How computer vision will vastly improve your workflow

One of real estate’s most exciting technology developments is the growing use of artificial intelligence to help agents become more efficient. Increasingly, AI is being used to automate things that agents do not typically enjoy doing or take too much time.

An example is the way AI is helping to automate the creation of listings in the MLS. Using computer vision, which is a field of AI, the listing input process is being automated in a way that can save the typical agents hours.

Just as an agent uses a transaction management program like Form Simplicity to increase their productivity and deliver a better client experience, agents can use computer vision inside their MLS to save time and, ultimately, spend more time with clients.

How computer vision in the MLS works

Taping into the power of computer vision starts with entering a new listing into your local MLS that offers this new technology. Many of the largest and tech-centric MLSs in the US are deploying computer vision for listing input, with more added every month.

Computer vision changes the way you create a listing by altering your workflow. Instead of uploading property photos at the end, when creating a new listing, you must first upload the images. That’s the key: embracing a new routine, starting every property listing entry starts by first uploading interior and exterior photos.

That allows the embedded computer vision to do its job. First, it instantly scans each photo and automatically determines the type of photo: is it an exterior shot of the house or the backyard, or is it an interior photo of a living room or bedroom? As it scans the photo and determines the type of photo, it generates a title for each image.

Next, this new tech looks inside every photo, identifying and tagging each feature in the room, such as a stainless-steel refrigerator, Wolf stove, hardwood floors, and granite countertops, and then writes a short description with this information for every photo uploaded. It also checks the matching feature boxes in the MLS input process. This makes your property listings more robust as it provides more data on the home to improve searching and ensure your listings are fully ADA-compliant.

Finally, leveraging generative artificial intelligence, it creates a complete, highly accurate property description. The description offers several different writing styles. For example, agents can select if they want a standard, descriptive, playful, professional, or simplified description. Best of all, agents must review all information for accuracy, and each photo caption and property description selected can be adjusted and edited to make sure every listing reflects their “brand voice” and style.

Want to see a real-time demo of how computer vision works inside the MLS to completely automate a listing? Check out this video, created by Restb.ai, a leading real estate computer vision firm.

Your computer vision source is your MLS

Today, nearly every major Multiple Listing Service has access to this new computer vision listing technology through their technology platform partners, which include CoreLogic (Matrix), ICE (Paragon), FBS (FlexMLS), Rapattoni, Stratus, Solid Earth, dynaConnection (connectMLS), and other large MLSs that run on their own technology, such as UtahRealEstate.com.

While not every MLS offers automated listing creation, it is coming. Currently, most MLSs are using computer vision to check for image compliance. Computer vision can instantly identify – at scale – images that are not compliant with local MLS rules and regulations.

For example, computer vision can detect images with “for sale” signs or brands, contact info, and religious and political objects to comply with privacy and security laws. It also identifies duplicate images, watermarks, logos, and artificially added text within the image.

Without computer vision, a manual process could take hundreds of hours to go through the thousands of images uploaded locally to your MLS. Most importantly, it helps keep you, the agent, complaint to avoid penalties.

What’s next?

Because computer vision is unlocking more data when scanning photos – which increases the information available for each property listing – it is enabling a new way for home buyers to search for properties: by key features.

Today, most property searches provide limited options: the number of bedrooms, baths, and a price range, for example. But search is being reimagined with visual search.

MLSs are starting to use computer vision to power image-based property searches based on visual similarities. A buyer simply uploads a photo of a feature they like – such as a white kitchen or a great room with vaulted ceilings. The search returns only properties listed for sale that feature that specific amenity, increasing the personalization and efficiency of the search experience.

Agents know that buyers often struggle to articulate what they want but know it when they see it. With visual search, agents can help clients better pinpoint their preferences and can help them find the right home faster.

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