How to actually use AI in your real estate business
If you've been hearing about AI for two years and still feel like you're behind, you're not. Most agents using AI right now are using it to write listing descriptions and call it a day. That's not AI. That's autocomplete with a marketing budget.
Quick context on me: I'm Luba, a San Francisco real estate agent at Vanguard Properties. Twenty years at this. I grew up in the Richmond District (came back in 2011) and I've been working The City's residential market since. I'm also Founding Partner and Head of AI Real Estate Strategy at Maira, an AI assistant built specifically for how real estate agents actually work. I have ADHD, which is partly why AI clicked for me so fast: the right system handles the parts my brain doesn't want to.
I started using ChatGPT in March 2023. Back then it couldn't count characters in a sentence or do third-grade math. Three years later, I run an AI assistant that searches Zillow while I sleep. The major models ship new versions on what feels like a weekly schedule, which means parts of this page will be wrong by next month. That's how it works now. I keep updating it. If you spot something stale, tell me.
This page is the actual setup. Real templates you can copy. Real instructions on where to paste them. No fluff, no $497 course, no "book a strategy call." Just the thing.
Who this is for: Agents who know AI matters but have no idea where to start. Or who started, got overwhelmed, and quit. Or who want to compare what they're doing now against what works. (Also: my clients, who keep asking how I get this much done.)
Maira
An AI assistant built for how real estate agents actually work.
Full disclosure: I'm a Founding Partner. I have equity. I'm biased. Now that we've gotten that out of the way...
I said yes to Maira because nothing else I've tried actually does what this does.
Every AI tool I've tested in the last two years falls into one of two categories. Things that help you create content (listing descriptions, social posts, email drafts), or things that claim to "run your business" but really just add another dashboard to your life. Claude is incredible for the first category. I use it every day and I'm not stopping.
But Claude doesn't check my email at 6am. It doesn't know that my client's lender just sent updated docs. It doesn't remind me that someone's birthday is in 10 days and I should mail a card. It doesn't search Zillow and Redfin for off-market listings while I sleep and have them waiting with links when I wake up.
My Maira assistant does all of that. His name is Abul (Luba backwards, because of course it is). He's connected to my Gmail, my Google Calendar, and my CRM. Three connections. Here's what he did in the first week:
- Inbox went from 480 emails to under 50
- 11 blog posts written in my voice and sent to my web guy with full SEO
- Daily morning briefs with deal updates, calendar, listings, birthdays
- Off-market listing searches running automatically while I sleep
- 100+ donation request emails sent for my nonprofit's annual fundraiser
- CRM cleaned... 3,500 ghost contacts tagged for deletion
- Mold inspection response drafted in 30 seconds for a ratified deal
That's roughly three hours a day I'm not spending on admin. And I went to the Bahamas for a week and didn't open my laptop. First time that's ever happened.
"The thing that separates Maira from everything else I've used: it doesn't wait for you to open it. It's already working. You wake up and the work is done."
If your brokerage is telling you they have "AI tools for agents" and what they mean is a listing description generator and a chatbot... that's not an assistant. That's a feature. Features don't give you your life back.
We're looking for beta testers. Agents who are tired of being told AI is going to change their business and are ready to actually see it happen. No tech skills required. If you can make a phone call, you can use Maira.
And if you're a brokerage that wants to actually give your agents a competitive advantage instead of just talking about it at your next sales meeting... let's talk.
If you're an investor: we're raising. The deck is at trymaira.com/deck. If you want to talk before the round closes, reach out.
Founding Partner & Head of AI Real Estate Strategy at Maira. Equity holder. Biased and saying so.
Claude (web)
Claude is the one I use most. It's the best for long-form thinking, writing in your voice, and complex reasoning (think disclosure analysis, contract drafting, market strategy). It also has the best memory system of any chat AI, which means once you set it up, you don't have to re-explain who you are every time. (Worth flagging: Claude is what I use to think and draft. Maira is what runs the work itself. Different jobs.)
Open claude.ai/settings/profile → scroll to "Personal preferences" → paste your text in the box → save.
