As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption takes off in Australia’s real estate sector, leading PropTech provider Reapit is urging agencies to use AI in ways that strengthen the human connection that remains central to agencies’ success.
Insights from Reapit's estate agency guide, "Human-centric AI in real estate", show that when AI knows an agency’s business and customers, it enables faster communication at scale, while still keeping every interaction personal and relevant.
AI in real estate
McKinsey forecasts that global AI adoption in real estate will grow by more than 40% this year, exceeding $17.6bn annually.
AI is already helping agencies move faster and operate at larger scale by automating tasks like lead generation, property recommendations and tenant communications. Generative AI can also analyse vast amounts of property data, create marketing materials and even help with lease negotiations.
Reapit’s 2025 State of the Australian Real Estate Market Report revealed that:
49.1% of agencies use AI or automation in everyday communications
48.1% apply it in marketing activities such as generating property descriptions
58% of agencies are using ChatGPT to analyse agency data
The human edge of next-gen AI
All this progress has been achieved using first-generation public AI platforms. The next generation is AI that honours the human side of property.
The fact that it is already emerging within technology platforms will reassure the 40% of attendees at a 2025 Reapit webinar who said they worry AI could erode the human element in customer experience.
Matt McGown, Reapit’s Chief Product Officer, explains that human-centric AI is designed to inject human oversight and closely integrate with business flows, creating AI interactions enriched with past knowledge of client engagements.
Real-life example
Industry insider Josh Cobb captures the emotional rollercoaster of house buying with his personal account of impersonal, generic AI interaction, showing how badly things can go wrong when carelessly implemented AI takes over, and how the best agencies earn loyalty through genuine care.
But where first-generation tools fall short, business-integrated AI can help strengthen and scale the human touch.
Reapit calls for a ‘trust-first’ approach to AI
“Reapit’s position is clear: AI should enhance the human element in real estate,” says McGown.
To solve the authenticity gaps of public tools, Reapit has launched Reapit AI (RAI) – embedded directly into the Reapit CRM at the platform level, with complete human oversight.
Unlike standalone generative AI products, RAI:
learns from an agency’s own data, not from the open internet
adapts to the agency’s specific workflows
provides clear traceability behind every AI-generated recommendation
is built with human approval as the first step, before any automation
ensures outputs remain explainable, auditable and compliant
“Agents don’t need another shiny tool,” says McGown. “They need fewer late nights writing ads and more time building relationships. RAI keeps humans in the loop – you stay in control, and the technology scales what already makes your agency successful.”
A defining moment for Australian real estate
Australia is one of the most scrutinised markets globally for AI in property marketing.
Equally important, Australians reward strong service and authenticity, something more achievable with the right tools.
“The agencies that win won’t be the ones with the flashiest AI,” McGown concludes. “They’ll be the ones using AI responsibly to scale, preserve trust, and retain the human connection.”
Read the guide here.
About Reapit
Reapit is the original, end-to-end business technology provider for real estate agencies of all sizes. For more than 25 years, Reapit has helped sales and lettings agents build relationships and grow their businesses. Its technology connects property professionals in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand with buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords, powering the relationships that change lives. Worldwide, Reapit technology is used by over 92,000 agents in more than 18,000 branches, managing more than 1.3 million properties.
To learn more, visit: www.reapit.com.au