A VirtualStaging.com Research Report based on a survey of 523 real estate professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
Executive Summary
Artificial intelligence is creeping quietly but steadily into the real estate business. According to VirtualStaging.com’s AI in Real Estate 2025 survey, a majority of agents have experimented with AI tools, yet few rely on them daily. Adoption is rising, but confidence lags behind curiosity.
Key takeaways:
- 58% of agents have tried at least one AI tool, but only 22% use AI weekly.
- 43% of agents expect AI to become “a normal part of listing preparation” within two years.
- 52% worry AI visuals might misrepresent properties.
- 67% believe AI can save time, though only 23% currently see measurable gains.
- Virtual staging and image enhancement remain the most common AI applications.
In short: the industry is interested, cautious, and feeling its way forward.
Methodology
- Sample size: 523 real estate professionals, users of VirtualStaging.com services.
- Regions: United States (88.5%), Canada (11.5%)
- Period: August 25 – October 10, 2025
- Recruitment: Email, LinkedIn, and direct outreach via real estate communities and VirtualStaging.com subscribers.
- Margin of error: Results should be interpreted directionally and not as a statistical census.
- Questionnaire: 14 multiple-choice and two open-ended questions.
- Data integrity: Responses were validated for duplicates and incomplete entries were removed prior to analysis.
1. Adoption: Curiosity Becomes Caution
AI adoption has reached the mainstream, but not yet maturity. Out of 523 respondents, 57.8% reported using at least one AI tool in their business. Among those users, only 22.6% rely on it regularly (weekly).
“We use AI to stage empty photos and create alternate styles. It saves money, but you still need someone to have a good look,” — Broker, Ontario.
Key insight
AI has clearly entered the marketing phase of real estate. Still, less than one in three agents rely on it consistently, indicating an early-majority adoption curve - not full integration.
2. Attitudes: Optimism Meets Unease
When asked to describe their outlook on AI in real estate:
- 33.5% said they are cautiously optimistic.
- 21.9% said enthusiastic.
- 26.8% are neutral.
- 12.3% are skeptical.
5.5% said they are opposed to AI tools in real estate.
Primary reasons for caution:
"AI can make a property look too perfect. That’s great for clicks, but risky for trust." – Agent, Texas
3. Workflow: Where Agents See Value
When asked, “Which part of your workflow would you most like to automate?”, agents focused overwhelmingly on repetitive marketing tasks.
Perceived benefits of AI:
- Time savings – 46.2% (selected ‘time savings’ as a benefit they personally see (multi-select))
- Cost reduction – 31.4%
- More consistent marketing – 29.5%
- Increased lead quality – 17.8%
Despite optimism, only 23.7% said they have seen measurable efficiency gains so far. Many cited training time and inconsistent results as key hurdles.
4. Visual Content Leads the Way
If there is one domain where AI is already established, it is visual marketing. Nearly 42% of respondents use AI for virtual staging, photo editing, or image enhancement.
Among that group:
- 71.3% said AI helps listings “look more polished.”
- 39.2% said it allows them to stage more listings that would have been left empty otherwise.
- 18.5% reported minor client confusion about what was digitally modified.
"Buyers expect magazine-quality photos now. Without AI, it’s impossible to keep up." – Agent, California
Still, 52.4% of all respondents remain concerned that AI visuals could cross the line into misrepresentation, especially if virtual staging does not match reality.
5. Outlook: Integration, Not Replacement
When asked how they see AI fitting into their business by 2026:
- 43.1% expect AI will be “a normal part of listing prep.”
- 29.8% say they will “use it occasionally when appropriate.”
- 16.7% anticipate partial automation of repetitive marketing tasks.
- 10.4% foresee AI replacing any human-led function.
Agents under age 35 were 2.4 times more likely than those over 50 to describe AI as “an essential skill” for future realtors.
"AI will quietly become the backbone of how listings get produced, not how homes get sold," said Jordan, Co-Founder of VirtualStaging.com.
6. Quote-Ready Highlights
- "57.8% of agents have tested AI tools, but fewer than 3 in 10 use them weekly."
- "Accuracy outweighs hype: 52% worry about misrepresentation in AI visuals."
- "Virtual staging leads adoption, used by roughly 42% of surveyed agents."
- "Only 23.7% report clear time savings from AI, showing efficiency remains a work in progress."
- "Nearly half expect AI to be a normal part of listing preparation by 2026."
Conclusion
The results of this research point to an industry in transition - one that recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence but is still working to define its role. Most agents have experimented with AI, yet few rely on it day to day. The enthusiasm is tempered by questions of accuracy, ethics, and how to preserve trust in client relationships.
Virtual staging and image enhancement have clearly emerged as the leading edge of AI adoption in real estate. These tools solve tangible marketing challenges and deliver visible value without replacing human judgment. Still, agents are signaling that technology must align with transparency and authenticity if it is to gain lasting traction.
As AI tools become more intuitive and affordable, integration will likely accelerate. The defining factor will not be whether agents use AI, but how thoughtfully they do so - choosing solutions that enhance efficiency and creativity without eroding credibility.
VirtualStaging.com will continue to monitor this shift and share data-driven insights that help real estate professionals navigate it with clarity and confidence.
Limitations
This report reflects self-reported data. Actual adoption and performance may vary based on region, brokerage resources, and familiarity with emerging technology. The intent is to provide a directional snapshot of agent attitudes, not a market census.
Attribution and Usage
Source: “AI in Real Estate 2025: Adoption, Skepticism & Opportunity,” a survey conducted by VirtualStaging.com between August 25 and October 10, 2025. Data represents responses from 523 real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada. Results are free to cite or reference with attribution.
Disclaimer
Survey results represent respondent opinions and self-reported experiences. They should not be interpreted as verified performance outcomes. VirtualStaging.com does not make or imply performance claims based on this data.
