How Australian property buyers are using data to gain the upper hand
Artificial intelligence and virtual tours are revolutionising how Australians buy homes, with one in four house hunters already using AI tools to research properties.
For decades, buying a home was wrapped in mystery. A newspaper clipping, maybe a lyrical nod to the “leafy aspect” and then you turned up on Saturday to inspect the property.
That era is over. Access to the internet and more information than ever before has changed how people are buying, selling and renting property.
Every year, REA Group’s Property Seeker Survey provides insights into what’s really going on in the minds of 15,000 buyers and sellers around Australia. The message this year is clear: it’s all about data. And property seekers want more.
Today’s property journey starts long before the first inspection. Buyers are looking over floorplans, price histories, school catchments, local traffic maps and flood-risk overlays. Some arrive at the front door already an expert.
This is not an insignificant shift. It is the intersection of changing buyer expectations, new technology and a growing belief that transparency benefits everyone.
Our data shows that less information on a property listing doesn’t spark curiosity, it kills it. Eighty-four per cent of buyers say they skip straight past listings that don’t feature a price guide. Minimal photography and missing floorplans have the same effect.
Today’s buyers reward the listings that capture the home’s full story. And if they can’t get it from the listing, they’ll get it somewhere else. One in four already use AI tools to dig deeper, with even higher usage among younger audiences.
If you’re one of the 1.8 million Australians thinking about selling, there are a few truths worth noting. Interest-rate cuts have shifted buyer confidence, and most now believe prices will rise over the next 12 months. Wealth creation is the number one reason to buy, fuelling a surge in investor activity, including more interstate buyers.
Reaching those buyers will require more than prime photos.
In today’s visual world, adding video and 3D tours is moving from a nice-to-have to a non-negotiable. Immersive experiences help people see themselves in the home, especially when they can’t be there in person. And what they want are clear walk-throughs that show the real layout, room sizes and outdoor spaces. Polished production isn’t necessary; authenticity matters more. Videos bring a home to life and are increasingly part of a buyer’s shortlist process.
The modern buyer is chasing more than just a dream; they’re chasing certainty. They want the facts. This is also evidenced in the increasing demand we’re seeing for buyer’s agents. These professionals are now involved in close to one in 10 transactions and are among the fastest-growing jobs in the country, according to LinkedIn.
We’ve seen more Australians looking to buy in 2025, with active buyers up from 15 per cent to 19 per cent year-on-year.
Finding the right property is a marathon, not a sprint. The average search now stretches across 40 weeks of research, inspections and compromise.
In an age when most property searches start and end on a mobile screen, information is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s the new competitive edge.
In 2025, homes aren’t just being inspected once a week on a Saturday. They’re being investigated from the moment they appear online.
The most successful agents and sellers will be those who give buyers the information they crave, long before they walk through the door.
Serge Petrichenko is REA Group Head of Market Research and Insights.
