We all know that artificial intelligence is already reshaping how buyers search for property, compare homes, and assess value.
In fact, a majority of buyers now simply assume that AI is part of the property-purchasing process, according to our recent AI in Housing: 2026 report. Three in four homebuyers around the world believe AI plays some role in the homebuying journey, and 86 percent assume property websites use AI.
But this report also reveals something that needs close attention. These same buyers are not yet completely comfortable with this new reality.
In Australia, only 40 percent of buyers were willing to accept AI-automated home valuations, compared with 62 percent in Canada, 52 percent in the United States, and 46 percent in the United Kingdom.
For Australian agents, this is a clear divide between technological roll out and human trust. And it is exactly where your relationship skills become the opportunity.
Buyers may use AI before they speak to an agent, but they still want human judgement when the decision becomes real.
So savvy agents can become the person who verifies, explains, and challenges the information buyers are already seeing online by being aware of the following five factors now impacting buyer behaviour.
1. Buyers are arriving better informed, but less certain
AI has made property information easier to access, with buyers now comparing listings, price estimates, suburb data, and risk indicators before they make an inquiry.
But this does not mean they necessarily feel more confident.
Our report found that 68 percent of buyers globally would manually verify every detail, or a significant amount, of information provided by AI in a housing context.
This means that their first question for an agent may no longer be “what is this property worth?” but instead “can I trust what I have already seen?”
It’s up to you to have an answer that makes sense.
2. Australians are cautious about automated valuations
Automated valuations are one of the most visible uses of AI in property. Unfortunately, they are also one of the areas where Australian buyers appear least comfortable.
Only 40 percent of Australian buyers are willing to accept AI-automated valuations, the lowest result among the four markets covered in the report. The good news is that that gives agents a practical role.
AI may provide a number, but agents can explain the context behind that number: buyer depth, local stock levels, competing listings, property condition, campaign momentum, and recent inspection feedback. All of this maintains your trusted position in the final purchasing decision.
3. Listing errors can damage trust quickly
Our report found that 33 percent of homebuyers globally have zero tolerance for errors in listing data. But with Australian buyers, that figure rose to a much higher 42 percent.
This means that, for Australian agents, listing accuracy is increasingly a trust issue.
Buyers are comparing details across platforms, portals, AI summaries, and valuation tools. Any inconsistency in land size, bedrooms, zoning, renovation history, or price guidance can become a reason to question the campaign.
The more AI draws from public listing data, the more important the original information becomes.
4. Buyers want disclosure when AI shapes the decision
Globally, 68 percent of buyers want clear notification when AI generates a property listing, price, or mortgage recommendation.
That expectation will affect agents as AI becomes more common in listing copy, pricing guidance, suburb reports, and buyer targeting. And the safest position will always be one of transparency.
Agents do not need to overexplain every tool they use, but they should be able to tell vendors and buyers when AI has helped to shape a recommendation.
Critically, they should also be able to explain the human checks sitting behind it.
5. Human judgement is becoming the premium
Almost half of buyers globally (44 percent) would pay an additional fee for a human expert to verify AI-generated housing decisions.
That finding suggests buyers place real value on human expertise, particularly when an AI output shapes a high-stakes property decision.
The agents who benefit will therefore be those who can show their work: how they reached a price view, what data they relied on, what risks they considered, and where AI outputs need human scrutiny.
Because, in the end, AI will continue to shape the property journey, and buyers will continue to want speed and access to information.
But they will also still want an accountable professional in the room, so agents need to use AI to help deliver the best outcomes for vendors.