AI on RE

by Shawn Lackie

If you take the time to really read some of the listings on MLS.ca or pretty much any web site these days, you can’t help but notice, some realtors have a great way with words. They describe everything eloquently and with just enough flair, it really makes you want to see the property in person. Other realtors write like they walk, barely being able to put one word after another. Which leaves the potential buyer in confusion. Now, they instantly have a tool which makes them modern day Shakespeares.

Called AI or Artificial Intelligence, for the unenlightened; it can turn even the dullest writer into a genius in waiting. That’s not a good thing, depending on someone else’s program to set your tone, it's pretty lame.

Years ago, I had a difference of opinion with a good friend, about the burgeoning music scene with synthesizers, which, basically, allowed even the most tone deaf person to create music. His argument was, now anyone could create songs, not just the talented artists. My argument was, and still is, that is what separates the talented from the not so much. You can’t just snap your fingers and voila!

That seems to be the way these days, just use a program to fill your void. So you can basically have a program describe your house for sale, the area it is located in, and even the city or province.

Stand warned, AI is really easy to recognize for two reasons. It is rife with cliche and standard phrases which have been pulled from the shelf. It has no soul, by which, I mean, no real feel for the property.

I always tell clients they won’t find the perfect house. The perfect house will find you. On more than a few occasions we have walked into a home and within 30 seconds of our being there, I knew they loved it and would be doing an offer. It really is sometimes that simple. Most agents will probably disagree with this, saying, “It takes way more showings.”

Despite what you read online, the real measure of a buyer liking the property would obviously mean they have to go there. As simple as that sounds, some clients have nixed this idea. The only way to get the real vibe of the place is to walk in. The same goes for pictures on-line. Some pics will make the place look like a palace, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Other pictures make the place look like a dump, when it really is a nice place. Usually these are the pictures the realtor decides to take themselves, to save a few bucks, instead of hiring a professional. They’re also the pictures which have towels out of kilter on the rack and messy rooms which haven’t been properly cleaned.

So, do yourself a favour, if you are writing a description, do it yourself. Write from the heart, with a dash of common sense. If you are reading these listings, you may now be more able to differentiate what is real from what is not. It will save you a whole lot of grief and time.