AI demand spurs real estate advertising to get ‘search-ready’

Artificial Intelligence is transforming consumer-facing industries, with India's real estate sector reshaping digital strategies for AI-first search environments. Developers are prioritizing structured, AI-ready content and advanced digital tools to enhance discoverability and customer experience.

Industry leaders observe that AI-driven platforms have changed the way consumers search for homes. Users now interact with AI tools to pose detailed questions about pricing, amenities, neighbourhood connectivity, and availability. Leaders note that improved information quality results in more accurate and relevant responses generated by AI search systems.

Consumers today search less and expect more. They ask AI detailed questions and get direct answers.

Without structured and verified content, we will lose visibility, said Sarthak Seth, Senior VP & CSMO, Tata Realty & Infrastructure Ltd.

"We are creating AI-ready, structured, and verifiable content, ensuring all project information, pricing, amenities, and location details are easily discoverable across Google’s AI Overview and emerging generative search surfaces," he said.

TRIL spends around 1.5-2% of its annual revenue on marketing, and it is now integrating AI into social listening and campaign stacks to decode customer sentiment more sharply, enabling faster responses and improved experience.

For Mahindra Lifespaces Developers, Google's AI Overview has brought a significant change in the traditional form of digital marketing.

Company's Chief Marketing Officer Ankur Parmar said, "Customers are talking to AI to gather information. It's a behavioural shift". The developer has ramped up SEO (Search Engine Optimization), AEO (AI Engine Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) strategies, while preparing its digital assets to communicate directly with search and AI models.

Despite the frenzy around AI-led discovery, the impact is still at an early stage.

Sunil Mishra, Chief AI & Strategy Officer at Anarock Group, said AI Overviews account for only 0.14% of real estate queries - the lowest among industries. "Property search needs transaction-led depth. Summaries don't close deals," Mishra noted.

He argued that structured data, local SEO, and neighbourhood insights and Google queries such as "real estate agent near me" still deliver the most leads--more than 80% of leads coming from Google alone, he said.

A majority of real estate agents said they are implementing AI and AR as a marketing tool to offer immersive project previews. Muskan Sarin, CBO at TARC Ltd, said AR-led experiences allow buyers to assess projects remotely, "reducing dependence on physical visits while strengthening sales journey".

TRIL recently used AR for its Varnam project, enabling customers to explore amenities, unit layouts and common spaces virtually.

Bengaluru-based House of Hiranandani has gone a step further, creating AI-driven videos, showcasing upcoming infrastructure and future connectivity around its developments.

"Using AI-led GEO targeting, we have also developed dynamic content that highlights connectivity from our projects, allowing customers to clearly visualize accessibility, convenience, and lifestyle advantages. Virtual experiences help buyers preview their future home and its surroundings, giving them a tangible sense of the space and environment," said Prashin Jhobalia, CMO, House of Hiranandani.

'GenZ homebuyers'

Millennials and Gen Z are expected to form 60% of future homebuyers, ANAROCK said that digital-first interactions becoming the norm. Mishra said their AI deployment includes chatbots (Walk-in Genie, Referral Genie) , predictive lead models (Astra Platinum) and 24X7 engagement tools, contributing 40-60% bookings for some leading projects.

"Marketing now prioritizes instant personalization, virtual engagement, and AI-powered recommendations over conventional advertising".

Executives believe AI will play a meaningful role across the real estate value chain--from presales to marketing, sales experience, customer engagement and final product delivery. "Emerging technologies enable us to engage buyers globally and locally, deliver richer experiences, and enhance our strategies, with measurable, future-ready impact," Jhobalia added.