Why should real estate agents not rely on AI for copy when it comes to marketing and selling properties?
Let’s be real: agents are always flat out. Between listings, showings, paperwork, and keeping clients happy, there’s barely time to breathe—let alone write a polished property description or weekly newsletter.
So they come across an AI tool that promises instant content. Yes, it’s tempting. It feels like a solution.
But here’s what happens:
- The copy comes back sounding flat or wrong.
- They spend time editing—sometimes more time than it would take to just write it.
It’s a vicious cycle. And the solution isn’t just to write more—it’s to write better. That’s where a real human copywriter makes all the difference.
Here are 5 reasons why AI can’t beat a human copywriter when it comes to real estate:
1. AI Writes What It Sees, Not What It Feels
A real estate listing is more than just square footage and school zones. Buyers want a story—a sense of life in the space. A human copywriter knows how to tap into that emotional undercurrent. A seasoned writer can describe a modest home in a way that sparks imagination, while AI tends to regurgitate features like a checklist.
A copywriter knows how to showcase a property’s best features with engaging and specific language. A copywriter will avoid clichés and focus on details that highlight what makes the home unique, such as its layout, natural light, or modern upgrades. A copywriter will use vivid descriptions to create an emotional connection with buyers and inspire them to act. Clear, well-written listings help properties sell quickly.
Example:
AI says: “3-bedroom, 2-bath home with updated kitchen and large backyard.”
A human copywriter says: “Wake up to morning light streaming into your sun-filled kitchen, then step outside into a private backyard built for summer barbecues and quiet evenings under the stars.”
2. Tone Is Everything—And AI Can’t Read the Room
Copywriting isn’t one-size-fits-all. The tone for a luxury townhouse in the city should sound different from a family home in the suburbs or a holiday home at the beach. A human copywriter instinctively adjusts their voice to match the property and the audience. AI often sounds robotic, too generic, or worse—tone-deaf.
Creating the right ambiance can significantly influence a client’s decision-making process. Exhibiting professionalism not only reassures clients about an agent’s capabilities but also enhances their chances of winning listings. In this context, a copywriter plays a vital role – using terms like “listing consultation” instead of “listing appointment” subtly communicates professionalism while retaining the sense that an agent is approachable.
Furthermore, a copywriter who employs specific email templates sets expectations accurately and fosters trust between an agent and potential clients. AI has no gut instinct. It doesn’t know when to be formal, friendly, aspirational, or reassuring. It guesses, and too often, it guesses wrong.
3. AI Doesn’t Know Your Market—But a Human Can Learn It
One neighborhood isn’t like every other. What sells in Toorak doesn’t sell in Ballarat. AI tools rely on large, generic data sets. AI can’t know that “close to train tracks” is a deal-breaker in one town but a bonus in another.
Unlike AI, a human copywriter can talk to an agent, review local trends, and develop an ear for what buyers care about in their post code. A copywriter for an agent researches the local area to get an idea of these things. And of course, agent who’s been operating in the suburb for decades knows it like the back of their hand.
4. Great Copy Comes From Collaboration—Not Automation
AI works in a vacuum. A human copywriter writers works with an agent. A human copywriter asks questions and notices details that are overlooked. A copywriter will push back when something sounds off.
That feedback loop is where the magic happens—because no one knows an agent’s listings better than an agent, and no one writes better than someone who knows how to ask the right questions.
The concepts and ideas that AI generates might sound new but nothing AI produces will be a new or original thought. All the information that AI produces is from something that already exists on the Web. The intelligence that AI holds is artificial. AI tools cannot create anything outside of what they have been programmed to do.
5. AI Content Feels Cheap—Because It Is
When buyers or sellers read AI-generated copy, they know it. They’re not stupid. They may not be able to articulate why, but they feel it. The language is just off. The details are generic. The listing doesn’t sing.
In real estate, perception is everything. And lazy writing—even if it saves time and money —can quietly devalue the homes an agent is trying to sell.
Trusting AI in property transactions can open the door to potential data inaccuracies and the spread of misinformation. AI systems are built on data sets, and in the fast-paced property market, the data and figures can quickly become outdated. What’s more, AI ‘hallucinations’ cause data to be skewed or misunderstood leading to falsified suggestions.
Don’t settle for robotic real estate copy.
AI can spit out listings—but it can’t walk through a home, feel its story, or craft words that connect emotionally with buyers. I can.
I’m Leon Gettler—an experienced copywriter who partners with real estate agents to deliver high-quality, human writing that sells.
If you know your listings deserve better than generic, data-fed fluff, let’s talk.
📞 Call me on 0411 745 193 or 📧 email leon@leongettler.com