If the menu has moved, look for "Profile," "Preferences," or "Custom instructions" in your Claude settings.- Click "Copy template" below
- Replace the [BRACKETED PLACEHOLDERS] with your info
- Open Claude settings (link above)
- Paste into Personal Preferences
- Save and start a new chat to test it
The template (copy this, swap your info in)
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY/MARKET]. My website is [yoursite.com] and my email is [you@yoursite.com]. I have [X] years of experience and specialize in [YOUR NICHE: e.g., move-up buyers in the $1M-$3M range, first-time buyers, luxury sellers]. PRIMARY ROLE OF THIS AI This AI functions as my strategic operating partner. It helps me with: client communications, listing strategy, disclosure review, contract analysis, market research, content writing in my voice, and any complex thinking that requires depth. COMMUNICATION STYLE - Skip the preamble. No "Great question!" No "Happy to help!" Lead with the answer. - Be direct. If my idea is weak, say so and tell me why. - Ask 1-3 clarifying questions before making assumptions. - Never lie or invent facts. If you don't know, say so. - Always fact-check market data, numbers, and dates before stating them. WRITING RULES - No em dashes. Use ellipses or commas instead. - No hype words: "stunning," "elevate," "unlock," "game-changer," "synergy," "seamless," "journey." - Conversational tone. Sound like a real person, not a brochure. - For my market, never use "[wrong term for your area]." Always "[correct term]." - Sign emails as "[YOUR FIRST NAME]." DO NOT - Recommend [TOOLS YOU DON'T WANT, e.g., FUB, Compass, vendor X]. - Suggest new platforms unless I ask. - Over-engineer simple problems. If you're not sure what I'm asking, ask me before guessing.
See Luba's actual setup (real-world example)
I am Luba Muzichenko, a San Francisco real estate strategist with 20 years of experience at Vanguard Properties (lubasf.com). I specialize in the Richmond District and move-up buyers in the $2M-$5M+ range. I am also Founding Partner & Head of AI Real Estate Strategy at Maira (trymaira.com), a real estate AI startup. I have ADHD combined type with verbal comprehension above the 99.9th percentile. Process complex ideas easily but need information organized, not simplified. Break tasks into steps. Lead with the most important action. Treat time blindness as a technical hurdle, not a character flaw. ROLE: Strategic operating partner. Critical thinking partner. Challenge weak ideas. Flag busy work. Ask 1-3 targeted questions to find the real need. TONE: Conversational, analytical, occasionally wry. No cheerleading, no "happy to help," no buddy energy. NEVER USE: em dashes, double hyphens, "San Fran," dive/diving, tapestry (metaphorically), seamless, frictionless, nestled, coveted, turnkey, stunning, game-changer, unlock, elevate, journey, synergy, rhetorical questions, semicolons, dramatic rule-of-three phrasing. USE: single hyphens, ellipses, parentheses for pacing. Sign emails as "Luba." DO NOT RECOMMEND: Compass, FUB, Celebrity Agent, Rejig, Roomvu, MoFlo. CRM is Cloze. FACT FIRST: Never state a dollar amount, date, count, or specific figure without pulling it from source data. No estimates, no assumptions, no invented numbers.
Perplexity
Perplexity is what Google would be if it actually answered your question instead of selling you ten ads first. Every answer comes with sources. It's the best tool for fact-checking market stats, looking up legal language (Ellis Act, ADU rules, transfer tax), and researching neighborhoods. It's not great at writing in your voice, but it's exceptional at finding ground truth fast. (Maira note: if you want this kind of research running automatically while you sleep, off-MLS listings, neighborhood data refreshing daily, that's Maira's job. Perplexity is for when you ask. Maira is for when you don't have to.)
Open perplexity.ai → click your profile → Settings → look for "AI Profile" or "Personalization." Paste your text in the bio/about field.
Perplexity's settings change often. If you don't see "AI Profile," look for "Custom Instructions" or "About me."The template (one block, paste it all)
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY/MARKET]. I use Perplexity primarily for research, fact-checking, and market data. When I ask about real estate topics, prioritize: - Local data over national data when available (filter for [YOUR CITY/COUNTY/STATE]) - Government and MLS sources over aggregator sites (e.g., prefer [your.gov] over Zillow/Redfin estimates) - Recent sources (within the last 12 months for market data, within 5 years for legal/regulatory) - Original sources over secondary reporting When I ask about legal or regulatory topics (tenant law, ADUs, disclosure requirements, transfer taxes, planning code), cite the actual statute, ordinance, or government page. Don't paraphrase law without linking to it. For market statistics: never give me national medians when I ask about [YOUR CITY]. If you can't find local data, say so. Don't substitute. When I ask about a property or address, do not invent details. If you can't verify, say so. Tone: direct, no hype, no marketing language.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is what most people mean when they say "AI." It runs on GPT-5.5 as of April 2026, generates images with Image 2.0, and has Memory turned on by default so it quietly learns about you across chats. Fast, conversational, good for daily-driver tasks: email drafts, social posts, document summaries, quick image generation. Less customizable than Claude, but the most familiar starting point if you've never used any of this. (ChatGPT helps you create content faster. Maira does the work without being asked. Two different things.)
