We found that 80% of answers in Charlotte named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was -9 percentage points from the national result of 89%, and -8 percentage points from the mid-market result of 88%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in Charlotte
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 | 65% | 68% | 72% | -4 pts | -7 pts | #35 | #13 |
| HomeLight | 35% | 24% | 22% | +12 pts | +13 pts | #5 | #3 |
| Zillow | 35% | 56% | 57% | -21 pts | -22 pts | #48 | #20 |
| Other directories | 30% | 39% | 31% | -9 pts | -1 pts | #25 | #15 |
| Realtor.com | 30% | 17% | 19% | +13 pts | +11 pts | #5 | #1 |
| FastExpert | 20% | 42% | 44% | -21 pts | -24 pts | #47 | #19 |
| Homes.com | 20% | 25% | 24% | -5 pts | -4 pts | #39 | #16 |
| Local news | 20% | 15% | 12% | +5 pts | +8 pts | #6 | #3 |
| Brokerage websites | 15% | 9% | 10% | +6 pts | +5 pts | #9 | #4 |
| Google Business Profile | 10% | 17% | 15% | -7 pts | -5 pts | #34 | #16 |
| Social media | 5% | 3% | 3% | +2 pts | +2 pts | #12 | #4 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #37 | #14 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.8 individual agents per answer
FastExpert was the largest gap in both comparisons: 20% here, -24 percentage points from national (44%) and -21 percentage points from same-size markets (42%).
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 (25), zillow.com (14), realtrends.com (8).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 25 |
| zillow.com | 14 |
| realtrends.com | 8 |
| homelight.com | 7 |
| realtor.com | 7 |
| homes.com | 6 |
| fastexpert.com | 4 |
| maps.google.com | 4 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 4 |
| expertise.com | 2 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, FastExpert was -24 percentage points at 20% here versus 44%.
- The local Zillow share of 35% stood -22 percentage points from the national share of 57%.
- HomeLight registered 35% locally and 22% nationally, a +13 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Charlotte
| 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 | 80% | 5.6 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 85% | -5 pts | Local news (80%), Agent or team websites (40%), Other directories (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 60% | 2.4 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 88% | -28 pts | HomeLight (80%), Realtor.com (80%), Zillow (80%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 10.8 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Google Business Profile (20%), Other directories (20%) |
| Perplexity | 80% | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 83% | -3 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Homes.com (80%), HomeLight (60%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Local news, at 80% here versus 38% nationally (+42 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was HomeLight, at 80% here versus 25% nationally (+55 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 0% here versus 55% nationally (-55 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Other directories, at 0% here versus 33% nationally (-33 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 10.8.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 8% in Charlotte, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Charlotte 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 mid markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 80% | #38 of 50 | #15 of 20 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.8 | #21 of 50 | #7 of 20 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 8% | #19 of 50 | #5 of 20 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Charlotte ranked between Ann Arbor, MI and Dallas, TX among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Charlotte ranked between Bend, OR and St. George, UT among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Charlotte ranked between Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC among the 50 markets.
Charlotte market context
Population: 903,844
Median household income: $82,068
Median home value: $385,700
Per-capita income: $51,814
Owner-occupied homes: 51%
Homes with broadband: 94%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.7×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.6×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesCharlotte 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 mid markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 903,844 | #14 of 50 | #2 of 20 |
| Median household income | $82,068 | #17 of 50 | #7 of 20 |
| Median home value | $385,700 | #31 of 50 | #9 of 20 |
| Per-capita income | $51,814 | #19 of 50 | #6 of 20 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51% | #28 of 50 | #12 of 20 |
| Homes with broadband | 94% | #9 of 50 | #4 of 20 |
What this means for agents in Charlotte
- Answers named 5.3 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 35% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Zillow, Homes.com, or Realtor.com appeared most often here at 35%, compared with 57% nationally. We recommend reviewing the corresponding public profiles for complete, current details.
Questions asked in Charlotte
- Who is the best real estate agent in Charlotte, NC?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Charlotte, NC?
- Top realtors in Charlotte, NC
- Best listing agent in Charlotte, NC to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Charlotte, NC?
Charlotte AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Charlotte?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 80% of AI answers for Charlotte, NC named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Charlotte AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 65% of answers for Charlotte, NC.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Charlotte?
The four tools had 8% average pairwise overlap in Charlotte, NC, versus 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable answers.
Read the full study
See the 50-market report for national results and all 50 local comparisons.