The COVID-related real estate industry has seen both good and bad, with a big push of the process to virtual. The move helped fill the in-person void created by new social distancing norms, and virtual tools will continue to be part of the “more efficient process.” But has the calculus of house hunting changed for the better, or is the value primarily in the entertainment provided by fun technology? Are there matching algorithms to find the right home? Black and white TVs have gone color. Coat hanger antennas have been replaced by cable. Game shows have been replaced by Game of Thrones. You’re still on the couch.
The reality of finding your dream home
We created a new level of home matching that capitalized on new technology, but our clever algorithms aren't just fun, they actually solve a problem in a new and practical way. We wanted to match based on you, not on what everyone like you wants. We wanted to reinvent the process, to consider non-practical factors, and how images and interactions can contribute to the experience and outcome. We wanted to honor and create the emotional value of finding the right home. And we wanted to get you off the couch.
Here's the gist: We reverse the process by starting with design and aspiration factors, rather than a list of loosely applied practical calculations. We personalize your profile based on images and styles of places you love, what you've compared, what you've saved, and what you've spent the most time considering. For example, kitchen layouts in Mediterranean homes in Manhattan Beach, or bathroom decor in Malibu. What's missing in current “intelligent” solutions is the understanding that the joy of finding a home is as much about discovering something new as it is about finding what you're looking for. The results are generalized and static. We continually chase paths of design discovery that may lead to new places that we couldn't know at the first meeting.
Rather than limiting your options to a single criterion like zip code or neighborhood boundaries (which are increasingly blurred and changing) or commute distance, start with what's important to your life and lifestyle: your daughter's soccer, your son's cello, social opportunities, access to parks and beaches.
The final trick in our clever algorithm is when it really gets real: Your Match Score is determined based on the details of what you can afford within your budget to buy, rent or upgrade the home you love, including your pre-approval status.
No need for mental arithmetic
The magic is in the calculations we do for you. We trained our AI to trust and learn from the data in images, not from questionable text descriptions. We do multivariate analysis of countless data points, carefully accounting for your preferences, considerations, and option shifts, and simulate trade-off analysis. The matching algorithm chart above transparently visualizes the system. Notice how popularity factors are conspicuously absent.
The rabbit in the hat is your Match Score, revealing what's best for you based on your emotional and practical priorities.
Tags: AI-based home search, California real estate, COVID-19 real estate, finding the right home, real estate insights
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