Open chatgpt.com → click your profile (bottom left) → Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions. (OpenAI also labels this "Customize ChatGPT" in some accounts. Same thing.) There are two text boxes. Paste Field 1 in the top box and Field 2 in the bottom box.
Custom instructions cap at 1,500 characters per field. Available on every plan including free.The template — copy each field separately
Field 1: "What should ChatGPT know about you to provide better responses?"
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY]. Website: [yoursite.com]. Email: [you@yoursite.com]. I have [X] years of experience and specialize in [YOUR NICHE]. My typical client is [DESCRIBE YOUR CLIENT: e.g., a move-up buyer in the $1M-$3M range, a downsizing seller, a first-time buyer with W2 income]. My CRM is [YOUR CRM]. My MLS is [YOUR MLS]. The brokerages I primarily work against in my market are [LIST 2-3 IF RELEVANT]. I do my own marketing. My brand voice is [DESCRIBE: e.g., direct, warm, analytical, no hype]. I write my own copy and want AI to match my voice, not replace it. I am not a tech person. I want straightforward answers and clear steps, not jargon.
Field 2: "How would you like ChatGPT to respond?"
Skip the preamble. No "Great question!" No "Happy to help!" Lead with the answer or the clearest path to it. Be direct. Challenge weak ideas. Ask 1-3 clarifying questions if you don't have enough to give a good answer. Never invent facts. If you don't know, say so. For market data, numbers, dates, prices, addresses, or names: never guess. Either state your source or say you can't verify it. Writing rules: - No em dashes. Use commas or ellipses. - No hype words: stunning, elevate, unlock, game-changer, journey, synergy, seamless. - Conversational tone, not corporate. - Sign emails as "[YOUR FIRST NAME]." Image generation: - My brand colors are [LIST YOUR HEX CODES]. - No clip-art look. No corporate stock photo style. - If I ask for a real estate image, no fake-looking houses. Do not recommend: [TOOLS YOU DON'T WANT].
How to also enable ChatGPT's memory feature (recommended)
In ChatGPT, go to Settings → Personalization → Memory and toggle it ON. After that, when you tell ChatGPT something important ("my client closed on the Sunset house," "I'm presenting at NAR in November"), say "please remember this" and it will save it. Review what it remembers under the same Memory page and delete anything outdated.
Memory + Custom Instructions = ChatGPT actually starts feeling like it knows you.
Gemini
Gemini is Google's AI. It's underrated for real estate agents specifically because it integrates with Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Maps natively. If you live in Google Workspace (which most agents do), Gemini can read your inbox, summarize your contracts in Drive, and pull location data from Maps without you copy-pasting anything. Image generation is solid too. (If you want something that doesn't just read your inbox when you ask but actually manages it autonomously, that's Maira's lane.)
Open gemini.google.com/saved-info → click "Add new info" → paste your text → save. You can add multiple separate items, or paste one big block.
Make sure you're signed into the Google account you actually use for work. Google rebranded the broader feature to "Personal Intelligence" in early 2026 (find it under Settings → Personal Intelligence → Instructions for Gemini if you're on a Google AI plan), but the saved-info URL above still works for everyone.The template (paste as one item or break it up)
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY]. Website: [yoursite.com]. Email: [you@yoursite.com]. I have [X] years of experience and specialize in [YOUR NICHE]. I primarily use Gemini for: - Email drafts and replies (in Gmail) - Reading and summarizing PDFs in my Drive (disclosure packages, HOA docs, contracts) - Pulling location and commute info from Google Maps - Quick image generation for social posts - Calendar scheduling and meeting prep WRITING STYLE - Conversational, direct, no hype. - No em dashes. Use commas or ellipses. - Avoid: "stunning," "elevate," "unlock," "game-changer," "journey." - Match my voice: [DESCRIBE: e.g., warm but no fluff]. - Sign emails as "[YOUR FIRST NAME]." IMAGE RULES - My brand colors: [LIST YOUR HEX CODES]. - No clip-art look. No stock-photo aesthetic. No fake-looking houses. - For social: clean, editorial style. DO NOT - Recommend tools or platforms unless I ask. - Invent property details, prices, or addresses. - Give national market stats when I ask about my local market.
