We’re living in a transformative era in real estate marketing, and relying solely on the MLS or Google ranking won’t cut it in 2025. Consumers are overwhelmed with options and expect more from their agents. With shifting buyer behavior, an uncertain economy and advances in technology popping up constantly, brokerages have to become trusted advisors to be successful.
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Today’s top agents win by being local, fast, personal and powered by tech. When discussing technology, research by JLL found that AI and Generative AI are among the top technologies expected to have the most significant impact on the real estate sector.
Great expectations
According to Salesforce’s Sixth Edition State of Service report, 77 percent of customers expect to interact with someone immediately when they contact a company. This is an undeniable sign that relying on generic marketing materials will no longer suffice. To stand out, agents must become true advisors who meet their clients where they are in language, format, speed and platforms.
There has been a shift in both mindset and message. Clients do not just want to see pretty homes in listings; they want expertise, guidance and reassurance from an expert who knows the local market and can meet their individual needs.
Today’s consumer journey is nonlinear, trust-driven and multi-platform by default. It’s not about chasing trends, it’s about showing up with value everywhere they’re already looking.
Build your brand across touchpoints
When it comes to marketing a property, it has to be more than just pushing the listing on the MLS. You should be treating every listing like a micro-brand that provides buyers with an experience they can’t find anywhere else.
Custom landing pages, professional property videos and blog content (with FAQs included) are great places to start. Once those are in place, it is time to audit and optimize your online presence.
Remember, you’re no longer just marketing to humans; you’re training machines to trust and recommend your brand. Where the focus used to be mainly on SEO, you now have to think about AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) as well. And, when optimized, all of your tried-and-true marketing and PR efforts — press releases, awards, speaking engagements — will help strengthen those rankings.
The shift might feel subtle, but its impact is seismic. You need to be understood by both people and AI.
Embrace AI
UN trade and development says that by 2033, AI technology will be so integrated across the world that it will quadruple the tech market we currently have and be the dominant force in technology that we use, turning into a $4.8 trillion industry.
It’s difficult to say how much of that will specifically be dedicated to real estate services alone, but it is safe to say that it will likely be a regular, not new part of customer service for real estate agents.
Large Language Marketing (LLM) platforms, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, can be utilized to assist with tasks ranging from writing listing descriptions to researching local trends and auditing your digital footprint. With the recent release of ChatGPT’s new GPT-5 model, the platform is even better equipped to help agents and their businesses. Some examples include:
- The ChatGPT Agent can save you hours by drafting and sending out emails for different lead segments (first-time buyers, investors, those looking to downsize) with personalized hooks for each.
- The platform can quickly analyze competitor listings, review online comments to detect buyer concerns/preferences, and output insights from industry reports so that you can quickly share them with clients before the competition.
- Quickly turn MLS data into persuasive property descriptions, create social media content calendars and generate educational blog content.
A good way to start is to search for your name or business in a LLM (from an anonymous account, not to sway the results) and see what comes up. If what you find is not accurate, consistent or representative of your brand, that’s a sign that your content is falling short, and you need to address it.
Using tech to deepen the connection
In today’s market, it’s not just what you say, it’s how fast and consistently you say it. Studies show that responding to a lead within five minutes dramatically increases your chance of conversion, and in the coming years, that window could drop to under two minutes.
At the same time, AI tools are looking at sentiment when summarizing search results. If your reviews and your content do not align, AI is going to know, and so are your prospects. Consistency is critical, and being inconsistent can cause distrust.
Technology like AI should never replace the human connection, but enhance it. The combination of tech and a profoundly personal, hyperlocal approach will position agents not just as people who sell homes, but as true advisors in their clients’ journeys.
In the new era of real estate, trust is your brand, and service, speed, and sentiment are some of the best tools to help you build it.
This article was inspired by a panel at Inman Connect San Diego.
