Doug Hoven on How AI Is Changing the Way Homes Are Bought and Sold in Hampton Roads

The real estate industry has never been short on technology. Listing portals, digital signatures, and virtual tours all changed how transactions happen. But in 2026, a different kind of shift is underway. Artificial intelligence has moved from a buzzword to an everyday tool for agents and buyers alike, and the effects are showing up in markets like Hampton Roads.

Douglas Hoven, a REALTOR with RE/MAX Prime’s Ron Sawyer Team in Chesapeake, says the changes are practical, not theoretical.

“AI isn’t replacing agents. But it’s changing what buyers expect and how fast everything moves. If you’re not paying attention to that, you’re already behind.”

According to a January 2026 industry survey, 97 percent of brokerage leaders now report that their agents actively use AI tools. The technology has crossed what the industry calls a tipping point, with brokerages embedding AI into core operations rather than treating it as an experiment.

For buyers, the most visible change is in how they search for homes. Traditional listing filters ask for bedroom count, price range, and zip code. Newer AI-powered search tools let buyers type something like “a three-bedroom with a big backyard near good schools and a short commute to Norfolk” and get matched with listings that actually fit. The search understands intent, not just checkboxes.

“Buyers come to me better informed than they were even two years ago. They’ve already narrowed their list before our first conversation. That means we can spend more time on strategy and less time on discovery.”

On the listing side, AI-powered virtual staging tools have dropped the cost and time required to present a home. Where traditional virtual staging might cost several hundred dollars per room and take days, AI tools can generate multiple design variations in minutes. For sellers working with tight timelines, that speed matters.

Hoven uses AI tools in his own practice, primarily for drafting listing descriptions, analyzing comparable sales data, and keeping up with communication across a large client base. “I can draft a property description in seconds and then refine it to sound like me,” he says. “That saves time I can put back into actually being with my clients.”

But the technology comes with real responsibilities. The National Association of REALTORS and state-level associations have flagged Fair Housing compliance as one of the most significant risks of AI adoption. Because AI pulls from large datasets that can reflect historical biases, generated content can inadvertently include language that reads as steering or exclusion under the Fair Housing Act, even without any intent from the agent.

“You can’t just copy and paste what a tool gives you. You have to read it, check it, and make sure it represents the property accurately without crossing any lines. The technology is a starting point, not a finished product.”

He also sees AI shifting how agents communicate with clients over the course of a transaction. Automated follow-up systems can keep leads warm, send market updates, and flag new listings that match a buyer’s criteria. For agents managing dozens of active relationships, that consistency is hard to maintain manually.

“The agents who will do well in this market are the ones who use AI to handle the repetitive work so they can focus on the human side. Buying a home is still one of the biggest decisions a family makes. No algorithm replaces the conversation you have at the kitchen table when someone is nervous about making an offer.”

In Hampton Roads, where the buyer pool includes a mix of military families, first-time purchasers, and long-time residents looking to move up, Hoven says the personal touch still carries the deal. AI just helps him show up more prepared.

“I came from submarines, where every system on the boat had a purpose and you trained on it until it was second nature. That’s how I think about AI. Learn the tools, know their limits, and use them to serve the people in front of you.”