CoStar on Tuesday debuted Homes AI, a home search assistant that guides homebuyers in natural language through Homes.com listings and proprietary market data. This tool will later be added to other sites owned by CoStar.
Andy Florance is one step closer to realizing his vision of a filterless portal as Homes.com introduces an artificially intelligent search assistant aptly named Homes AI.
Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI, Homes AI leverages Matterport 3D digital twin technology and proprietary CoStar data including imagery, school data, neighborhood insights, and market intelligence to help homebuyers more easily and accurately identify their dream home.
Andy Florence |Credit: CoStar Group
“This innovation marks a shift as important as the advent of online search itself. Home shopping is no longer constrained by rigid filters and disjointed online experiences,” CoStar founder and CEO Andy Florance said in a prepared statement. “Instead, it will be dynamic, consultative, and deeply personalized, reflecting the way people naturally research and evaluate homes.”
While Homes AI is designed to reflect the expertise and guidance of agents, Florance said the tool is not meant to replace them. In fact, when a home buyer or renter expresses an interest in obtaining additional property information, scheduling a tour, etc., Homes AI directs them to a listing agent.
“Just as important, Homes AI is designed to enhance, not replace, the critical role of real estate professionals,” he said. “Agents are and will continue to be at the center of every transaction.”
Homebuyers can access Homes AI by clicking the assistant icon that resembles a sound wave with a gold star in the Homes.com search bar.
After giving their location and microphone access, homebuyers can start talking to Homes AI about their preferences, such as whether they’re looking for a one-bedroom condo with floor-to-ceiling windows, a midcentury bungalow in their desired school district, or a $350,000 townhouse near the best entertainment, shopping, and restaurants.
Homes AI provides market information, insights about specific neighborhoods and neighborhoods, and can even guide homebuyers through photo listings and 3D tours with simple commands like “Show me the master bedroom” or “Give me the dimensions of the kitchen walls and cabinets.”
The more homebuyers use this feature, the more Homes AI becomes more sophisticated, leveraging pre-chat and search queries to provide more accurate recommendations.
“We have spent years building the richest real estate data in the industry, and Homes AI leverages that foundation to transform the consumer experience in a way that feels intuitive, human, and incredibly powerful,” said Florence.
The CEO teased the creation of tools like Homes AI when he spoke with Inman founder Brad Inman about the future of housing portals at Inman Connect New York 2025.
Mr Florence said filters and links would soon be “retired” and replaced with a more intuitive home buying experience. Zillow and Realtor.com previously released their own filterless experiences.
“There will be no filters, and it will be like having a hypothetical omniscient agent with a complete memory of every transaction that has ever taken place,” he said. “We know everything about every home. We remember everything you say during the transaction, and we can give you specific information and guide you through different pieces of information. As a buyer, you end up consuming more information, but we’re very focused…and we take you right to where you want to go.”
Koster said the data Homes AI collects about homebuyers remains within the company’s ecosystem and is never used to “train or improve external AI models.”
There are plans to add Homes AI to Apartments.com, CoStar, LoopNet, Land.com, BizBuySell, and other CoStar-owned sites.
Email Marian McPherson
