How to Rank in AI Search Results in 2025: A Real Estate Agent’s Guide

Picture this: It’s 2:00 a.m. and a hopeful buyer is asking ChatGPT, “Who’s the best real estate agent in my area to help me sell my million dollar single-family home?” They’re not scrolling Google’s page-one results. They’re just trusting an AI. So how do you, a dedicated real estate pro, make sure your name gets spit out in that all-important answer? That’s where a new twist on SEO—sometimes called “GEO” (Generative Engine Optimization)—comes into play.

You’ve probably heard the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) a hundred times. Maybe you’ve tinkered with keywords, added some alt text on images, or optimized your website’s meta descriptions. All that stuff still matters. But GEO (or AEO, “Answer Engine Optimization,” as some folks call it) goes further—aiming not only for page-one status but for mention in AI-generated answers. It’s a bigger leap than you might think, because artificial intelligence (especially large language models or LLMs) isn’t just about finding you in a keyword list; it’s about comprehending the entire context of your brand, your location, your expertise, your reviews, and a bunch of other visibility signals that scream “Yes, this agent is the answer.”

In this eye-opening guide, we’re going to talk straight: how can you, a successful real estate agent, earn a prime spot in the next wave of AI-driven search? We’ll equip you with the specific how-tos. By the end, you’ll get the difference between SEO and GEO, see exactly how to boost your presence to artificial intelligence-hungry search engines, and discover how to bake these changes into your daily real estate hustle.

Ready to find out how all this works?

Is Traditional SEO Dead? Nope. But GEO Takes It Further

Let’s be very clear: SEO still matters—a lot. People still Google things (and Google’s still an 800-pound gorilla). But the future? It’s leaning toward direct Q&A or conversation-driven results. That’s the domain of ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Google Bard, and whatever other generative AI assistants pop up next week.

So how’s this different from SEO? Traditional SEO focuses on matching your website with specific keyword Google searches. GEO focuses on making your content “answer-worthy” so that artificial intelligence can present it in a conversation. In other words:

See the difference? It’s more about weaving you directly into the AI’s knowledge base. And by the way, you might be doing some of this already—like producing relevant content that thoroughly answers client questions. But now, you need to go deeper. Let’s jump in.

Pick the Right Keywords for Core Ranking Factors in Google AI Overviews (Long-Tail, Conversational Style)

I want everyone to pay attention to this because it’s the backbone of pretty much every SEO conversation: keywords. But for GEO or “AI SEO,” we’re talking about long-tail, more conversational terms.

These phrases match the way real humans talk to artificial intelligence. People no longer type single-word searches into a box. They ask entire questions—maybe even with some extra fluff. And the AI? It’s good at deciphering all that fluff. If you have a blog or a page that explicitly answers that question, you’re in a good spot.

Pro Tip: Fire up something like Google “People Also Ask” feature or even to see how actual questions are phrased. Jot down a few, incorporate them naturally in your articles or FAQ sections, and watch as you capture search queries you never knew existed.

Create Hyper-Relevant, No-B.S. AI Content for SEO and AI Search Results

Raise your hand if you’ve ever read a real estate blog that recycles the same “Top 5 curb appeal tips” nonsense for the millionth time. That used to score you some SEO points, but now, artificial intelligence is looking for fresh context, deeper relevance, and actual answers to real questions. Thin content doesn’t cut it (if your goal is SEO anyway).

Go Local, Go Niche

Real estate is (almost) always local. So go hyper-local. If you handle properties in Miami’s Coconut Grove, create content about the current property tax environment in Coconut Grove, the hidden gem restaurants only locals know, or the typical HOA fees in that specific community. 81% of people say they want detailed local content when deciding on an agent. So feed them exactly that.

Q&A Format Crushes 

LLMs devour short, clear Q&As. Think of it as pre-packaging your content for the AI. Example:

Format it like that, and you’re literally giving LLMs the snippet it needs.

Back Up Claims with Data

Now what I love about real stats is that artificial intelligence recognizes them as “authority signals.” If you say, “According to the Miami Realtors Association, Coconut Grove’s average sale price rose 12% in 2024,” the artificial intelligence tool sees you’re citing a legitimate source. It’s more likely to mark your content as trustworthy. So if you have local market data, mention it. Link it. It might just read those backlinks, internalize them, and reference you as the expert.

On-Site Optimization: Schema, FAQ Sections & Fresh Updates

Think of your website as the hub from which everything else spins out. Let’s talk about the nuts and bolts.

Schema Markup (Your AI Translator)

Ever notice those fancy traditional search results that show star ratings, prices, or little Q&As directly in Google’s results? That’s schema markup at work. It’s basically a coded message to traditional search engines, describing what’s on your page. For real estate agents, you’ve got special schema options: RealEstateAgent, LocalBusiness, and FAQPage (if you host an FAQ).

Implementing it might sound like rocket science, but trust me, a decent web developer (or even certain WordPress plugins) can handle it. FlyDragon even does this for our clients! But if you want to DIY, the goal is to tell the AI: “Hey, this chunk of text is a question about closing costs. This chunk is the official answer.” That way, it can seamlessly use your content if someone asks about (yep) closing costs.

