Artificial intelligence (AI) is often described as the future — technology that’s set to transform the way we live and work. But can it actually help you find a home to buy or sell one in Thetford? Let’s see what happens when machines meet the property market.
What is AI?
AI, short for artificial intelligence, is technology that allows computers to simulate human thinking. It can gather information, learn from it, and even make decisions.
Chances are, you already use AI every day. Alexa gives you the news or turns on the lights, while ChatGPT can find you a Victoria sponge recipe in seconds. But can it take the hard work out of finding a home?
Our AI experiment
We asked a few well-known AI tools to find us a house for sale locally. Here’s what we discovered.
Alexa could help us buy almost anything — except a house. It came up empty when we asked about local properties.
Siri wasn’t much better. It gave us directions to a place we mentioned but didn’t find any listings.
ChatGPT performed best, offering links to properties for sale on sites like Rightmove. However, while some matched what we were looking for, others were completely off. It struggled to interpret what we really wanted.
Grok, the AI tool from X (formerly Twitter), shared plenty of information about the area but no listings — just suggestions to try Rightmove.
Gemini didn’t even do that. It skipped straight to recommending we contact estate agents.
In short, AI didn’t make our search easier. In fact, it was more complicated than a standard online search.
Can AI help sell your home?
If AI can’t accurately find homes for sale, it’s fair to say it’s not quite ready to sell them either. While future versions may be able to handle listings, valuations and virtual tours more effectively, it’s still early days.
For now, nothing beats local knowledge and human experience. A great estate agent understands the nuances of an area — from school catchments and transport links to what features buyers really value.
So, until AI catches up, your best bet is still the traditional route: a skilled, proactive agent who knows Thetford’s property market inside out.
If you’re thinking of selling, get in touch today to speak to a real person who can offer genuine advice, not just algorithms.
We hope you’ve found this article interesting. If you know someone thinking of buying or selling, please share it with them.
Article by Andrew Overman | Partner | Location Location East
