AI Doesn’t Smell the Litterbox or Hear the Barking Dog: Why You Still Need a Human Agent
In my last blog post, I explored the topic of AI vs. real estate agents. To be fully transparent, I still stand firmly in support of working with a trusted agent—after all, that's why I got my license. That said, as I mentioned previously, AI can be a powerful tool for us as realtors. In this post, let’s take a deeper dive into where AI gets it wrong in real estate—and why that matters.
Most of us are familiar with the term ‘Zestimate’ - a blend of Zillow and estimate, coined by the real estate platform Zillow when it launched in 2006. It refers to Zillow’s proprietary algorithm that provides an estimated market value for homes, whether they’re listed for sale. While this may be a good starting point, how accurate are they? Those values are only as smart as the data behind them and not everything that affects a home’s value shows up in that data.
WHAT CAN’T AI DO – HOW DOES IT FALL SHORT
1) AI Isn’t Able to View the Home’s Interior Condition
It can’t smell the litterbox, wet dog, cigarette smoke, stale perfume, odors from years and years of meals, or musty basements
It doesn’t see the stained carpets, the chipped cabinets, the missing trim, and the mineral encrusted plumbing fixtures
It’s not able to gauge the lighting, the ceiling heights, the flow from room to room, or the style
2) AI Doesn’t Hear the Neighborhood Noise
It can’t hear barking dogs, overhead air traffic, nearby trains, the garage rock band next door, and the noisy traffic
3) AI Assumes All ‘3-bed/2-bath/2-car garage’ Homes Are Equal
It doesn’t notice the ‘Frankenhouse’ with its 3 quirky front doors
It can’t see the fresh paint on the exterior
It doesn’t know one house has a brand-new HVAC while the other’s is 20 years old
It overlooks the custom upgrades that make one home stand out
It doesn’t realize the ‘2-car garage’ barely fits a full-sized pickup
What Zillow Sees Vs. What a Human Sees
AI SEES:
3 bed, 2 bath
$325,000
AGENT SEES:
$310,000 (because it's across from a busy school)
Renovated kitchen
Cabinets were resurfaced only; no appliance upgrades
2-car garage - But it's narrow—can’t fit two cars
Finished basement
Low ceilings, smells musty, poor lighting
4) AI Overlooks Location Differences
It doesn’t recognize when one street feels more appealing or is better maintained than another
It doesn’t consider that a single block’s difference could mean a different school district, lower taxes, or a stricter HOA
5) AI Can’t Know What’s Behind the Walls
It can’t detect foundation concerns, cracks in the walls, evidence of water damage, or the DIY projects
6) AI Can’t Replace the Human Factor
gents rely on all five senses – seeing, smelling, hearing, and even intuition - to evaluate a property
Agents dig deeper to uncover why certain homes sell for a higher price, even within the same neighborhood or geographic area
Humans have gut instincts – nuance, emotion, and wisdom – that no algorithm can replicate
As I mentioned at the start of this blog, I’d like to make one final appeal: buyers and sellers, continue partnering with a trusted agent, not an algorithm when navigating through what is likely be one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. If you’re thinking of buying or selling, give us a call. Let’s talk.
Sandi Downing Real Estate/Keller Williams Greater Omaha
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