Bilingual Voice Search Comes to New Construction, Aiming to Simplify Home Buying

In the real estate industry, most search tools require users to type filters into forms. Builders Update, a national database for new construction, is testing a different approach: a conversation. The company has built a tool called Home Scout that lets an agent or buyer describe what they want in plain language rather than filling in fields. “It was created for people who don’t like to type. They can just talk to it,” says Bill Gaul, CEO of Builders Update and chair of the RESO Data Dictionary New Construction Subcommittee.

Home Scout is designed to understand natural language queries, such as “I need a three-bedroom, two-bath home in a specific zip code,” even while driving. The tool responds conversationally, and it can switch between English and Spanish automatically. “It doesn’t even ask if you want Spanish. If you start speaking Spanish, it responds in Spanish,” Gaul says, adding that the translation is meant to sound natural rather than mechanical. The bilingual option has drawn the most interest in markets with large Spanish-speaking populations, including Miami, San Diego, and border regions.

The tool is available on the company’s website. After a search, the results, floor plans, property details, and photos arrive in the user’s inbox. “By the time that person parks the car, the floor plans and the pictures are in their inbox,” Gaul says. An agent can forward those results to a client in one of two versions: a full agent view that includes the address and builder name, or a buyer-facing view that shows photos, floor plans, and pricing without the address or builder.

That two-version design reflects the platform’s agent-centric model. Detailed listing information is reserved for licensed agents, and buyers register through their agent rather than around them. The platform also offers electronic buyer registration: when an agent submits a buyer’s name, the builder can confirm the buyer is not already in its system, which protects the agent’s claim to the commission if that buyer later purchases. Gaul describes the registration process, which is part of the company’s patent, as a way to keep the agent’s role transparent and protected. “We’re trying to inject the agent into the process,” he says.

Adoption is a work in progress. Gaul notes that even where the tool has been available for a while, some agents have not tried it, and part of the effort now is simply encouraging them to click. The platform currently serves more than 860,000 agents nationwide.

The introduction of voice search in real estate could have significant implications. For one, it may make the search process more accessible, especially for those who are not tech-savvy or prefer speaking over typing. The bilingual capability could also help bridge language barriers, allowing Spanish-speaking buyers to search in their preferred language. Moreover, by integrating voice search and email delivery, the tool aims to streamline the home search process, potentially saving time for both agents and clients.

However, the success of Home Scout will depend on adoption by agents and buyers. If agents embrace the tool, it could become a standard feature in new construction searches. But if adoption lags, it may remain a niche offering. The platform’s agent-centric design, which protects agent commissions, could encourage more agents to use it, but it may also deter buyers who prefer to search independently.

As the real estate industry continues to evolve, tools like Home Scout represent a step toward more conversational and user-friendly interfaces. Whether it gains widespread traction remains to be seen, but its development signals a broader trend toward voice-activated and multilingual services in real estate technology.