We found that 80% of answers in Ann Arbor named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was -9 percentage points from the national result of 89%, and -9 percentage points from the small-market result of 89%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in Ann Arbor
This table compares the source types found in this market's answers. A source type can appear in more than one answer, so shares describe answer-level presence rather than a rank of individual websites. The two rank columns show how the local share compares with the study's 50 markets and its size class.
| Source type | Here | Same-size markets | National | Vs. size | Vs. national | Rank / 50 | Rank / size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agent or team websites | 75% | 73% | 72% | +2 pts | +3 pts | #14 | #6 |
| Zillow | 75% | 62% | 57% | +13 pts | +18 pts | #1 | #1 |
| FastExpert | 60% | 50% | 44% | +10 pts | +16 pts | #7 | #5 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 24% | 24% | +1 pts | +1 pts | #9 | #5 |
| HomeLight | 20% | 18% | 22% | +2 pts | -2 pts | #22 | #5 |
| Realtor.com | 20% | 24% | 19% | -4 pts | +1 pts | #17 | #12 |
| Brokerage websites | 15% | 11% | 10% | +4 pts | +5 pts | #6 | #2 |
| Local news | 15% | 8% | 12% | +7 pts | +3 pts | #15 | #4 |
| Google Business Profile | 10% | 15% | 15% | -5 pts | -5 pts | #31 | #11 |
| Yelp | 10% | 7% | 7% | +3 pts | +3 pts | #11 | #4 |
| Other directories | 5% | 17% | 31% | -12 pts | -26 pts | #46 | #14 |
| Social media | 0% | 4% | 3% | -4 pts | -3 pts | #26 | #12 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.1 individual agents per answer
Other directories appeared in 5% of answers here, -26 percentage points below national's 31%. Zillow appeared in 75% of answers here, +13 percentage points above same-size markets's 62%.
Selected public platforms cited
These raw citation counts are limited to public platforms; personal, team, and brokerage domains are not listed. The highest local counts were google.com (42), zillow.com (24), fastexpert.com (23).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 42 |
| zillow.com | 24 |
| fastexpert.com | 23 |
| homes.com | 12 |
| homelight.com | 4 |
| realtor.com | 4 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 3 |
| yelp.com | 3 |
| experience.com | 2 |
| maps.google.com | 1 |
| upnest.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Other directories was -26 percentage points at 5% here versus 31%.
- The local Zillow share of 75% stood +18 percentage points from the national share of 57%.
- FastExpert registered 60% locally and 44% nationally, a +16 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Ann Arbor
| Tool | Share naming an agent/team | Avg. names per answer | Individual agents per answer | Teams per answer | National share | Difference | Top 3 source types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google AI Mode | 60% | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 85% | -25 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Local news (60%), Zillow (60%) |
| ChatGPT | 100% | 2.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 88% | +12 pts | Zillow (100%), Agent or team websites (80%), FastExpert (80%) |
| Gemini | 60% | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 99% | -39 pts | Agent or team websites (60%), FastExpert (60%), Zillow (60%) |
| Perplexity | 100% | 3.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 83% | +17 pts | Homes.com (100%), Agent or team websites (80%), Zillow (80%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Other directories, at 0% here versus 30% nationally (-30 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 80% here versus 42% nationally (+38 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 60% here versus 30% nationally (+30 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Brokerage websites, at 60% here versus 17% nationally (+43 percentage points).
Across the four tools, the local share naming an agent or team ranged from 60% to 100%. Average names per answer ranged from 2.2 to 3.2.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 13% in Ann Arbor, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 80% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Ann Arbor in the 50-market study
These positions use the 50 markets in this study and the markets in the same size class; tied values are ordered by market name for a stable comparison.
| Measure | Here | Among 50 markets | Among small markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 80% | #37 of 50 | #15 of 18 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.1 | #44 of 50 | #16 of 18 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 13% | #2 of 50 | #2 of 18 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Ann Arbor ranked between Oklahoma City, OK and Charlotte, NC among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Ann Arbor ranked between Atlanta, GA and Raleigh, NC among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Ann Arbor ranked between Flagstaff, AZ and Burlington, VT among the 50 markets.
Ann Arbor market context
Population: 122,036
Median household income: $82,212
Median home value: $453,400
Per-capita income: $55,459
Owner-occupied homes: 45%
Homes with broadband: 94%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.5×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.5×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesAnn Arbor Census context in the study
These Census estimates add local context; ranks use the same 50 study markets and size class, with ties ordered by market name.
| Measure | Here | Among 50 markets | Among small markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,036 | #36 of 50 | #4 of 18 |
| Median household income | $82,212 | #16 of 50 | #7 of 18 |
| Median home value | $453,400 | #21 of 50 | #12 of 18 |
| Per-capita income | $55,459 | #13 of 50 | #6 of 18 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 45% | #37 of 50 | #14 of 18 |
| Homes with broadband | 94% | #6 of 50 | #1 of 18 |
What this means for agents in Ann Arbor
- Answers named 2.7 people or organizations on average here, versus 4.6 nationally. A consistent public identity is more useful when an answer presents a longer list.
- Zillow, Homes.com, or Realtor.com appeared most often here at 75%, compared with 57% nationally. We recommend reviewing the corresponding public profiles for complete, current details.
- A directory source appeared in up to 60% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
Questions asked in Ann Arbor
- Who is the best real estate agent in Ann Arbor, MI?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Ann Arbor, MI?
- Top realtors in Ann Arbor, MI
- Best listing agent in Ann Arbor, MI to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Ann Arbor, MI?
Ann Arbor AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Ann Arbor?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 80% of AI answers for Ann Arbor, MI named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Ann Arbor AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 75% of answers for Ann Arbor, MI.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Ann Arbor?
The four tools had 13% average pairwise overlap in Ann Arbor, MI, versus 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 80% of comparable answers.
Read the full study
See the 50-market report for national results and all 50 local comparisons.