents in minutes.
Medicine
AI diagnostic tools are helping doctors analyze medical images and patient data faster than ever before.
Finance
Automated platforms increasingly manage investment portfolios, credit decisions, and risk analysis.
Consulting and accounting
Generative AI systems can summarize complex reports, analyze data sets, and produce strategic recommendations.
Some economists believe these advances could trigger the biggest transformation in white-collar work since the arrival of personal computers.
The Future May Be Human Plus AI
Despite the rapid pace of change, many experts say professionals are unlikely to disappear entirely.
Instead, their roles may evolve.
Real estate agents, lawyers, doctors, and financial advisors may increasingly rely on AI tools to handle routine analysis and paperwork while focusing on human-centered tasks such as advising clients, negotiating complex deals, and building relationships.
In real estate, that could mean agents shifting away from transactional work toward consulting and strategic guidance.
Still, technology companies believe the fundamental economics of many industries are shifting.
When software can perform tasks instantly and at near-zero cost, the traditional role of middlemen becomes harder to justify.
For buyers and sellers in the housing market, that could mean one of the most significant transformations in how property is bought and sold in decades.
And real estate agents may be only the beginnin
