Artificial intelligence is changing how millions of people work. A recent Microsoft study found occupations ranging from historians and translators to writers and sales representatives are among those most exposed to AI disruption.
As AI rapidly expands, workers across industries are asking the same question: “Is my job AI-proof?”
Real estate certainly hasn’t escaped the AI evolution. The latest tools can write listing descriptions, analyze market data, generate entire marketing campaigns, answer client questions and even help buyers search for homes in mere seconds.
“I am not intimidated by AI,” says Reinaldo Gonzalez, broker-owner of InvesTeam Realty in Doral, Fla. “On the contrary, I encourage mastery of it. Those professionals who lose their position are often only passing along information, which AI now does more quickly and cheaply. The successful agents have always understood that the true value isn’t just in information—it’s in trust, judgment, accountability, presence and honesty.”
The numbers suggest consumers still value that human expertise. Just 5% of home sales last year were For Sale By Owner—the lowest share on record—while a record 91% of sellers worked with an agent, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
REALTOR® News asked industry professionals across the country why they believe agents remain uniquely positioned in an AI-driven world—and which human skills will matter even more as technology continues to evolve.
1. Judgment and experience shape better decisions.
AI can process large amounts of data quickly, but real estate decisions rarely have one clear answer.
“AI can generate answers but cannot make judgments in ambiguous situations,” Gonzalez says. “Good judgment arises from recognizing patterns formed through experience—dealing with failed deals, client setbacks and early mistakes you learn from and never repeat.”
Sander Scott, broker at Net Real Estate in Northport, Mich., agrees. “Information and computation is not judgment,” he says. “An agent’s role isn’t just about providing information; it’s about helping people interpret what that information means” and providing context.
2. Understanding people is the heart of real estate.
Beyond reading market data and comparable sales, “real estate, success often comes down to understanding motivation, emotion and timing,” says Shane Brady, a real estate pro at Keller Williams, who is licensed in Massachusetts and Florida. “You can hear uncertainty in a seller’s voice, confidence in a buyer’s tone, or hesitation that signals an opportunity to adjust your strategy. Those moments don’t show up in the MLS or a chatbot response. They happen in real conversations.”
Christina Rordam, a real estate pro with Florida Realty Investments in Orlando, Fla., says experienced agents know how to “read the room” in reaching a meeting of minds between buyers and sellers.
“It’s difficult to quantify an instinct, a professional gut feeling based on decades of experience as well as verbal and non-verbal cues,” she says. “We see people as people, not bits of code or just another number.”
“We see people as people, not bits of code or just another number.” –Christina Rordam, Florida Realty Investments, Orlando, Fla.
3. Understanding properties means seeing what technology can’t.
AI can analyze documents and photos, but it can’t experience a property the way people do.
Greg Field, a real estate professional with HomeSmart in Phoenix, says an algorithm “cannot walk into a home … and smell the subfloor animal damage that the seller was trying to cover up with an air freshener. … A computer sees a three-bedroom house on paper; an experienced agent sees a liability or opportunity.”
In fact, buyers rank real estate agents who “point out unnoticed features or faults with a property” as the top benefit when working with an agent, even above negotiating a better sales price, according to NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report.
Rachel Kilmer, a real estate pro with ReeceNichols Real Estate in Kansas City, Mo., says she’s seeing more buyers upload inspection reports into ChatGPT to estimate repair costs. “If you do that ... it will be $20,000 or $30,000 because it’ll call out every little thing,” Kilmer says. AI may total every recommended repair, but it struggles to distinguish which issues are priorities and which are relatively minor, she says.
4. Negotiation requires human intuition.
Winning a deal isn’t always about offering the highest price. Experienced agents tailor offers around seller’s motivations and priorities.
Libby McKinney Tritschler, with Team AFA’s William Raveis Real Estate in Southport, Conn., says successful negotiations often hinge on questions AI can’t easily answer when it comes to judging seller’s motivation such as: Should you include an escalation clause? Is it better to strengthen your deposit, adjust the closing date, modify contingencies or simply increase the price? What matters most to this particular seller?
