Almost everyone is working on AI; hardly anyone is finished. JLL's Global Real Estate Technology Survey says 93% of German property decision-makers have implemented or plan AI, yet only 5% have largely achieved their goals. Here is why the gap is so wide and what agencies can learn.
AI in real estate in 2026: the research
Around half of JLL's respondents consider themselves halfway there. Still, 80% expect technology budgets to rise over the next three years. Money continues flowing into an area where most have yet to see results.
Austria shows a similar picture. In an ImmoScout24 survey of over 330 agents and developers, around 80% see AI applications as central to future success. Around 60% consider data-based market monitoring crucial, and roughly three quarters rate the sector's digitalisation positively. The ambition is there. Why do so few arrive?
Why 93% ambition becomes only 5% achievement
The most common form of AI in an agency is a chatbot browser tab into which something is occasionally pasted. That is an experiment, far from implementation.
This is the core of the gap. AI often sits beside real work as something to try between appointments. If an AI step adds effort, it is the first thing dropped under time pressure — the normal state of estate agency work.
Separate tools add to the problem: one for text, another for images, another for email. None knows the others' data, so you enter the same property details three times. Every switch costs time and introduces errors. After a few weeks, the initial enthusiasm leaves only a folder full of logins.
The 5% who achieve their goals put AI where work already happens. The difference is organisational, with surprisingly little to do with technology.
What small agencies can do differently
JLL's figures mainly concern large organisations with project teams, consultants and layered approvals. A small agency has none of these, which can be an advantage. You need no strategy workshops: decide today, work differently tomorrow.
A practical approach is to choose one recurring task and automate it completely, from incoming data to the finished result, without copying between three programs. Brochure creation is one candidate; enquiry responses are another.
Starting ten projects at once sounds like progress, but creates the half-finished work in which around half of JLL's respondents are stuck. One reliable task saves time every week. Then tackle the next.
Regulation is coming, and it is manageable
On 2 August 2026, the EU AI Act becomes fully applicable. The AI literacy obligation for businesses using AI has applied since February 2025. Companies must ensure their people understand the systems they use.
For agents, context matters more than the headline. Typical uses such as text generation and image editing generally fall into categories with minimal or limited obligations. The core issue is transparency: making AI involvement recognisable.
There is homework, but no need to panic. Know which AI tools your agency uses, their purposes and whether everyone understands the basics. This can be documented in an afternoon and avoids later arguments.
How to recognise good AI tools
The research suggests a simple checklist. Before adopting a tool, ask three questions:
- Is AI part of the workflow? If you must copy data from one program to another, you have bought another isolated tool.
- Where is the data stored? Property and customer information belongs on European servers, including for GDPR reasons.
- Can you leave? A reputable provider lets you export your data. Anything else creates unnecessary dependency.
Vividomo follows this principle. Enter property data once, and brochures and text are created in the same workflow. AI agents can also access your data through MCP. Development is in Austria, hosting in Europe.
The conclusion
Both surveys tell the same story. The industry understands AI's relevance. Everyday implementation is missing. Running AI as an extra tool beside work leaves you among the 50% who are halfway there.
For a small agency, that is good news. One fully automated recurring task, using a tool that fits your workflow and keeps data in Europe, can put you among the 5% sooner than the statistics suggest.
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