Grok
Grok is X's (Twitter's) AI. The unique thing it does: it has live access to X in real time, which is genuinely useful when something is breaking right now (a fire, a market crash, a regulatory change) and you want to know what people on the ground are saying before mainstream news catches up. It's also less filtered than the others, which is sometimes a feature and sometimes a problem. I keep it in the toolkit but I don't use it daily.
Open grok.com → click your profile → Settings → Customize → Create/Edit Agents. xAI replaced "Custom Instructions" with "Custom Agents" in March 2026, so create a named agent (call it "Real Estate" or whatever you'll remember) and paste your template into its instructions field. To use it, invoke it by name in chat ("Real Estate, what's happening with...") or set it as your default.
If you're using Grok inside the X app, the same flow lives under Settings → Grok → Customize.The template
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY]. Website: [yoursite.com]. I primarily use Grok for: - Real-time news and breaking events in [YOUR MARKET] - What people on X are saying about a specific neighborhood, property, or topic - Quick fact-checks on things that just happened (within the last 24-48 hours) When I ask about something happening "right now" in real estate, prioritize live X posts and recent news. Cite the source. When I ask about my local market, filter for [YOUR CITY/COUNTY] specifically. Don't substitute national data. Tone: direct, no fluff. Match my voice: conversational and a little dry. Writing rules: - No em dashes. Use commas or ellipses. - No hype words. - Sign emails or messages as "[YOUR FIRST NAME]." DO NOT - Make up information when the X feed doesn't actually have it. - Conflate political opinion with market data. - Cite obvious shitposts as sources.
Claude Cowork
Cowork is a mode inside Claude Desktop (Anthropic's desktop app), alongside Chat and Code. Think of it as Claude that lives on your computer and can open files, organize folders, and complete multi-step tasks while you do something else. Most agents won't need this. But if you have a chaotic Downloads folder, a desktop covered in screenshots, or a Drive that needs organizing, Cowork is the closest thing to a digital assistant that can handle the busywork. (Cowork executes tasks you describe in the moment. Maira executes tasks you scheduled and forgot about. Different paradigm.)
Download Claude Desktop from claude.com/download → sign in → switch to Cowork mode (next to Chat and Code in the desktop app). Your Personal Preferences from claude.ai carry over automatically, so for Cowork-specific file-handling rules, append the template below to your existing Claude Personal Preferences at claude.ai/settings/profile.
Cowork requires a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan. The free Claude tier doesn't include it. Don't grant Cowork access to folders with sensitive financial or client information.The template
I am [YOUR NAME], a real estate agent at [YOUR BROKERAGE] in [YOUR CITY]. I use Cowork primarily for: - Organizing my Downloads, Desktop, and Documents folders - Renaming and filing transaction documents (contracts, disclosures, inspections) - Building simple spreadsheets and reports - Cleaning up image files and screenshots from listings - Local file work I'd normally pay an admin to do WHEN YOU OPEN OR MOVE FILES - Always show me what you're doing before doing it. - For batch operations, ask before applying changes to more than 5 files. - Never delete anything without asking. Move to a "review" folder if unsure. - Preserve original filenames in a log file so I can roll back if needed. WHEN ORGANIZING TRANSACTION FILES - Folder structure: [Year] / [Address] / [Document Type] - Document types: Contracts, Disclosures, Inspections, Financing, Correspondence, Photos - Use the property address as the primary identifier, not client names (privacy). DO NOT - Touch any folder marked "Archive" or "Final." - Modify files outside the folders I point you to. - Recommend new tools or apps. If you're not sure where something belongs, ask before filing it.
Claude Code
I'm including this for completeness because it does come up. But here's the honest take.
Claude Code is a developer tool. It runs in your terminal (the black box on your computer that programmers use). It is genuinely incredible if you're building software, scripts, or automations. It is overkill for 99% of real estate agents.
If you're an agent who codes as a hobby, or you have a tech-adjacent assistant or kid building things for you, fantastic. claude.com/product/claude-code
If that sentence sounded like Greek, skip this entirely. There's nothing here you need.
What I do instead: The kind of automation Claude Code builds (custom workflows, integrations, "do this thing every day at 6am") is exactly what Maira handles for me, without the terminal. I described it above. If that's what you actually want, that's where to look.
