78% of U.S. homebuyers now use AI to help buy a home, Zoodealio-ResiClub survey reveals

A significant majority of U.S. homebuyers, a striking 78%, are now leveraging artificial intelligence tools to assist them in their property search endeavors, according to the comprehensive Zoodealio-ResiClub Real Estate Agent Survey conducted in the third quarter of 2026. This finding underscores the rapidly accelerating integration of AI technologies into the intricate landscape of the real estate sector, transforming how consumers approach one of life's most substantial purchases.

The survey, which garnered responses from 208 seasoned real estate agents and brokers operating across the United States, was meticulously fielded between August 17 and September 29, 2026. The participating agents, a substantial portion of whom (44%) possess 15 or more years of invaluable experience in the industry, offered critical ground-level insights into a multifaceted array of housing market dynamics. Their perspectives covered crucial elements such as the prevailing seller urgency, the underlying motivations of buyers, discernible shifts in market leverage between buyers and sellers, the evolving structures of real estate commissions, and their informed expectations for the market's trajectory over the subsequent 12 months.

Beyond the pervasive adoption of AI by prospective homebuyers, the survey's findings also pointed to a discernible cooling in overall buyer demand across the nation. A clear majority of agents, specifically 63%, reported a noticeable decrease in homebuyer demand when compared to the conditions observed 12 months prior. This deceleration in demand was particularly pronounced in the Midwest region, where an overwhelming 74% of agents witnessed a decline. Similarly, the Southwest region experienced a significant pullback, with 66% of agents reporting lower demand, and notably, no agents in this area indicated any pickup in buyer interest.

Concurrently with the softening buyer demand, the survey revealed a significant shift in market leverage, with power increasingly tilting towards homebuyers. A substantial 74% of U.S. agents indicated that leverage is now predominantly favoring buyers in their local housing markets. This trend is most acutely felt in the Southwest, where an overwhelming 89% of agents observed this leverage shift, followed by the Southeast at 78%, and the West at 74%.

As buyer demand continues to wane, a corresponding rise in seller urgency is becoming increasingly evident. Nearly half of all agents surveyed nationally, at 49%, reported that seller urgency has escalated compared to the levels recorded a year ago. The Midwest region (60%), the Southwest (55%), and the Southeast (48%) are at the forefront of this trend, suggesting that an increasing number of sellers are becoming less inclined to hold out for more favorable market conditions. In stark contrast, the Northeast region appears to be maintaining a more stable equilibrium, with 50% of agents reporting that seller urgency remains consistent with the previous year, and an equal percentage noting no significant directional shift in market leverage.

Looking ahead to the outlook for 2027, the survey also captured agents' forward-looking expectations regarding home prices. A notable 30% of agents surveyed anticipated that home prices in their respective local markets would experience an increase.