FAQ Sections

It was already mentioned above, but it’s worth doubling down: a dedicated FAQ page is gold. If you don’t have one, create one. If you do, keep it updated. People constantly ask the same things: “How much do I need for a down payment?” “What if my appraisal is too low?” “How’s the market in myzip code?”

And I’ll give you an example of this in action: we had a real estate client who added a robust FAQ about new construction loans. Within three months, we noticed ChatGPT actually referencing that page (by brand name, no less!) in test queries. The only reason was they had the best local, Q&A-driven content on new construction in their area.

Refresh Your Pages Often

We all love fresh content. Google definitely does, and so do artificial intelligence systems that rely on up-to-date info. Don’t let your market stats page say “Updated 2021.” Keep any local data or guides from going stale. If you wrote a post about “Homebuyer Trends for 2024,” make sure you have a “Homebuyer Trends for 2025” follow-up. Or at least edit and re-date the old one with new data. This signals to it that you’re actively maintaining the page, so it’s more likely to treat your info as the current truth.

Social Media (Yes, It Helps for AI, Too)

Quick question: Do you feel like you’re using social media to its fullest potential, or are you just blasting out “Just Listed!” posts hoping for likes? Because in the AI-driven future, the lines between social media, official websites, and user reviews get blurry. Everything’s a potential data source.

Stay Active & Consistent

If you’re on LinkedIn, share local real estate insights once or twice a week. Post quick tips on Instagram. Use Reels or short videos to highlight a small piece of buyer/seller advice. You don’t have to go viral; you just need to be consistently present. Over time, your social channels become mini knowledge bases. What’s interesting is that sometimes local news sites or relevant blogs pick up your social posts—embedding them in an article. Now you’ve created a backlink from a credible site, which the artificial intelligence sees and loves. We almost always notice local press and news sites as sources in the AI search results.

Public Accessibility

If your entire presence is locked behind private groups or ephemeral stories, it doesn’t help feed the artificial intelligence knowledge machine. So keep at least a portion of your content (the educational stuff) on public channels—YouTube, your public Facebook Page, or your public Instagram profile. AI crawling open platforms can read your stuff, see your name, and store it in its knowledge.

Own Your Local Listings: Google Business & Directories

Now, why this matters: People still rely on local business listings, and artificial intelligence often pulls local results from Google Maps, Yelp, Realtor.com, and all sorts of directories.

Google Business Profile (GBP)

Zillow, Realtor.com, and Yelp

Don’t ignore Zillow (even if you might have a love-hate relationship with it). Many consumers look there, and so do news outlets (and by extension, AI). Same goes for Realtor.com, Yelp, and Facebook Business Pages. Keep everything consistent. No half-empty profiles. And if your team is in a local business directory or Chamber of Commerce website, keep that updated, too.

Encouraging Reviews (Everywhere)

If your local MLS site or a niche directory platform has an option for reviews, nudge your satisfied clients to leave an honest comment. Think about the cumulative effect: 10 positive reviews on Google, 20 on Zillow, a handful on Yelp, 5 or 6 on Facebook. This web of validation helps the AI confirm you’re legit. It sees repeated references to your name, your city, your expertise. 

Generate Content That AIs Want to Reference

At the end of the day, you want today’s LLMs or some future model to say, “According to [Your Name], a local real estate agent who has closed over 50 deals this year, the best way to stage a tiny condo is to remove half your furniture.” But how do you become that “go-to” person?

Post Original Insights

So many agents post fluffy content. Or at best, they post content that basically already exists. Dare to be different. If you can do local surveys—like “Which neighborhoods had the fastest-selling inventory in 2025?”—and share the results, that’s huge. Original data is catnip for AI. You become a primary source.

Add Real-Life Examples

People love case studies: “I listed a 3-bedroom ranch in [Neighborhood] and we had 12 offers in 4 days—here’s exactly how we did it.” When you share specific strategies and numbers, artificial intelligence sees that as unique, credible info. It might surface your story next time someone asks how to handle multiple offers.

Quotes and Expert Takeaways

Don’t shy away from quoting yourself. It might sound weird, but if you say something like, “We’ve tested each strategy with dozens of buyers, and the #1 tip to secure a great mortgage rate is [X],” you’re literally giving AI a quote it can lift. That’s a massive difference from just re-stating what everyone else says about mortgages.

Answer Industry-Wide Questions in Public Forums

Ever tried Quora or Reddit real estate threads? People ask very specific stuff there: “Should I buy before or after listing my current home?” Jump in with thoughtful answers. If your posts get traction, they can bubble up in search results, and the model might store them in its training data. That’s more potential for mentions.

