Inside Real Estate, a fast-growing independent provider of real estate software, just announced its acquisition of New Zealand-based ListAssist, an AI-powered technology that uses machine learning to provide intelligent tools for both property search and real estate marketing. Currently serving over 400,000 real estate agents, teams, brokerages, and leading franchise brands, Inside Real Estate hopes to use ListAssist’s natural language search functionality to deliver a more dynamic experience to both agents and consumers.
AI-Powered Real Estate Search
Founded in 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand, ListAssist has quickly gained traction in other markets, especially in North America. Driven by the desire to make property search empowering rather than tedious, ListAssist has been granted several awards. It won the “Crowd Favourite” award at the National Association of Realtors’ Innovation, Opportunity & Investment Summit in 2023 in Miami, as well as being named the “Top Real Estate AI Startup” in Inman’s 2024 inaugural AI Awards.
ListAssist gives agents and homebuyers the ability to search for properties using natural and everyday language. Users can receive search results tailored to their needs without needing to first fill out a form with conventional search parameters. There are no checkboxes or drop-down lists; the user just describes the desired property the same way they would if they were sitting across a desk from an agent. ListAssist’s AI models then deliver accurate and very customized results.
The system’s back end plugs the search information directly into Inside Real Estate’s BoldTrail CRM, making it possible for real estate agents to get smarter alerts and respond to searches in more targeted ways. This could match them more effectively with the right homebuyers, improving engagement, building trust, and creating a more seamless experience for both agent and buyer.
ListAssist also helps agents in another way: the AI engine automates the process of creating property listing descriptions. The AI analyzes property photos and Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data to create search-engine-optimized property listings immediately so that agents can save time for what they do best: interacting with potential homebuyers.
Perspectives on the Acquisition
Both the Chief Executive Officer of Inside Real Estate and the founder of ListAssist have released statements expressing their excitement at the acquisition. Joe Skousen, Inside Real Estate’s CEO, praised ListAssist as the tech that “leads the way on AI Search.”
“This next chapter will revolutionize the entire search experience,” Skousen added. “Leveraging natural language search, image recognition, and other AI technology, in combination with the extensive experience we have in search across hundreds of thousands of websites, hundreds of millions of consumer experiences, and trillions of data points, unlocks a new world of data and insights. The solutions will empower our customers to unlock the most powerful and engaging search experiences for their clients, with unparalleled speed, accuracy, and engagement. It’s a huge win for us all.”
Chris McGoldrick, founder of ListAssist, was similarly effusive in his comments. “We are incredibly excited to be joining Inside Real Estate, and we’re proud to have delivered AI solutions to tens of thousands of agents and some of the biggest, most trusted brands in the industry,” McGoldrick shared. “Our New Zealand team is inspired by the big things to come, and we can’t wait to continue providing a market-leading experience for both consumers and agents alike.”
On March 19, Inside Real Estate will host an “Innovation Kickoff” webinar, at which clients and inquirers can learn more about what the acquisition of ListAssist will mean for Inside Real Estate’s services. Interested parties can register here.
