The real estate journey is being rebuilt and buyers are finally in control
Real estate is entering a new era, not with big, splashy changes, but with subtle shifts that are adding up to something bigger.
Like banking and travel before it, the real estate industry is being pulled apart and reassembled for the digital age. What was once a one-size-fits-all journey, driven largely by a single agent is now moving toward something more flexible, more personalized, and more responsive to how people live today.
A new Statistics Canada report shows that 1 in 5 real estate businesses in Canada have already adopted artificial intelligence, using it to streamline operations, automate property valuations, and enhance client service. These behind-the-scenes shifts are laying the foundation for a faster, smarter, and more responsive home-buying experience.
This shift isn't just about convenience, it's about control. And it's changing what people expect from the buying experience.
Why the Traditional Model No Longer Fits
For decades, buying a home meant working with one agent who owned every step, from showings to negotiations to financing advice. But buyers today are navigating more variables: rising rates, compressed timelines, and competitive markets. They don't necessarily need a single expert for everything. They need the right kind of help at the right time.
And increasingly, they're looking for models that reflect that.
Across the industry, we're seeing early signs of unbundling, where buyers are supported by a team of specialists instead of relying on one point of contact. That might mean a showing expert who can get them in faster or a pricing strategist who can help refine their search. The result is a more agile, less overwhelming process.
Breaking things up doesn't make the journey less personal; it just makes it more efficient.
Tech Is Helping, But It's Not the Whole Story
The rise of AI is getting most of the headlines, and for good reason. Tools that match buyers to homes based on lifestyle preferences, search habits, and neighbourhood data are helping people feel more confident from the start.
But tech alone isn't the answer. Design matters too. That's where product thinking comes in, not just building tools that work, but making sure they fit seamlessly into how people actually move through the process.
Just as important as the tech is the human layer. The goal isn't to replace agents or automate every step. It's to create a system where buyers have access to better information, smarter coordination, more transparency, greater confidence, and real support when they need it. Because at the end of the day, buying a home is still one of the most emotional, personal decisions someone can make.
What Happens Next
There's still work to be done. Much of the industry still relies on legacy processes and siloed tools. But change is coming, not just in how homes are found, but in how people navigate offers, financing, and closing with fewer surprises.
But we're seeing signs of progress, especially from platforms that are rethinking the fundamentals: not just how homes are listed, but how people actually make decisions under pressure.
And as affordability continues to be a challenge with over a third of renters spending nearly half their income on housing the need for a smarter, more streamlined buying experience is only growing.
The journey won't look the same in the next few years. It'll be faster. More modular. More tailored to the buyer, not the system. And increasingly, it'll be led by platforms that prioritize infrastructure over marketing, those that quietly build for personalization and speed instead of chasing slogans.
Zown has taken that approach from the start. And while there's still plenty of work to do, we're optimistic about what comes next. We're still in the early days. But the unbundling is already underway.