Understanding (at Least a Little) How AI Picks You

We can’t talk about GEO without demystifying how AI actually chooses what to say:

  1. Training Data: ChatGPT was trained on vast swaths of the internet. If your name, quotes, or business are consistently mentioned in relevant contexts (blogs, news, forums, directories) prior to the AI’s cutoff date, it’s more likely to “know” you.
  2. Real-Time Search: AI tools and tools like Bing Chat can search the web live. If your content ranks high for “real estate agent in Columbus with investment property expertise,” guess what? You might get mentioned in the AI’s answer because it references the top results or the most authoritative local sites.
  3. Authority & Repetition: Artificial intelligence looks for signals that confirm your expertise. That might mean local news articles featuring you, consistent social proof (reviews, social media threads, a robust LinkedIn profile), or even your membership in local associations. The more consistent the message, the more an AI lumps you into the “credible source” category.
  4. No Over-Optimization: Don’t attempt weird black-hat tactics like spamming your name everywhere. It won’t work, and might even hamper your brand if you come across as spammy. Stick to genuine, value-driven content that answers real questions.

Easy Wins You Can Try Today

Sometimes it feels overwhelming to revamp everything at once, so here’s a quick mini-checklist. Even if you start with two or three, you’ll be in better shape than 95% of your competitors (no exaggeration).

Even small steps can give a big push in your overall presence.

Putting It All Together (and Building Your Moat)

Let’s do a quick recap, so you don’t walk away forgetting the key points:

  1. SEO vs. GEO: Traditional SEO is about keywords and search rankings on Google’s search results. GEO or “Answer Engine Optimization” is about appearing in AI conversations. You still need SEO fundamentals—just add that answer-focused twist.
  2. Local Content & Schema: Make your site a fortress of actual local knowledge (not fluff) and use structured data (FAQ schema, LocalBusiness schema) to make it super AI-friendly.
  3. Social Proof & Presence: Show up on social media, local directories, review platforms—everywhere. Keep your brand consistent (name, address, phone) and encourage detailed client reviews.
  4. Unique Insights: Write (or talk) about your on-the-ground experiences, share original data, and deliver specifics. AI loves specificity.
  5. Technical & Freshness Factors: Update your blog posts and pages, fix load speeds, ensure your site is mobile-friendly. Basic SEO stuff still matters.
  6. AI’s Inner Workings: LLMs learn from patterns, authoritative sites, and repeated data points. Spread your brand and knowledge across the web in a genuine way.
  7. Take Small, Actionable Steps: Create an FAQ, finish your Google Business Profile, write a local market guide. Step by step, you’re building a digital moat around your brand.

Agents who jump on these practices now are essentially “pre-optimizing” for how future clients will search. You’ll be doing something your competition might not even realize is a thing yet (the same way a lot of folks ignored SEO in 2005 and then kicked themselves when they saw what they missed). If you stay consistent, you’ll anchor yourself in the AI’s knowledge base for months—maybe years—before most other agents catch on.

And guess what: that means more leads, more closings, and less stress about “Am I going to appear when people ask Chat for an agent in my city?” Because you won’t just appear. You’ll appear in style, with AI referencing your content or your name or your advice, and that’s a ridiculously powerful position to be in.

Ready to Generate Leads from ChatGPT?

You’ve got the basics of how SEO extends into GEO. You’ve seen the tactics for your site, social media, directories, and content creation. The difference-maker? Actually putting this plan into action. Don’t wait until your competitors figure this out first. Then it’s too late. Take the steps we discussed—update your profiles, push out that new local guide, mark up your FAQs, and watch how quickly you’ll stand out.

Sure, it takes consistent effort. But the payoff is huge: the next wave of homebuyers or sellers might not even bother “searching.” They’ll ask an AI. And you’ll want to be in that AI’s short list of recommended agents, fully prepared to guide that brand-new lead from question to closing.

If you do this right—and keep at it—you’ll build an early “moat” around your business. It’s the same story as when SEO first broke onto the scene. The early adopters soared. If you move now, you’ll be leaps ahead of your competition. So start optimizing not just for Google, but for the AIs. Your future clients—and your future commission checks—will thank you for it.

Real Estate SEO: How to Outrank Zillow

Let’s be honest. If you’re a real estate agent with a personal website, the online search environment can feel like a David vs. Goliath scenario. Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com—these huge portals often blanket the top spots in Google. And I gotta say, it’s easy to feel overshadowed by their search volume.

But guess what? You absolutely can outrank these big shots for many local searches. Even if you’re a solo agent with one domain, you can leapfrog the national behemoths in certain niches or neighborhoods. Because here’s the deal: search engine optimization is all about relevance and quality (and yes, authority). And you, as a local expert, can leverage your knowledge to grab top positions that Zillow and Redfin don’t always nail.

I want everyone to pay attention to what we’ll cover because there’s massive potential here—so don’t miss a single step. The interesting thing is you can pull ahead in the rankings by smartly optimizing your website and by creating content the big portals often ignore. Today we’ll dissect exactly how to add SEO to your marketing strategy.

Step One: Foundational On-Page Real Estate SEO Strategy

First off, we’ll talk about how to set up your website so search engines understand your content. That means optimizing everything from page speed to metadata. No joke— technical SEO for real estate is where too many agents mess up.

Fix Your Site Speed and Mobile-Friendliness

Slow sites kill user experience. And if you’re in real estate, you probably host big property photos. A typical unoptimized property pic might be 5 MB or more—yikes. You want those images compressed, maybe even in WebP format, so your site loads like lightning [Source: Google PageSpeed Insights]. Because remember, people (including your prospects) are impatient, and so is Google.

