UK Survey Reveals AI Usage for Property Search

A quarter of recent homebuyers believe AI-powered search will soon overtake traditional property portals as the primary tool for finding a home, according to a survey by UK Property Development.

500 property buyers who closed their transaction in the past 12 months were surveyed on their use of artificial intelligence during the property search process.

According to the results, 15% of recent homebuyers used AI at any point during their purchase.

Nearly a third (32%) of AI users said the technology helped them decide where to buy, mainly by pulling information on crime rates, local amenities and transport links.

When it came to finding properties, 47% of AI users said it directed them to listings that matched their criteria. Another 29% found properties themselves and used AI to compare options.

12% of AI users were sent to the major portals, and another 12% were redirected to estate agent or developer websites.

A quarter (26%) said AI will eventually become more important than the major portals as a search tool, while a further 22% said they expect it to become equally important. AI users agreed that the most common use case was to understand the process rather than search for properties.