More than 1-in-3 prospective buyers (34%) are using AI tools to help with the homebuying process, up 2 percentage points from the previous quarter. AI is most often used for virtual tours, estimating payments, and checking property values.
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape one of life’s biggest financial decisions -- buying a home.
More than one-third of prospective homebuyers (34%) say they’ve used AI tools in their search for a new home, up from 32% the previous quarter, according to a new survey from Veterans United Home Loans.
“AI tools are moving from a novelty in this space to a fixture for would-be homebuyers,” said Chris Birk, vice president of mortgage insight at Veterans United. “This shift reflects how quickly buyers are adapting tech to help with everything from budgeting to browsing.”
Top AI Trends for Homebuyers
AI is playing an increasingly important role in the home search, especially when it comes to educating buyers and helping them plan financially.
A growing share of buyers are using AI to estimate monthly payments (37%, up 5 points) and check property values (also 37%, up 5 points). Nearly a third used AI as a mortgage calculator (32%) or to learn about housing trends (32%).
Visualizing renovations also saw a notable jump, from 27% to 32%, while comparison shopping an 8-point increase.
“More buyers are using AI to not just dream, but to make better-informed, faster decisions,” Birk said. “From visualizing changes to understanding what fits their budget, AI is helping close the gap between aspiration and action.”
Virtual home tours (36%) and property searches (37%) remain among the most common use cases, though virtual tour usage dipped slightly this quarter.
How Homebuyers Are Using AI Tools
| How Have You Used AI Tools? | % of Buyers (Q1 2025) | Change from Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Search for homes | 37% | - |
| Estimate monthly payment | 37% | +5 points |
| Check property values | 37% | +5 points |
| Virtual home tours | 36% | -2 points |
| Help visualize renovations | 32% | +5 points |
| As a mortgage calculator | 32% | +1 |
| Comparing lender reviews | 30% | +8 points |
AI Tools Becoming a Go-To Resource
For the first time, the survey asked buyers to weigh AI tools alongside a broader list of sources for homebuying information. While traditional platforms like real estate websites and advice from friends still lead the way, AI tools are carving out meaningful space.
More than half of respondents (55%) said they’ve used at least one AI-powered platform to support their homebuying journey. While that’s lower than online sources overall (83%) or social media (60%), it’s well ahead of financial advisors (25%) and mortgage lender websites (27%).
Buyers are experimenting with a variety of platforms, from general-purpose tools like ChatGPT and Meta AI to real estate-specific solutions such as Zillow’s natural language search and Realtor.com’s Renovation Designer.
The adoption of AI appears to reflect buyers’ growing comfort with hybrid support, where digital tools can enhance, rather than replace, traditional sources.
“Buyers are looking for ways to combine AI insights and real-life experts rather than choose one over another," Birk said. “These tools are helping people ask better questions, run smarter comparisons, and move forward with more confidence. That’s a win for everyone.”
AI Use & Optimism Rising
Beyond real estate, Americans are using AI tools more often in daily life. A growing share of respondents (43%, up 3 points) say they use AI at least once a day. Most of that increase came from users interacting several times daily (+5 points).
At the same time, attitudes toward AI are shifting, albeit subtly. This quarter, 30% of respondents said they feel “more excited than concerned” about the rise of AI, up a point. Those who said they’re “more concerned than excited” also ticked up 2 points to 33%. That leaves most buyers in a space of cautious optimism.
“Consumers want the convenience AI offers, but they’re not ready to give up the personal connection,” Birk said. “The best experiences will continue to blend automation with insight from trusted experts.”
AI’s role in homebuying is only growing, not just in visibility, but also in how meaningfully it supports the process. While questions remain around trust and accuracy, the trend lines are clear: Buyers are getting more comfortable with AI as part of their real estate journey.
Methodology
Data and research firm Sparketing conducts a quarterly online survey of Veterans, service members and civilians on behalf of Veterans United. The Q1 2025 survey included 899 respondents and was conducted from March 3–17, 2025.
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