And I’ll give you an example of this: the average time a visitor spends waiting for a site to load is about 3 seconds before they think, “Nope,” and bounce away [Source: Akamai study]. So get your site under that mark if you can.

Mobile-friendly? You have no choice there. Google’s using mobile-first indexing across the board [Source: Google Mobile-First Indexing Docs]. So if your pages look funky on an iPhone, time to fix it or kiss your ranking dreams goodbye.

Use Schema (It’s Not as Scary as You Think)

Schema markup is like an “official translator” for your website—handy for search engines. You can add a RealEstateAgent schema on your About page or contact page to highlight your name, address, phone (the classic NAP), and service area. Nearly 36% of websites that use structured data see better results in search [Source: Milestone Research]. And when you apply it specifically to real estate listings, you can mark up details like beds, baths, property type, and so on.

Zillow uses schema extensively. Yet you can still beat them locally by being more specific, especially if you inject neighborhood or subdivision info. Don’t overthink it: use a simple JSON-LD generator or a plugin if you’re on WordPress.

Make Your Site Structure “Human”

To be honest, some real estate sites have the most confusing menus. Pages hidden behind four layers of submenus, URLs that look like “mysite.com/abc123??=property”. It doesn’t help users or Google. Instead, give each key section a clear place in your site map:

The idea: your architecture should be intuitive, with relevant internal links tying everything together. When you blog about “best neighborhoods for families,” link out to your actual family-friendly neighborhood pages. Let your site structure be your best friend—Google sees those internal links as signals of topic relevance [Source: Google Search Central Doc on Internal Linking].

Don’t Neglect URLs, Titles, and Meta Descriptions

As I said, real estate is image-driven. But that means your site can slow to a crawl if you’re not mindful. Compress pics before uploading, rename them with descriptive file names, and add alt text like “3-bed-condo-in-Uptown-Dallas-living-room” so search engines see context [Source: Google Image Guidelines].

Use lazy loading if you’ve got tons of pictures. That way, images not in the viewport won’t load right away, improving initial page speed. Because things can change quickly if your site is sluggish: bounce rates spike, and your potential can tank.

Images Are Heavy—Optimize or Suffer

As I said, real estate is image-driven. But that means your site can slow to a crawl if you’re not mindful. Compress pics before uploading, rename them with descriptive file names, and add alt text like “3-bed-condo-in-Uptown-Dallas-living-room” so search engines see context [Source: Google Image Guidelines].

Use lazy loading if you’ve got tons of pictures. That way, images not in the viewport won’t load right away, improving initial page speed.

Step Two: Craft Content Zillow Won’t Bother With

Now, why this matters: The best way to outrank the big portals is to double down on hyper-local, in-depth content. Zillow tries to cover the entire country (and sometimes beyond). They can’t possibly create detailed, community-level content for every niche. That’s your advantage. So go after the long-tail keywords that have less competition but higher intent.

Write Long-Tail Keyword Blog Posts That People Actually Search

Let’s say you focus on Seattle real estate. Sure, “Seattle homes for sale” is a high-volume keyword. But you’re facing massive competition from Zillow, Redfin, and every other big brand. Instead, you can go for something like “Best Seattle neighborhoods for young professionals” or “Seattle condos under 400k near Capitol Hill.” Much narrower. Much easier to rank for [Source: Semrush keyword difficulty metrics].

We created a blog for one of our clients “Bedford vs Londonderry, NH”. Within a week, she was second in Google (ahead of every portal!) and had its first click after just 6 impressions. Normally, it takes hundreds of impressions for the first few clicks. Long-tail for the win!

Because those national sites? They often don’t have a dedicated page for “Seattle condos under 400k near Capitol Hill.” But you can. And you can make it awesome. Put images, real data, maybe an embedded map with pinned listings. That thorough content impresses Google and visitors alike.

Go All-In on Neighborhood Guides

Should you be building separate pages for each community? Absolutely. (Unless you hate ranking well, I guess.)

Here’s the trick: create a separate neighborhood or community page for each area you serve. Talk about the vibe, the schools, the local spots locals love (like that mom-and-pop coffee shop with the best croissants), market trends, stats, and relevant insights only a real local would know.

For instance, one New Orleans agent created a super-detailed page about the Seventh Ward—touching on the area’s history, unique architecture, and community events [Source: Real Estate Case Study from local agent blogs]. They outranked Trulia and Zillow for “Seventh Ward New Orleans real estate.” What’s interesting is that’s not an isolated outcome. Local knowledge wins.

Create Evergreen Guides (and Keep Them Updated)

For homebuyers or sellers, certain topics remain evergreen:

These guides pull in continuous traffic to your website if they’re thorough, well-structured, and updated at least yearly (real estate can change fast, right?). Add local references so it’s clear you’re discussing [City], not some generic info. This helps you stand out from generic articles on massive real estate sites.

Because guess what? When a potential client searches “how to buy a home in Charlotte,” and stumbles on your detailed 2,500-word guide referencing Charlotte neighborhoods, local down payment assistance programs, and current stats, they might bookmark it or even share it. Possibly call you when they’re ready to act. Now that’s SEO efforts gold.

