How AI Is Actually Changing Real Estate (From Someone Coaching Agents Through It Every Day)
“How Is Real Estate Changing Since AI Came Into Play?”
Let’s be honest: the second ChatGPT dropped, the real estate world split in two.
Half the industry panicked:
“Is AI going to replace agents?”
The other half got distracted:
“This tool writes my listing descriptions in seconds!”
But the truth?
AI isn’t replacing you.
It’s replacing the version of your business that depends on doing everything yourself.
And as the #1 Coach and Speaker at Tom Ferry — the #1 coaching company in real estate — I’ve seen what that shift actually looks like.
Not in theory.
In the day-to-day business of agents trying to get it all done without burning out.
So no, AI isn’t changing the job of being a real estate agent.
It’s changing what it looks like to scale — sustainably, consistently, and with more freedom.
Let me show you how.
1. AI Isn’t Replacing Agents — It’s Replacing the Chaos
If you’ve ever said,
“I know I need to follow up more… I just don’t have time.”
Or:
“I want to post on social media, but I never know what to say.”
That’s what AI is changing.
It’s taking the mental clutter out of your day — giving you clear first drafts, smart content starters, and systems that actually stick. But only if you use it intentionally.
I work with agents every day who don’t want another app.
They want a way to finally stop starting from scratch.
That’s where AI — paired with systems — becomes a game-changer.
2. The Agents Who Win Now Are the Ones With a System
Let’s talk about Jenny.
Jenny Hensley is a seasoned agent in Raleigh, North Carolina. She had been doing pop-bys for years, but it was always reactive. Last-minute. Stressful.
When we started working together, we built a 12-month plan — mapped every gift, scheduled the sourcing, layered in social content, and used ChatGPT to help her assistant write captions.
That system didn’t just reduce stress.
It produced results.
She spent $3,200 in 2024.
She made 79X that back.
That’s not just “better marketing.”
That’s business maturity. And AI helped power the backend.
3. AI Is Exposing the Agents Who Were Winging It
Here’s the part no one likes to admit:
If your business wasn’t systemized before AI, you’re probably feeling behind.
Because now the agents who were organized?
They’re building momentum. Fast.
Take Amanda Pinkerton. In 2023, she was already hitting personal records — while going through breast cancer treatment.
This year, by the end of July, she matched her entire 2023 income. And she’s on track to double it by year’s end.
No paid leads.
No massive social following.
Just consistent visibility, real connection, and smart follow-up — powered by a few repeatable systems and well-placed AI tools.
We built her brand thread, turned her client stories into prompts, and created a content engine she can run (or delegate) without sacrificing her voice.
That’s not “AI taking over.”
That’s Amanda taking control.
4. Content Isn’t Optional Anymore — It’s Scalable
We’ve hit a tipping point:
Everyone knows they need to show up.
But now, the question is:
How do you do it without it taking over your life?
AI makes content creation more scalable — but only if you have a plan.
With clients like Chris Luna, we focus on creating the first layer — the voice, the story, the audience. Then we build SOPs so his VA can take over the rest.
Chris doesn’t want to be on his phone 24/7. He wants time with his family.
AI didn’t solve that for him.
A system did.
AI just made that system easier to run.
5. This Isn’t Just About Tools — It’s About Leadership
And then there’s Jeff.
Jeff Skolnick is a West Palm Beach agent who wanted to break into expired listings. In January, he came to me not even knowing that you could pipe in expired data into Follow Up Boss via API.
We set up the connection.
Built his smart lists.
Created daily task plans with AI-enhanced scripting.
Within 3 weeks of working expireds — he locked in two new listings.
That’s what AI really gives you:
Leverage.
Not gimmicks.
So What’s Actually Changing?
The agents who are thriving in this AI-shifted market?
They’re not the loudest.
They’re not the fanciest.
They’re the most structured.
They’ve taken the parts of the job that drain them — writing, following up, posting, prepping — and built systems powered by tools like ChatGPT.
Not to replace themselves.
But to free up their time to do what matters most:
Serve clients.
Build relationships.
And live a life that’s not chained to their CRM.
Final Thought: You Don’t Need to Be Techy — You Need to Be Willing
If you’ve been avoiding AI because you “don’t get it” — I hear you.
But here’s what I tell my clients:
You don’t have to be techy.
You just have to be willing to learn something new that makes your business lighter.
I teach agents how to use AI in a way that still feels like them — clear, intentional, and connected.
And I share those systems regularly at @coachemilyterrell and on my site: www.coachemilyterrell.com.
This isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing the right things — better, faster, and with more ease.
Because real estate isn’t being replaced by AI.
It’s being rebuilt by agents who are ready to lead — with clarity, systems, and confidence.