We found that 90% of answers in Charleston named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was +1 percentage point from the national result of 89%, and +1 percentage point 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 Charleston
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 | 70% | 73% | 72% | -3 pts | -2 pts | #26 | #11 |
| Zillow | 55% | 62% | 57% | -7 pts | -2 pts | #30 | #15 |
| Other directories | 50% | 17% | 31% | +33 pts | +19 pts | #6 | #2 |
| FastExpert | 35% | 50% | 44% | -15 pts | -9 pts | #32 | #17 |
| Google Business Profile | 20% | 15% | 15% | +5 pts | +5 pts | #8 | #4 |
| HomeLight | 20% | 18% | 22% | +2 pts | -2 pts | #25 | #8 |
| Local news | 20% | 8% | 12% | +12 pts | +8 pts | #5 | #2 |
| Realtor.com | 15% | 24% | 19% | -9 pts | -4 pts | #25 | #14 |
| Brokerage websites | 10% | 11% | 10% | -1 pts | +1 pts | #21 | #13 |
| Homes.com | 10% | 24% | 24% | -14 pts | -14 pts | #49 | #17 |
| Social media | 5% | 4% | 3% | +1 pts | +2 pts | #11 | #8 |
| Yelp | 5% | 7% | 7% | -2 pts | -2 pts | #24 | #12 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.9 individual agents per answer
Other directories was the largest gap in both comparisons: 50% here, +19 percentage points from national (31%) and +33 percentage points from same-size markets (17%).
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 zillow.com (15), fastexpert.com (10), maps.google.com (9).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| zillow.com | 15 |
| fastexpert.com | 10 |
| maps.google.com | 9 |
| realtrends.com | 8 |
| homelight.com | 6 |
| google.com | 4 |
| realtor.com | 4 |
| homes.com | 3 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 3 |
| expertise.com | 2 |
| ratemyagent.com | 2 |
| linkedin.com | 1 |
| newswire.com | 1 |
| upnest.com | 1 |
| yelp.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Other directories was +19 percentage points at 50% here versus 31%.
- The local Homes.com share of 10% stood -14 percentage points from the national share of 24%.
- FastExpert registered 35% locally and 44% nationally, a -9 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Charleston
| 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 | 100% | 8.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 85% | +15 pts | Zillow (80%), Agent or team websites (60%), Local news (60%) |
| ChatGPT | 60% | 2.4 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 88% | -28 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Other directories (60%), Zillow (60%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 6.8 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 99% | +1 pts | FastExpert (60%), Agent or team websites (40%), Google Business Profile (40%) |
| Perplexity | 100% | 3.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 83% | +17 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Zillow (80%), FastExpert (60%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 80% here versus 38% nationally (+42 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 0% here versus 42% nationally (-42 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 0% here versus 30% nationally (-30 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Homes.com, at 40% here versus 92% nationally (-52 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 2.4 to 8.0.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 8% in Charleston, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 80% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Charleston 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 | 90% | #22 of 50 | #10 of 18 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.9 | #17 of 50 | #7 of 18 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 8% | #20 of 50 | #12 of 18 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Charleston ranked between Boise, ID and Indianapolis, IN among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Charleston ranked between Sarasota, FL and Portland, ME among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Charleston ranked between Charlotte, NC and Nashville, TN among the 50 markets.
Charleston market context
Population: 154,338
Median household income: $92,414
Median home value: $509,700
Per-capita income: $59,875
Owner-occupied homes: 56%
Homes with broadband: 93%
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 estimatesCharleston 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 | 154,338 | #34 of 50 | #2 of 18 |
| Median household income | $92,414 | #9 of 50 | #4 of 18 |
| Median home value | $509,700 | #14 of 50 | #6 of 18 |
| Per-capita income | $59,875 | #9 of 50 | #4 of 18 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56% | #18 of 50 | #10 of 18 |
| Homes with broadband | 93% | #15 of 50 | #5 of 18 |
What this means for agents in Charleston
- Answers named 5.1 people or organizations on average here, versus 4.6 nationally. A consistent public identity is more useful when an answer presents a longer list.
- A directory source appeared in up to 50% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Local news or social media appeared in 20% of local answers, versus 12% nationally. Consider developing useful local coverage beyond profile pages.
Questions asked in Charleston
- Who is the best real estate agent in Charleston, SC?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Charleston, SC?
- Top realtors in Charleston, SC
- Best listing agent in Charleston, SC to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Charleston, SC?
Charleston AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Charleston?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 90% of AI answers for Charleston, SC named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Charleston AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 70% of answers for Charleston, SC.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Charleston?
The four tools had 8% average pairwise overlap in Charleston, SC, 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.