Go Deeper With Content Depth

Let me emphasize: to beat a high-authority site, you usually need to offer more depth. If Zillow’s neighborhood page has 300 words, try 1,000+ with more local detail, pictures, embedded video, maybe a table of current market stats (beds, baths, average price). Don’t just add fluff. Readers aren’t dumb. But do genuinely cover every question a buyer or seller might have.

Semantically, that means including related keywords: “historic homes,” “local farmers market,” “commute times.” Each one reinforces to Google that your page covers the topic thoroughly [Source: Google NLP Documentation]. This might sound like a lot of work. It is. But the payoff is a page that can outrank any shallow content from a big portal.

Step Three: Optimize Off-Page SEO Magic—Time to Build Credibility

Now that your site is optimized and loaded with hyper-local content, it’s time to earn some authority signals. Because no matter how shiny your on-page SEO is, Google also looks at inbound links and mentions to judge credibility.

Local Sponsorships and Link Building

Zillow may have big-time domain authority. But they can’t sponsor the local high school’s football team. You can. Those local links matter. They show Google you’re connected to the community. So try sponsoring (or volunteering at) local events or charities, then ask for a link on the official website. Chamber of Commerce listings or local business directories also help your domain build trust [Source: Local SEO Ranking Factors from Whitespark].

Don’t spam or do shady link schemes; they’ll backfire. Stick to relevant, high-quality relationships. This isn’t about quantity—one link from a reputable local newspaper might outweigh 50 junky links from random directories.

Guest Articles & HARO

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a killer way to get mentions in big publications. You sign up, reporters query experts daily, and you respond if the topic fits. If they quote you, you often get a backlink from a high-authority site. That can catapult your domain authority upward [Source: HARO success stories from multiple SEO case studies].

Guest posting is another method. Offer to write a local market insight article on a community blog or partner site (maybe a mortgage lender’s blog). You’ll score a backlink plus exposure to a new audience. Just keep it relevant.

Google Business Profile—Your Local Real Estate Business Home Base

HARO (Help a ReportHave you claimed and optimized your GBP? If not, do it now. Add photos, your hours, and a crisp description with your city name [Source: Google Business Profile Setup Guide]. Encourage happy clients to leave Google reviews. Studies show that positive (and plentiful) reviews correlate strongly with higher local pack results [Source: BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey].

The interesting thing is, even though Zillow has local pages, it’s often your GBP listing that surfaces in the map pack for “[City] real estate agent.” So keep your GBP updated, respond to reviews, and post updates about open houses or new listings to show Google you’re active.er Out) is a killer way to get mentions in big publications. You sign up, reporters query experts daily, and you respond if the topic fits. If they quote you, you often get a backlink from a high-authority site. That can catapult your domain authority upward [Source: HARO success stories from multiple SEO case studies].

Consistency: NAP and Citations

If your name, address, and phone (NAP) are inconsistent across directories, Google gets confused. “Are these the same real estate businesses or different?” So get your info consistent on Yelp, Bing Places, Realtor.com profiles, Facebook, etc. [Source: Moz Local Ranking Factors]. No more “Suite #100” in one place and “Ste. 100” in another. Keep it uniform.

Zillow can’t claim your local addresses and phone—only you can. The more consistent your presence, the stronger your local search engine optimization becomes, fueling higher visibility in both the map pack and organic listings.

Step Four: Double Down on Local Real Estate Agent SEO Techniques

We’ve touched on it, but let’s get more detailed about local optimization. Because yes, outperforming the national portals often hinges on location-specific searches.

Embed Maps and Use Location Markers

Try embedding a Google Map of your office (or the property) on relevant pages [Source: Local SEO best practices from Search Engine Journal]. It’s a subtle factor. Maybe Google sees that you’re literally talking about an address in Boston, so it pairs that to user queries for “real estate agent in Boston.” Now, this isn’t a huge hack, but every little bit helps.

Post, Post, Post On Google Business Profile

And by the way, Google Posts can be a sweet addition. Got a new listing? Share it. Hosting a community event or open house? Share it. That steady drip of posts signals Google that your business is active. And that can lead to more visibility when people do local searches. Because things can change quickly on the local scene, so Google likes fresh data.

Collect (and Respond to) Reviews Like Your SEO Depends on It—Because It Does

A lot of agents only ask for a review on Zillow. Let’s flip that. Ask every satisfied buyer or seller to leave a Google review. Send them a direct link so it’s easy. Then respond—thank them, mention a local reference (like “I’m so glad you love your new place in Lakeside Park!”). That content sometimes shows up in search results, reinforcing your local presence [Source: Local Guide from Whitespark].

Step Five: Why You Should Keep Hustling for Backlinks

This is where many agents drop the ball. They do a flurry of link building once, then stop. But sustained link growth shows Google your site remains relevant. If you’re always adding new content (blog posts, neighborhood guides) and picking up new links over time, you’ll keep climbing the SERPs.

