We found that 90% of answers in New York named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was +1 percentage point from the national result of 89%, and +1 percentage point from the large-market result of 89%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in New York
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 | 85% | 75% | 72% | +10 pts | +13 pts | #8 | #3 |
| Other directories | 45% | 38% | 31% | +8 pts | +14 pts | #14 | #5 |
| FastExpert | 35% | 38% | 44% | -3 pts | -9 pts | #37 | #6 |
| HomeLight | 20% | 25% | 22% | -5 pts | -2 pts | #28 | #8 |
| Homes.com | 20% | 23% | 24% | -3 pts | -4 pts | #44 | #11 |
| Zillow | 20% | 51% | 57% | -31 pts | -37 pts | #50 | #12 |
| Google Business Profile | 15% | 11% | 15% | +4 pts | 0 pts | #28 | #4 |
| Realtor.com | 15% | 13% | 19% | +2 pts | -4 pts | #30 | #5 |
| Brokerage websites | 5% | 8% | 10% | -3 pts | -4 pts | #37 | #8 |
| Local news | 0% | 12% | 12% | -12 pts | -12 pts | #47 | #12 |
| Social media | 0% | 2% | 3% | -2 pts | -3 pts | #40 | #8 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #45 | #12 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.5 individual agents per answer
Zillow was the largest gap in both comparisons: 20% here, -37 percentage points from national (57%) and -31 percentage points from same-size markets (51%).
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 (29), fastexpert.com (12), homes.com (12).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 29 |
| fastexpert.com | 12 |
| homes.com | 12 |
| realtrends.com | 8 |
| zillow.com | 6 |
| homelight.com | 4 |
| ratemyagent.com | 3 |
| realtor.com | 2 |
| sell.realtor.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Zillow was -37 percentage points at 20% here versus 57%.
- The local Other directories share of 45% stood +14 percentage points from the national share of 31%.
- Agent or team websites registered 85% locally and 72% nationally, a +13 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in New York
| 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% | 5.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 85% | +15 pts | Agent or team websites (60%), Other directories (60%), Google Business Profile (20%) |
| ChatGPT | 80% | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 88% | -8 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Other directories (60%), Google Business Profile (40%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 7.8 | 5.2 | 2.6 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), FastExpert (60%) |
| Perplexity | 80% | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 83% | -3 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), FastExpert (80%), Homes.com (80%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 0% here versus 38% nationally (-38 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 0% here versus 78% nationally (-78 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Agent or team websites, at 100% here versus 64% nationally (+36 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 80% here versus 49% nationally (+31 percentage points).
Across the four tools, the local share naming an agent or team ranged from 80% to 100%. Average names per answer ranged from 1.6 to 7.8.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 2% in New York, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 60% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
New York 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 large markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 90% | #26 of 50 | #7 of 12 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.5 | #30 of 50 | #7 of 12 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 2% | #48 of 50 | #10 of 12 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, New York ranked between Milwaukee, WI and Portland, OR among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, New York ranked between Denver, CO and Santa Fe, NM among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, New York ranked between Milwaukee, WI and Philadelphia, PA among the 50 markets.
New York market context
Population: 8,483,844
Median household income: $80,483
Median home value: $777,600
Per-capita income: $51,844
Owner-occupied homes: 33%
Homes with broadband: 91%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 9.7×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.6×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesNew York 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 large markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,483,844 | #1 of 50 | #1 of 12 |
| Median household income | $80,483 | #20 of 50 | #6 of 12 |
| Median home value | $777,600 | #6 of 50 | #4 of 12 |
| Per-capita income | $51,844 | #18 of 50 | #4 of 12 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 33% | #50 of 50 | #12 of 12 |
| Homes with broadband | 91% | #34 of 50 | #9 of 12 |
What this means for agents in New York
- Answers named 4.2 people or organizations on average here, versus 4.6 nationally. A consistent public identity is more useful when an answer presents a longer list.
- Local news or social media appeared in 0% of local answers, versus 12% nationally. Consider developing useful local coverage beyond profile pages.
- A directory source appeared in up to 45% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
Questions asked in New York
- Who is the best real estate agent in New York, NY?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in New York, NY?
- Top realtors in New York, NY
- Best listing agent in New York, NY to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in New York, NY?
New York AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in New York?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 90% of AI answers for New York, NY named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in New York AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 85% of answers for New York, NY.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in New York?
The four tools had 2% average pairwise overlap in New York, NY, versus 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 60% of comparable answers.
Read the full study
See the 50-market report for national results and all 50 local comparisons.