Andrew Dehan, Bankrate.com
Buying a home can be accompanied by increased anxiety in times of economic uncertainty, for example, where we seem to find ourselves today. The good news is that there are more tools than ever to help home buyers make the right choice more efficient. From AI image matching to high-tech home inspections, new advances make the process easier and faster. Here are some of the top home-being technologies used today.
AI Image Search will identify your favorite home
AI appears to have injected itself into many parts of modern life, and home buying is no exception. Mortgage lenders have used technology for decades in their underwriting process, but AI is now built into home search. (And with an increase in housing inventory, it helps narrow down your options.
Cotality’s OneHome portal is an example of how buyers use AI to find the right home. AI image search functions, almost like Pinterest, are one of their main attractions. You can upload your ideal kitchen, built-in shelves with shelves you want to admire, or the back patio you want.
The first in the industry, the service launched last summer and is only available in select markets.
Agent Matching Platform pairs with the right agents
Finding the right agent to meet your needs is especially important in this tough housing market. And now there are companies that allow you to shop for buyer agents who might buy mortgages.
“At the end of the day, you need affordable prices, but you also need customization, right?” says Beau Correll, founder of Fetch Agent. The company allows agents in your area to submit custom commission offers. This means you can provide flat rates, percentages, or splits between different agents. Beyond money, fetch agents strive to match you with agents with expertise in the places they want to buy.
A good agent will help you find the most appropriate list and negotiate the best deal on your behalf. “All the qualities you need (at home) don’t come.” Carol says. “You have to get what you can and it’s better to delegate it to a qualified agent than you try to do it all yourself.”
The data backs him up. According to the latest home buyer and seller profiles from the National Association of Realtors, 88% of home buyers are made through a professional real estate agent or broker.
Learn more about our high-tech home inspection tools
Once you make an offer at home and it’s accepted, the next step is usually to get a home inspection. Testing is not free, but that’s important. And it can become an important negotiation tool for buyers. If a problem is found, you and your agent can ask the seller to cover the repair costs.
Technological advances have had a major impact on the way home inspections, allowing inspectors to see more about places they have difficulty or impossible in the past, says Nick Gromiko, a certified master inspector and founder of the International Association of Certified Housing Inspectors.
“The two biggest technologies I use regularly these days are infrared cameras and drones with cameras,” says Gromicko. “They allow us to not be able to see what we can’t do with the naked eye or where the drone can go, so we can’t.”
This leads to infrared technology being able to find overheating electrical components or inappropriate insulation in the walls. You can deploy the drone to see more detail on the rooftops, chimneys and ditches. It has also been translated into a better detailed inspection report for home buyers.
AVMS estimates home values more accurately
Automated Evaluation Models (AVMs) use publicly available data to reach household price estimates algorithmically. They have been around for decades, but recent advances in technology have made them even more accurate. Predictive AI and machine learning allowed these models to combine data from multiple sources to quickly summarize the properties of their properties. The resulting valuations can not only help the appraiser determine the value of the home, but also provide both buyers and sellers with insight into how much a home is worth.
Real estate technology company RESTB.AI (which also powers Cotality’s OneHome Image Search above) takes an interesting approach. This incorporates a large database of AVM into AVM to gain better insight into property conditions, a well-known subjective criterion that database algorithms are difficult to exist.
These images are tagged by AI using descriptors that can distinguish between two large-sized home and square footage, but are otherwise very different. For example, consider two 2,000 square feet homes with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a front porch. One is in pristine form, the other is devastated or one with beautiful mountain views, while the other faces the main road. Details like this provide richer photos for home buyers.
From October 1, 2025, mortgage lenders must demonstrate that the model generates a fair and fair price valuation to determine the value of assets using AVM, thanks to new rules enacted by the Consumer Finance Protection Agency.
Buyers still need finances to back it up
High-tech has certainly influenced the home shopping experience, but Homebee Technology has so far only been able to take you. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you could make. And while technology helps you find a list, find agents, and strengthens your confidence in your decision, you will ultimately need to sort your finances out. That means sticking to the tech basics of home buying, including:
Increase your credit score by paying your bills on time and living in the means. Buyers with a higher credit score are eligible for lower mortgage rates. To save for a solid down payment, you can borrow more upfront payments. Shop to find someone who will provide you with the best deals and terms.
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Original issue: June 30th, 2025, 12:18pm EDT