Become a Local Media Resource

Local publications need real estate stats or quotes. If you build relationships with local reporters or news outlets, you could become their go-to for commentary on market shifts. It’s free PR, plus you might get a juicy backlink from the newspaper’s site. Now, why this matters: local news sites often have decent domain authority, and a single link from them can be more valuable than a dozen random directory links.

Create “Linkable” Assets

This stat blew me away: 70% of marketers say creating linkable assets, like free tools or in-depth research, is one of their strongest backlink strategies [Source: HubSpot Data on link-building tactics]. So think about something like a yearly “State of [City] Real Estate” report, complete with charts and local data. People or local blogs might reference it and link back to you. Zillow’s not going to create a hyper-specific PDF about your city. That’s your turf.

Step Six: Keep It Local, Stay Consistent, and Watch Rankings Grow

As with everything in real estate, results don’t happen overnight. But if you consistently publish long-tail content, optimize on-page signals, nurture your backlink profile, and keep your GBP fresh, you’ll see gains—both in traffic and leads. That said, don’t forget the cardinal rule: always provide more value than the big portals. Because user experience is at the heart of Google’s algorithm.

Track Progress and Adapt

Use Google Search Console to see which keywords you’re ranking for, and watch how impressions and clicks evolve. If a certain neighborhood guide gets traction, expand on it. If you’re not showing up for “Condos under $400K in Downtown,” maybe you need a more targeted article or a detailed listing page. Rinse and repeat.

Bonus Tip: Keep an Eye on Stats

Data helps you see what’s working. Tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can track how you’re stacking up against your competitors (and Zillow or Redfin) for certain phrases. If your competitor suddenly leaps above you, investigate: did they improve their page? Did they earn a new link? Then respond accordingly.

‍Ready to Get Leads from Your Real Estate Website?

You want to leave the national listing portals in your dust (or at least give them a run for their money). It’s doable. But you’ve got to put in the work:

This isn’t rocket science. Yet most Realtors never take these steps, so the door’s wide open for you. If you put in the work then you deserve those top spots, and your future clients are waiting for your expertise right there on page one.

Good luck out there.

(And if anyone tells you you can’t outrank Zillow, remember: they can’t possibly deliver hyper-local content as thoroughly or passionately as you can. That’s your superpower. Make it happen.)

Sources & References

Google PageSpeed Insights (https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights)

Google Mobile-First Indexing Documentation (https://developers.google.com/search/mobile-sites/mobile-first-indexing)

Akamai Study on Site Loading Times (https://www.akamai.com/blog/performance)

Google Search Central on Internal Linking (https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/importance-of-internal-linking)

Semrush Keyword Research (https://www.semrush.com)

Real Estate Case Study: Seventh Ward New Orleans (local agent blogs, data anonymized but widely cited in real estate SEO circles)

Real Estate SEO Best Practices & MLS Duplication (various broker case studies, commonly referenced in real estate marketing courses)

HARO (https://www.helpareporter.com)

BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey (https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/)

Moz Local Ranking Factors (https://moz.com/learn/seo/local-search)

Whitespark Local SEO Guides (https://whitespark.ca/)

Search Engine Journal – Local SEO Best Practices (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo/)

HubSpot Research on Link-Building (https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/link-building

How Generative AI in Real Estate Is Changing The Real Estate Industry

The traditional real estate game is shifting, and it’s shifting fast. 

The shift is powered by a technology some of us used to call “futuristic”.

But AI is no longer our future. It will transform the real estate industry this year.

If you’re a real estate firm and not seriously looking at AI applications by 2025, you’re practically choosing to be left behind. 

Whenever I share a new post on Facebook or LinkedIn, real estate professionals DM me and ask, “What’s the deal with this AI stuff, and how can I use it?”

AI and generative ai are already here to revolutionize the real estate industry, shaking things up. 

From how we write property descriptions, to how we find leads, to how we manage contracts. 

The good news? Any agent can learn with the right roadmap.

By the time you reach the end of this piece, I hope you’ll feel confident, inspired, and maybe fired up to put AI to work and grow your real estate business.

What’s This “Generative AI in Real Estate” Thing, Anyway?

Generative AI in real estate is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content.

(We’ve made that sound really uninspiring but stick with us…)

Words, images, even videos. Based on patterns it’s learned from massive amounts of data. 

In other words, it doesn’t just “follow rules” like most software does; it actually invents new stuff.

All Generative AI tools run on Large Language Models (LLMs). 

That basically means AI systems have read tons (and I mean tons) of text so they can spit back content in a way that would’ve taken us, humans, days or weeks to learn. AI models can do it minutes.

I want to make sure you don’t miss this: we’re not talking about sci-fi here. 

This is real, proven technology. That’s generating BILLIONS of dollars in revenue every year.

And it’s trickling down to everyday tasks that used to eat up hours of your precious time.

If that doesn’t make you perk up, I’m not sure what will. 

Because things can and do change quickly in this business, and if you wait, your competition will jump on it first. 

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, about 54% of agents said technology was the most important factor for staying competitive in the coming years. 

We’d say, it’s the ONLY way you can stay competitive.

Why Does AI Adoption in Real Estate Matter in 2025?

If you’re reading this in 2025, you’ve probably seen a few big changes in how we buy and sell homes. 

