Real estate is entering another period of change. Artificial intelligence, shifting consumer habits, economic uncertainty, and new search tools are changing how people find information and choose professionals. In this episode of The Critical Path, Ashley Smith explains why REALTORS® need to look ahead, strengthen their value proposition, and make their expertise easier to find and trust.
Key takeaways
- AI search is changing how consumers discover and assess real estate professionals.
- A strong online presence now needs to show more than a name, license, or list of services.
- REALTORS® should clearly explain their specialties, experience, judgment, and approach.
- Trust and client care remain central, especially when online information is difficult to verify.
- Professionals do not need to adopt every new tool. Starting with one useful improvement is often enough.
Real estate is tied to a changing world
Real estate has never operated in isolation. Government policies, technology, economic conditions, and global events all influence the market. They also affect how buyers and sellers make decisions.
Ashley Smith has seen these changes from several perspectives. After 18 years as a REALTOR®, she served in leadership roles with the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® and the BC Real Estate Association. That experience encouraged her to look beyond day-to-day transactions and pay closer attention to the broader forces affecting the industry.
She began exploring emerging technology years ago, including blockchain, and later became more involved with startups and artificial intelligence. Her focus is not simply on the latest tools. It is on how technology changes consumer behavior, trust, and decision-making.
That matters to every real estate professional, including those working in Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Mission, and throughout the Fraser Valley. At Royal LePage Brookside Realty, local knowledge and decades of experience have always been part of the service. The challenge now is making that value clear in both personal conversations and digital spaces.
AI is changing the way people search
Consumers are moving from short searches to longer conversations with technology. Instead of typing a few keywords into a search engine, they may ask an AI tool to compare options, explain a contract, recommend a professional, or help them understand a market.
This creates a new problem: not everything people find online is accurate, current, or useful. Videos, articles, reviews, and AI-generated answers can all appear convincing, even when they leave out important details.
People are becoming more skeptical, but they are also relying heavily on online information. Even when someone receives a trusted referral, they will often search for that professional before making contact. If the online results are vague, outdated, or disconnected from the referral, confidence can drop.
For real estate, the stakes are high. Buyers and sellers are making decisions involving significant money, contracts, and long-term plans. They need more than a polished profile. They need evidence that a professional understands their situation and can guide them through it.
The value proposition needs to be clearer
Smith suggests that many REALTORS® present themselves too broadly. They may say they work with buyers, sellers, investors, and every type of property in every area. While that sounds flexible, it can make it hard for consumers to understand where the professional truly stands out.
A stronger value proposition answers questions such as:
- What type of client do you serve best?
- Which communities or property types do you know deeply?
- What part of the transaction is your greatest strength?
- What kind of judgment, care, or expertise do clients receive from you?
Trust is also more specific than simply being likable. Clients may trust a REALTOR® to communicate honestly, protect their interests, understand a particular neighborhood, negotiate effectively, or manage a complex transaction.
This is where an established local team can offer a real advantage. Brookside Realty’s presence in downtown Maple Ridge since 1969 reflects more than longevity. It represents years of regional knowledge, community relationships, and experience helping people buy, sell, and manage property across the Fraser Valley.
Show the proof behind your expertise
One of Smith’s key ideas is the proof gap: the difference between how capable a professional is in real life and how that capability appears online.
A REALTOR® may have years of experience and a strong reputation among past clients. But if a potential client searches for them and finds only generic information, that experience is hard to confirm.
A useful starting point is to conduct a simple online check:
- Search for yourself in a private browser.
- Review what AI-powered search tools say about you.
- Look for outdated or incomplete information.
- Check whether your specialties are easy to understand.
- Compare your online presence with the service you provide in person.
The goal is not to become an online celebrity. It is to make your real expertise easier to discover. A short monthly article, a useful market observation, or a clear explanation of a common client question can help show how you think.
Technology should support professionalism
AI can help REALTORS® organize ideas, summarize notes, improve communication, and create useful content. But it should not replace personal judgment or produce generic material that adds to the noise.
The best approach is to combine technology with a professional’s actual experience. For example, a REALTOR® could record a conversation with a colleague about a recent market trend, then use those notes to develop a thoughtful article or client update.
Newer professionals can also work with experienced mentors. One person may bring deep market knowledge, while the other is more comfortable with digital tools. Together, they can create content that reflects real insight instead of empty promotion.
For professionals who feel overwhelmed, Smith recommends starting small. Choose one tool, one online improvement, or one area of expertise to explain more clearly. There is no need to change everything at once.
Put yourself in the consumer’s position
The most useful exercise may be the simplest: think like a client. If you were hiring someone for an important financial decision, what would you want to see? What would help you feel confident?
The answer may involve technology, but it may also be better communication, stronger follow-up, clearer advice, or more consistent client care. In a time when referrals and online information are harder to evaluate, the professionals who consistently demonstrate value will stand out.
For Brookside Realty and other established Fraser Valley professionals, the opportunity is clear. Local experience still matters. The next step is showing that experience in ways today’s consumers can find, understand, and trust.
