It’s 8:45 AM, and the day is already moving fast.
A seller is waiting for their listing to go live, and the property description still needs polish. A buyer has questions about condo documents that need a careful second look. There’s a social post to get up before the morning scroll is over, and two new leads sitting in the inbox, expecting a quick response.
None of this is unusual. In real estate, this is just Tuesday.
But while these tasks are necessary, they can quietly take over the day, leaving less time for the work that actually builds relationships, wins clients and moves deals forward.
Many REALTORS® are turning to AI to handle parts of that workload. Not as a replacement, but as a way to move faster by drafting, summarizing and organizing work that used to take hours.
AI may still be a powerful tool for content creation, but its role has quickly expanded into something more operational: helping real estate professionals streamline everyday tasks and build more consistent, scalable systems.
To understand what that looks like in practice, we spoke with four Chicago real estate professionals actively using AI in their businesses: Jerome Harper of Keller Williams ONEChicago, Marki Lemons Ryhal of ReMarkiTable LLC, DJ Paris of Kale Realty and Vik Wadhwa of Urban Living Properties.
Their approaches vary. But the outcome is similar: more time, better systems and a different way of working.
Where AI Delivers the Most Value Right Now
From Search Engine to Task Engine
One of the most important mindset shifts in using AI effectively is how you think about what AI is used for. Paris describes it as moving away from treating AI like a search engine and instead putting it to work on actual tasks. That might mean having AI monitor your inbox, flag urgent messages and tag them for follow-up — handling in seconds what might otherwise take your whole morning.
That shift in thinking unlocks a different class of workflows, ones that don’t just help you work faster, but help the business keep moving even when you’re focused elsewhere.
Reducing Manual Work with AI
If there’s one area where AI immediately proves its value, it’s in handling repetitive work. For Vik Wadhwa, that starts with listing descriptions, but not in the way you might think.
Rather than starting from scratch, Wadhwa feeds AI a combination of past listing data and new visual inputs.
“I’ll upload the old listing description and then I’ll add the new photos,” he explains. “AI knows how to read the photos that you upload and then I’ll say, ‘I want a design-driven listing description based on the information I provided.’”
The result is faster, more tailored content without sacrificing quality.
The same principle applies to one of the most tedious parts of the job: document review. Before using AI, reviewing condo bylaws could take over an hour of scanning dense pages for key details. Now, you can upload those documents and extract answers, like rental or pet restrictions, in minutes, turning a slow, manual task into a quick checkpoint before client conversations.
“Instead of scanning through all these pages, you can throw all of that into ChatGPT and ask it questions like, ‘What are the rental restrictions?’ or ‘What are the pet restrictions?’” Wadhwa says.
AI excels at summarizing, extracting and drafting. If a task involves repetition or searching for information, it’s often a good fit for an AI-assisted workflow.
Streamlining Marketing & Content Workflows
Marketing is another area where AI is quietly transforming workflows. Wadhwa uses it not just to write captions, but to refine entire content pieces.
“You can upload a carousel to ChatGPT and say, ‘What would you tweak?’” he explains. “It will tell you to change the font size here, maybe use this wording instead of that wording.”
On the automation side, tools like ManyChat are helping convert social media engagement into action.
“If I do a reel, I’ll say, ‘Comment Glenview for the listing sent to your DMs.’ Then they get an automated DM with a link to the listing,” Wadhwa says.
It’s a simple workflow, but a powerful one that creates faster response times, more consistent follow-up and scalable engagement.
Jerome Harper has taken this a step further by building systems around content repurposing and distribution. Instead of creating something once and moving on, he uses AI to extend the life of every piece of content, using NotebookLM to turn podcasts, newsletters or videos into multiple formats that can be shared across platforms. The goal is consistency at scale: one piece of content becomes many, without requiring significantly more time.
Paris has built a content system around a different insight: identifying gaps in the market and filling them consistently. He noticed a lack of daily short-form videos covering news relevant to REALTORS® and built a workflow to fill it. Every morning, he receives an automated email digest — powered by a custom Claude agent that monitors news sites and industry networks — delivering five or six stories he can act on the same day.
The same approach works at a hyper-local level, and Paris sees it as one of the biggest missed opportunities for agents. Pick a neighborhood or suburb you want to master, build an agent that delivers daily news from that area and use it as the foundation for videos, newsletters or social posts content that serves both current residents and people considering a move.
Database & Communication Intelligence
One of AI’s more powerful uses is how it can interact with your database.