In some real estate markets, inventory has been lower than a snake’s belly. 

In others, interest rates have spiked and cooled more times than we care to count. 

The upshot? 

We all need ways to stand out, get ahead, and work smarter.

AI helps that. 

Let’s say you have a new property listing. 

You need a punchy description, you want to figure out the perfect list price, and you’re behind on prospecting your top leads because your phone is blowing up about termite inspections. 

This is where AI steps in. Basic, repetitive tasks can be automated with AI agents with a little work and the right knowledge.

It cranks out that property description, shows you data-backed insights for pricing, and can even identify which of your leads are most likely to buy or sell next. 

Then it’s up to you to do the human stuff like build relationships and close deals.

Agents who ignore AI? Well, I don’t know how they’ll operate in the future. 

If you’re spending four hours a day on tasks that an algorithm could handle in 15 minutes, you’re basically giving your future business away to your rival who’s harnessing the power of AI to handle the busywork.

Agents are reaping the benefit from AI. Like higher property counts and faster transaction times. So the question is: do you want in or not?

Use Case for Artificial Intelligence Writing Property Descriptions

Ever found yourself staring at a blank screen, trying to craft the perfect property description? 

Not always an easy task. 

But with AI, you can go from zero to one fast. Even without much brain power. 

Now you can feed basic details like 3 bed, 2 bath, updated kitchen, near the local farmer’s market, into an AI tool like Claude, OpenAI, DeepSeek and now Grok3 and bam, out pops a polished write-up. “Spacious 3-bedroom home with a modern twist,” or something equally catchy.

Now, what I love about these tools is how they save you from the dreaded “Listing Writer’s Block.” 

If you’ve got 10 properties to list in a single week (hey, it happens), AI can turn that mountain of a task into something you knock out in under an hour. 

Not to mention, you can feed it your brand voice (if you have one) and it’ll keep the style consistent across all your properties. 

According to a small survey I ran with 30 agents who tried an AI-based listing writer for the first time, 80% said they saved more than 1 hour per property. 

Multiply that by your annual listing count, and it’s obvious why so many real estate companies (to include commercial real estate and real estate investors) across the country are choosing to be AI-first in real estate.

Using Gen AI To Spot Real Estate Trends and Find Leads 

So you’ve got your property descriptions on autopilot. 

What’s next? 

Predictive analytics. 

It’s basically a fancy way of saying, “We’re going to look at a ton of data and figure out what might happen next.”

Tools for real estate like Offrs or SmartZip analyze homeowner demographics, local turnover rates, online behavior, even mortgage interest details, to figure out who might be looking to sell soon. 

A buddy of mine tried this out in his farm area and got a hot list of “likely-to-sell” homeowners. 

He said it was “freakishly accurate.” 

He mailed 500 postcards to these addresses (yes, postcards still work), and out of those 500, three turned into actual deals. 

Not a massive sample, but enough to pay attention.

I want everyone to pay attention to HouseCanary, which dives even deeper into valuation forecasting. 

It takes a property’s features and local economic indicators, tosses them together, and produces a predicted value that’s eerily close to what you’d get from a full-blown appraisal. 

And I’ll give you an example of this: One agent used HouseCanary’s data to justify a slightly higher listing price to a skeptical seller. They ended up closing $18,000 above what the seller originally thought was possible. 

That’s real money.

Remine is another cool one—often baked into MLS systems—letting you see not just who owns the property, but how long they’ve owned it, their equity position, and how actively they might be searching the market. It’s like an all-seeing crystal ball for real estate.

If you’re not tapping into predictive analytics, you’re playing darts with your eyes closed. Why waste your marketing budget on random leads when you can focus on the 10% who are most likely to take action soon?

Use Cases for the Real Estate Industry: Using AI To Virtually Stage A Property

Now let’s talk visuals, because it’s 2025 and buyers don’t just want to read about your listing, they want to experience it.

Virtual staging used to be a bit clunky, but AI image models have sharpened it into something incredible. 

You upload a bland photo of an empty living room, and AI “magically” adds furniture, decor, even changes the flooring if you like. 

And yes, it can do it in mere minutes.

We know buyers spend just a few seconds per property photo before deciding if they want to look further. 

It’s the world we live in. In fact, it’s the world we’ve always lived in.

So if that bedroom looks cozy and well-furnished in a virtual sense, you’re more likely to get foot traffic through that front door. 

Stats from the Real Estate Staging Association once indicated that staged homes sell 73% faster. While that was primarily about physical staging, virtual staging has jumped on the bandwagon with similar results.

AI-based staging can now adjust lighting, fix weird angles, or even replace your old green carpet with a neutral wood floor vibe.

AI-Assisted Contract and Paperwork: Because Nobody Loves Paperwork

If you’re nodding at the mention of “paperwork” with a mild sense of dread, welcome to the club. 

Real estate transactions come with a ton of forms (as you know).

Purchase agreements, disclosures, the endless addenda. Good news: AI is stepping in here, too.

Nekst has an AI Transaction Creation feature that’s basically your personal transaction coordinator. 

