AI can speed up deals, but buyers still want you in the room
Most buyers expect AI throughout the process, but trust is dropping and the majority still prefer a real person for key decisions
Most homebuyers believe artificial intelligence is already shaping the homebuying process, but growing expectations for speed and efficiency are colliding with concerns about accuracy and transparency, according to a new report from Cotality.
About 75% of buyers assume AI is embedded throughout the homebuying process, with the highest expectations tied to property websites, insurers and lenders. Real estate agents, lenders and brokers are also widely seen as incorporating AI tools into their work.
The study found AI could significantly reshape mortgage timelines. With more than $2 trillion in annual U.S. mortgage originations, AI-driven workflows could shorten processing times by one to three months, allowing buyers to close faster while helping lenders free up capital and increase capacity.
“Homebuyers want the speed and scale of AI – but not at the expense of certainty,” said Amy Gromowski, head of data science at Cotality.
Still, trust in AI is slipping. In the United States, confidence in AI to help find a home dropped from 30% in 2025 to 16% in 2026. At the same time, 68% of buyers said clear labeling of AI-generated property listings and mortgage recommendations is important, and more than a third said it should be mandatory.
Younger buyers appear more open to AI’s role. Half of Gen Z respondents said AI would boost their confidence in the homebuying process, compared with smaller shares of older generations. Buyers under 35 already account for 37% of originated loans, underscoring their growing influence.
Even so, many buyers want limits. Nearly half said it is unacceptable for lenders or insurers to use automated AI valuations without prior approval, and tolerance for AI errors remains low across all age groups.
At the same time, preference for human expertise is rising. More than half of U.S. buyers said they would rather work with a person to secure a mortgage, and two-thirds prefer human help for legal matters.
“Buyers are not rejecting AI; they are asking for safeguards,” Gromowski said. “They recognize AI’s power to process massive datasets and speed up decisions. But when it comes to the largest financial transaction of their lives, accuracy and accountability are non-negotiable.”
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