Traditional automation follows fixed rules: if a lead takes a certain action, they receive a preset response. AI introduces adaptability by helping agents interpret patterns in their CRM, including lead source, search criteria, past conversations, email engagement and response history.
Harper is applying that same idea to database management. For his team, AI can help identify opportunities to clean and enhance contact records before they are used for marketing. That might mean normalizing inconsistent data, formatting phone numbers, organizing notes or flagging outdated records after an email campaign produces bounces, unsubscribes or undeliverable messages.
“Garbage in, garbage out as it relates to data,” Harper says.
Paris takes a similar approach with CRM platforms. Most systems, including tools like Follow Up Boss, offer API connections that allow AI to plug directly into your database, scan your pipeline and surface opportunities that may have slipped through the cracks. Where Harper focuses on data quality, Paris is using AI to identify the opportunities buried inside a well-maintained system.
Marki Lemons Ryhal has built her business around this shift, using automation platforms like Zapier, Make and n8n as connectors between her existing business systems and AI tools such as ChatGPT. In a basic workflow, a form submission, CRM update or new email might serve as the trigger. The automation could then send that information to ChatGPT to summarize, categorize or draft a response before routing the output back into a CRM, email platform or task list for review.
“Traditional automation would send an eight-part email sequence,” she explains. “But now AI is able to point out differences and give you other ways to communicate.”
In this context, tools like ChatGPT can help agents spot patterns in their data and rethink their follow-up strategy. Instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all sequence, agents can use AI to identify when messaging, timing or communication channels may need to change.
Creative & Client-Facing Use Cases
While much of AI’s value is operational, it’s increasingly enhancing the client experience as well. Wadhwa uses AI-powered image tools to help clients visualize potential renovations.
For buyers who struggle to visualize an update like this, that kind of visual can make the possibilities feel more concrete. Just upload a property photo into a tool like ChatGPT, which supports uploaded image edits, and prompt it to make a specific change, such as, “Change the exterior to a soft gray with white trim, while keeping the roof, windows, landscaping and structure the same.”
From there, you can generate a few options, use them to guide a renovation conversation or help a client better understand what cosmetic updates might do for the home.
Getting Started: Practical Entry Points
Start Simple
For agents new to AI, the best approach is to start small.
Wadhwa recommends organizing workflows directly inside tools like ChatGPT.
“For each transaction, I start a new thread under a folder,” he says.
From there, simple use cases, like listing descriptions, document summaries or social media refinement, provide an easy entry point.
Harper recommends thinking of AI as part of a repeatable system. Even simple workflows like turning one piece of content into multiple posts can create consistency over time.
Learn Strategically
When it comes to learning AI, Lemons Ryhal emphasizes one key rule: focus on what’s current.
“The absolute best place to learn is YouTube,” she says. “But only watch videos that are less than 30 days old.”
Why? Tools evolve quickly, and outdated workflows can create confusion rather than clarity.
Build Toward Connected Workflows
As your confidence grows, so does your capability.
Lemons Ryhal describes a natural progression:
- Start with individual tasks.
- Move to repeatable workflows.
- Then build toward connected workflows that use AI-powered insights.
Harper describes that next stage as connecting the pieces of the business that often operate separately. In one workflow his team is developing, contact information moves out of the database, is cleaned and organized with the help of AI, then flows into Flodesk for more targeted email marketing. After the campaign, engagement data such as bounces, unsubscribes or spam reports can be used to improve the database for the next send.
Use AI Responsibly: Keep the Human in the Loop
For all its benefits, AI still requires human oversight. Wadhwa follows a simple rule: “Trust but verify.”
“You’re still responsible if you got an incorrect answer from AI,” he adds. “You need to review everything.”
Agents also need to be thoughtful about what information they put into AI systems in the first place. Client names, financial details, contract terms, personal contact information and other sensitive data should not be copied into a tool without understanding how that information may be stored or used. When possible, agents should remove identifying details, summarize the situation more generally or use approved tools and settings designed for business or confidential work.
Harper frames the issue even more plainly: if there is information you would not want surfaced publicly or scrutinized later, do not put it into an AI tool. For agents, that means being cautious with personally identifiable information, private client details and sensitive transaction information.
Paris takes this a step further in his own setup. He recommends building guardrails directly into your AI tools. This means programming them to follow fair housing guidelines, brokerage policies and your own professional ethics from the start. That way, the system is designed to work within boundaries.
