Real Estate Platforms Face Heat: Revolution of AI Reshaping House Hunts in Switzerland (Homesgate, Immoscout24, etc.)
In the digital age, the real estate market is evolving at a rapid pace. While traditional online portals like Homegate and Immoscout24 continue to dominate the landscape, a new player is making its mark – artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots.
Recent trends indicate that AI tools, such as Chat-GPT and Perplexity, are being increasingly used by home buyers and renters in their search for properties. For instance, a search for a 3-bedroom apartment in Zurich North, under 2000 francs rent, with a balcony, might yield more interactive and personalized results using these chatbots.
However, it's important to note that these AI tools are not intended to replace traditional online portals but rather to complement them. The real estate online classifieds market in Switzerland is projected to grow steadily, increasing its market share from 40% in 2024 to 51% by 2029[1].
This growth suggests that established online real estate platforms will continue to be crucial for property searches. However, the integration of AI chatbots and conversational interfaces could enhance user engagement and streamline the property search process.
AI-driven insights could also offer personalized recommendations based on user preferences and current market data. This would allow portals to compete not only with other classified portals but also with AI-powered assistants as alternative customer touchpoints.
In addition, maintaining authoritative and comprehensive listings while incorporating AI tools that simplify complex information for users could be key to staying competitive in the market.
In conclusion, while online real estate portals remain central to property searches with growth expected, integrating AI chatbots like Chat-GPT or Perplexity offers an important opportunity for these portals to innovate and better serve user needs. There is no current indication of a wholesale migration from portals to AI chatbots for real estate searches in the data available.
[1] Source: Swiss Marketplace Group IPO Projections, 2021.
Apply AI technology in the real estate market by integrating artificial-intelligence chatbots like Chat-GPT or Perplexity, potentially streamlining user experience and improving property search results. However, these chatbots should be viewed as complements, not replacements, to traditional online real estate portals, which continue to hold significant market share and influence.