You upload a signed purchase agreement, and in about 90 seconds it auto-extracts the names, addresses, deadlines—all the details that usually take you forever to type in. Imagine your entire contract timeline populating itself without you having to rummage through PDFs.

Then there’s Glide, which uses a chat-like interface to let you say, “Draft a standard purchase agreement for a $450,000 property at 123 Main St. with a 30-day escrow.” It will generate the doc, highlight the sections you need to customize, and even run compliance checks. Talk about a headache-saver.

DocuSign is no stranger to real estate pros, but did you know they now have AI features that check for missing fields or contradictory details? One agent told me, “I used to have nightmares about forgetting an initial on page 5. Now AI catches it.” This stat blew me away: a transaction coordinator friend said DocuSign’s AI cut her error rate by 80%. That’s massive.

What I love about AI-driven paperwork is how it frees you up. Instead of losing hours verifying forms, you can spend more time strategizing with clients, hosting open houses, or doing literally anything else that actually grows your business.

AI Use To Improve Your Marketing And Get Listings

Cool, so your listings look sharp and your contracts are in order. The next question: How do you promote yourself and your brand in a way that stands out? 

Marketing is everything in real estate. But it’s hard work. It’s expensive.

… well, maybe it used to be.

  1. Graphic Design – Canva’s AI tools can take your brand colors, your logo, and generate a series of templates for flyers, social posts, you name it. No more wrestling with fonts or stock photos for hours. You can even set the vibe: minimalistic, colorful, edgy, whatever suits your market.
  2. Email Marketing – Mailchimp’s AI suggests subject lines that get higher open rates, picks optimal send times, and can design snazzy layouts for you. I’m talking a crisp, professional email in a fraction of the time.
  3. Ad Optimization – AdCreative.ai literally drafts multiple ad creatives for Facebook or Google, ranks them by predicted conversion, and hands them to you. You can test five or six variations without a pricey marketing team.

What’s wild is how integrated these tools are becoming. 

You can practically run your entire marketing funnel on autopilot. At least the busywork side of it. 

Then you step in to fine-tune the message and handle leads once they start rolling in.

You’re still the face of your business. The AI just helps you get your message out—fast and effectively.

Still Not Convinced? Here’s a Quick Recap of Wins

Ready to Try GenAI in Real Estate This Year?

Do you feel like you’ve really tried to adapt this year, or have you just been doing the same old routine.

Knocking on doors, buying internet leads, and praying for an appointment? 

Don’t wait another year. 

The market moves too fast, and the competition is fierce. The average agent is hustling 24/7 to stay afloat, but the ones using generative AI are skipping ahead.

Adopting AI isn’t about losing your personal touch. It’s about letting the technology handle the repetitive stuff, the data sorting, the content writing, so you can be a genuine human with your clients. 

People still want that face-to-face reassurance. 

They still want an agent who’s local, who knows the best coffee shops, who understands the neighborhood vibe. 

AI can’t replicate that (yet). 

But it can free up the hours you usually spend on tasks that a computer can do in seconds.

AI Use Cases in Real Estate to Keep You Motivated

Don’t wait until it’s standard practice. Jump in now and position yourself as the agent who’s “in the know.”

Ready To Evolve Your Business with AI?

If you’ve stuck with me this far, I bet you’re at least curious—if not pumped—to start experimenting with the use of generative AI in your real estate biz. Let’s keep this final part simple and raw:

  1. Pick a Category: Maybe you’re drowning in paperwork. Try Nekst or Glide for contract automation. Or if your presentations look stale, dabble in virtual staging tools like RoOomy or Virtual Staging AI.
  2. Give It a Spin: Most of these platforms have a free trial or a low-cost demo. Do it on your next home or lead campaign. The best way to learn is to get your hands dirty.
  3. Refine and Humanize: Don’t just trust the AI blindly. Edit those property descriptions, double-check your data, and ensure everything stays true to your voice.
  4. Scale Up: If you love the results, integrate AI more deeply. Hook your MLS data, connect your CRM, or start automating your entire marketing funnel.

Now, why this matters: in 2025, the gap between AI-savvy agents and everyone else is huge. Agents who adopt AI will surpass those who don’t—and that’s not me trying to be dramatic. It’s simply that we’re in a new era. The old ways of doing real estate—handwritten door hangers, scouring hundreds of expireds one by one—well, they still can work, but they pale in comparison to the efficiency of using AI.

Recap:

I’ve seen this question more than once, “Will AI replace real estate agents?” Here’s my honest take: No, because real estate is personal, local, and relationship-driven. But AI will replace or overshadow the agents who don’t adapt. So adopt it. Tweak it. Harness it. It’s the golden ticket to working smarter while still giving your clients the genuine, human attention they deserve.The real estate sector is on the cusp of a massive evolution. Whether it’s automated copy, hyper-targeted lead gen, or AI-fueled marketing, the tools are ready for you right now. The question is: Are you ready to take advantage of them? Because if you are, get ready for a surge in productivity, a more compelling brand presence, and yes, a boost in your bottom line. And if you’re not—well, don’t be surprised when the AI-savvy agent down the street starts snagging the homes you thought were yours.