That responsibility extends beyond accuracy and privacy. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they can also make scams, including phishing emails, more convincing. Lemons Ryhal emphasizes a simple but critical habit: “Stop clicking on links in your inbox,” she says. “Log into the system directly.”
That responsibility also extends to ethics and compliance. Lemons Ryhal is direct about the role of the agent.
“We must remain the human in the loop,” she says. “It is our responsibility 100% of the time to review any content before it is shared with the public.”
Then she poses a question that cuts to the core of the issue: “If everything is automated, what do they need you for?”
AI can assist, but it cannot replace professional judgment. In other words, working smarter does not mean taking your hands off the wheel. It means knowing when to let AI assist, and when to slow down, verify and protect yourself and your clients.
AI as a Time Multiplier (and Life Changer)
Measurable Business Impact
The most immediate benefit of AI is time. For Wadhwa, the savings are clear.
“I think it probably saves five to ten hours a week,” he says.
That time adds up quickly, freeing you up to focus on higher-value work, from client relationships to business development.
Harper sees the impact in both time savings and client service. For his team, reducing operational work creates more room for active client work and business development. It also raises the level of polish in areas like market analysis, cross-border client education and marketing materials.
“There is a level of sophistication that you’re able to attain by using these platforms that it would take you 10 times as much time to get to on your own,” Harper says.
And the barrier to entry is low. Lemons Ryhal points out that many of these tools are accessible for about $20 per month, making them a practical investment rather than a major overhaul.
Personal & Lifestyle Benefits
But the most compelling impact isn’t always business-related. For Lemons Ryhal, AI has fundamentally changed how she structures her day.
“AI automation has allowed me to now drive 30 minutes, take a 50-minute Pilates class and never miss a beat,” she says.
Stepping away from the business for hours at a time, which used to be difficult, is now part of her routine.
That time has also translated into deeper family involvement.
“I’ve leveraged artificial intelligence to free my time up,” she says, “but I also help my family accomplish their goals by using AI.”
Beyond convenience, there’s also an accessibility component. Lemons Ryhal openly discusses using AI to compensate for challenges like cognitive load and fatigue, describing it as a tool that helps her stay organized and perform at a high level.
The Bigger Shift: From Search to “Answer Engines”
Beyond individual workflows, AI is reshaping how consumers find information.
Lemons Ryhal describes a shift toward “answer engine optimization,” where AI platforms deliver direct answers instead of search results on Google, Bing or other traditional search platforms.
“You’re not going to be found if you don’t have any content online,” she says.
For agents, that means consistent content creation is foundational to visibility. In other words, the more useful, searchable content an agent creates online, the more likely their expertise, listings or market knowledge are to surface when consumers ask AI tools for local real estate guidance.
Start Small, Think Big
AI isn’t about replacing REALTORS®.
It’s about reclaiming time, empowering decision-making and building a more efficient way to work.
The professionals already seeing results aren’t necessarily the most technical. They’re the ones experimenting, adapting and integrating AI into their daily workflows.
Start with one task. Build from there.
The advantage comes from starting small, staying curious and using AI in ways that support the work only a skilled professional can do.
Your AI Toolkit
Use this list as a starting point to compare tools, explore features and identify which platform might best support the workflow you want to improve first.
- ChatGPT: Helps with drafting, summarizing, image edits, document Q&A and project organization. Get started at chatgpt.com.
- Flodesk: Creates branded emails, newsletters, forms and audience segmentation. Find out more at flodesk.com.
- ManyChat: Automates DMs, creates comment-to-message workflows and captures social media leads. Explore ManyChat at manychat.com.
- Make: Creates visual workflow automation and multi-step app connections. Get started at make.com.
- N8n: Includes advanced workflow automation, AI agents and API connections. Find out more at n8n.io.
- NotebookLM: Creates source-based summaries, audio overviews, study guides and training materials. Explore NotebookLM at notebooklm.google.
- Zapier: Provides simple app-to-app automations, forms, tables and AI-assisted workflows. Start your automations at zapier.com.
AI Security & Privacy Checklist
Before using AI, use this checklist to ensure data and information security and privacy:
- Remove client names, financial details, contract terms and other sensitive information.
- Avoid entering anything they would not want surfaced publicly or scrutinized later.
- Use approved tools, privacy settings or business platforms for confidential work.
- Review every AI-generated summary, message, image or recommendation before using it.
- Keep AI-generated emails and client communications in draft until approved.
- Verify links, attachments and senders before clicking, downloading or sharing.
- Confirm AI use aligns with license law, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, fair housing rules and brokerage policies.