AI is Your New Realtor

A technology reporter for the New York Times, named Stuart Thompson sold his house for $605,000 — without a real estate agent, and without losing a dime of commission.

When agents told him he'd likely lose money on his upstate New York ranch, Thompson decided to test something. He handed the entire process — pricing, listing language, scheduling, negotiation strategy — to an AI chatbot. What chatbot did he use? He used Geminil! The listing looked so polished that a seasoned agent called him, convinced she was talking to a licensed Realtor.

By the end of the weekend, Thompson had 20 showings, three offers above asking, and a buyer who agreed to cover their own agent's commission. He walked away with more than $90,000 in savings — combining the sale premium with the roughly $36,000 in fees he never paid.

What is his takeaway from all this? AI didn't just help him sell a house. It gave him access to a service and process that used to be behind a paywall. The only human he hired was a closing attorney.

Real estate agents, he writes, may be headed the way of travel agents — still useful, never quite essential again.