AI “can’t negotiate after a difficult inspection, recognize when a deal is starting to fall apart, read the emotions in the room or advocate for a client’s best interests when thousands—or even tens of thousands—of dollars are on the line,” adds Jim Gruler, a Phoenix-based real estate broker with Hunter James Properties and co-founder of Seeking Agents.
5. Anticipating problems before they happen.
No two transactions unfold exactly alike. Experienced agents spot potential issues before they derail a deal.
Harrison Kaye, a former real estate agent and now CEO of Reel Estate, an AI-based media company, says AI can automate repetitive tasks but “real estate agents are often problem solvers … these are the tasks that AI systems struggle with.” He notes AI cannot explain contract terms to clients, negotiate, calm anxious buyers or sellers or adapt when unexpected issues arise. “AI is used to expand your business … but not a replacement.”
Kristen Keegan, 2026 president at Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® and broker-owner of Silver Key Homes Realty, says agents help clients navigate stressful moments: “We calm the nerves of the first-time buyer sitting at the closing table and often times we are able to recognize potential issues and find resolutions before they arise.”
6. Knowing when to walk away.
Sometimes the best advice isn’t moving forward with a transaction. Agents who are REALTORS® have a fiduciary duty to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own—even when that means walking away from a commission.
“The most impactful advice I’ve ever given clients is essentially ‘walk away,’” Gonzalez says. “‘Not this property, not this price, not now.’ That guidance doesn’t earn me a commission and requires true conviction because honesty costs money. ... Sometimes, the greatest value a professional offers is knowing when to halt the deal altogether.”
7. Advocating for clients’ best interests.
AI can answer questions, but agents advocate for their clients throughout one of life’s largest financial decisions.
Chris Atwell, 2026 president of the Orlando Regional REALTORS® Association, says “AI cannot replace human judgment, earned trust and advocacy that [agents who are] REALTORS® bring to the real estate buying, selling and leasing experience.” Selling or purchasing is a “personal, strategic and emotional decision,” he says.
“A REALTOR® brings local market expertise, professional experience, negotiation skills and the ability to understand what a client truly needs, even when the client may not yet be able to adequately identify and articulate those needs,” he adds.
8. Relationships build trust and get deals done.
Real estate is built on relationships, even those that extend beyond the buyer and seller.
Todd Drowlette, managing director of Titan Commercial Realty Group in New York and star of A+E network’s “The Real Estate Commission,” says “AI cannot deal with personality conflicts and the human psychology of a deal … knowing what to say when and when to say nothing at all. It doesn’t have the relationships with inspectors, attorneys, title companies and other professionals to expedite deals.”
Wyatt Simon, owner of Omaha Home Advisors in Omaha, Neb., says many clients he works with may also be navigating a divorce, probate, foreclosure, inheritance or financial hardship. “These interactions demand empathy, trust and creative thinking,” Simon says. “AI can give you the information that you need, but it won’t be able to sit at your kitchen table, establish your trust and walk you through your emotional crisis.”
9. Accountability has real consequences.
Unlike AI, agents who are REALTORS® operate under a Code of Ethics and are professionally accountable for the advice they provide.
“When I advise a client, my license, reputation and standing in the community are at risk,” Gonzalez says. “A mistake could have serious consequences for me. In contrast, AI doesn’t face such risks. ... Having skin in the game isn’t a flaw of human advice. It’s the fundamental reason why advice carries weight.”
"When I advise a client, my license, reputation and standing in the community are at risk. … Having skin in the game isn’t a flaw of human advice. It’s the fundamental reason why advice carries weight." –Reinaldo Gonzalez, InvesTeamRealty, Doral, Fla.
10. AI is a tool—not a replacement.
Industry professionals overwhelmingly agree that AI will become an increasingly valuable part of real estate, but not a substitute for experienced professionals.
Kaye often returns to one key phrase: “‘You won’t lose your job to AI; you will lose your job to another real estate agent using AI.”
Chris Wands, founder of The Wands Team at Douglas Elliman in Miami, agrees. “AI absolutely makes strong agents even more efficient,” he says. “But real estate is still a people business. Clients do not just need information. They need someone who can interpret that information, advocate for them, anticipate problems before they happen, and guide them through the moments when the deal becomes complicated, emotional or high stakes. That’s where an experienced real estate agent remains irreplaceable.”