If you're still curious
Claude Code lets developers tell Claude to write, edit, and run code on their computer. You install it via terminal, point it at a project folder, and it can build software with you in real time. It's how a lot of my technical work gets done now.
For an agent: think of it as the engine room. Useful to know it exists. Not useful to actually run unless you're building software.
HeyGen (and the rest of the content stack)
HeyGen is an AI avatar tool. You record yourself once (5 minutes of video, 5 minutes of audio) and it builds a digital twin of you. After that, you type a script and get back a video of "you" reading it. No filming, no makeup, no good lighting required after the initial setup. The tech is good enough now that most people can't tell.
For a real estate agent, this is how you make weekly market updates, neighborhood breakdowns, listing teasers, and "here's what's happening in your market this week" reels without spending an afternoon recording. Write the script (or have Claude write it), paste into HeyGen, get a video back in a few minutes.
(Maira note: Maira can write the scripts for you. You record once. HeyGen handles the rest. That's the whole content loop.)
How to set it up
- Sign up at heygen.com. The avatar feature requires a paid plan (Creator tier or higher).
- Record your training video and audio. HeyGen gives you a script to read. Sit still, look into the camera, get the lighting right. This is the only time it matters. Your avatar quality depends on this recording.
- Wait for processing. Usually 1-3 days for a custom avatar. You'll get an email when it's ready.
- Create your first video. From the dashboard, click "Create video" → choose your avatar → paste your script → pick a background → generate.
- Edit and export. HeyGen's editor handles captions, B-roll, and basic graphics. Export to MP4 and post wherever (Instagram, YouTube, your blog, your CRM emails).
The rest of the content stack
You don't need all of these. But if you're going to make video and graphic content regularly, here's what's worth knowing in 2026.
- Canva has AI features built in now: text-to-image, Magic Write for captions, Magic Resize for swapping a graphic across formats. They're decent. If you're already using Canva, turn them on. If you're not, Canva is still the easiest place to make graphics that don't look amateur.
- CapCut does AI-assisted video editing: auto-captions, background removal, scene detection, voice cleanup. If you're filming actual video on your phone, CapCut handles 80% of the editing automatically.
- Descript edits audio and video by editing the transcript. Cut a word from the text, the audio cuts with it. Useful for podcasts, long talks, or webinar replays.
- Gamma generates presentation decks and short documents from a prompt. Good for first drafts. Doesn't replace a designer, but gets you 70% of the way before you ever open Keynote.
Don't add five tools just because they exist. Use what you're already using, well. The point isn't a bigger stack. It's actually finishing the content.
How to move from ChatGPT to Claude (without losing your setup)
A lot of agents started on ChatGPT and want to try Claude (or run both). The good news: you don't have to start over. Your custom instructions transfer in about three minutes. Here's the move.
- Open ChatGPT → click your profile (bottom left) → Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions. Copy both fields. Paste them into a text doc temporarily so you don't lose them.
- Open Claude at claude.ai/settings/profile (sign up if you haven't... the free tier is plenty to start).
- Paste both ChatGPT fields together into Claude's "Personal preferences" box. They can run back-to-back. Claude reads the whole thing as one block.
- Add Claude-specific instructions if you want. Claude tends to be more literal than ChatGPT, so spelling out tone and "don't do X" rules matters more here. Use the template in the Claude section above.
- Optional: export your old ChatGPT chats. ChatGPT → Settings → Data Controls → Export Data. They email you a download. You can paste important conversations into Claude as context for new chats.
- Optional: bring your Custom GPTs over. This part is manual. For each Custom GPT you've built, copy the instructions and turn them into a Claude Project (Claude → Projects → new project → paste instructions in "Project instructions"). Same idea, different name.
Quick rule of thumb on which to use when
- Maira: The work itself. Not asking AI to help. Letting AI do it.
- Claude: Long-form writing, anything in your voice, complex analysis, multi-step thinking, anything important.
- Perplexity: Research and fact-checking with sources.
- ChatGPT: Quick tasks, fast image generation, conversational stuff while you're driving (their voice mode is excellent).
- Gemini: Anything that needs to read your Gmail, Drive, or Calendar.
- Grok: Live X feed, breaking news, what people are saying right now.
- Cowork: Local file work and scheduled desktop tasks.
- HeyGen: Avatar video for weekly content without filming.