A new home-search portal powered by artificial intelligence launches in 16 markets today, including San Diego.
Why it matters: Searching for homes could become a lot faster, easier and more personalized as more real estate marketplaces integrate AI into their platforms.
What's happening: The new product from mortgage platform Tomo allows users to find homes through an AI–powered, free-text search function rather than simply sorting results based on area or the number of bedrooms and baths.
Greg Schwartz, a former Zillow exec who co-founded Tomo, said he wants it to help homebuyers shop like savvy investors — or be able to describe exactly what they want, then comb the results.
Zoom in: Axios' Brianna Crane tested the tool, asking it to find: "Home with a view of Lake Washington, modern design, a rooftop deck, and it's really important for me to have space to WFH. Oh, the kids love a backyard."
It produced 300 results, each tagged with which of the requirements it fit. (Some fit only a few parameters; others fit most.)
Homeowners with privacy concerns can email Tomo to have their names removed, the company says.
For now, along with San Diego, Tomo's search platform is available in Seattle; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles; Phoenix; Dallas; Houston; Austin, Texas; most of Florida; Atlanta; North Carolina; South Carolina; Philadelphia; Washington D.C.; Connecticut; and Michigan.
