We found that 80% of answers in Raleigh 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 Raleigh
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 | #39 | #15 |
| Zillow | 50% | 56% | 57% | -6 pts | -7 pts | #41 | #16 |
| FastExpert | 40% | 42% | 44% | -1 pts | -4 pts | #28 | #10 |
| Other directories | 35% | 39% | 31% | -4 pts | +4 pts | #22 | #12 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 25% | 24% | 0 pts | +1 pts | #27 | #12 |
| HomeLight | 20% | 24% | 22% | -3 pts | -2 pts | #31 | #13 |
| Local news | 20% | 15% | 12% | +5 pts | +8 pts | #11 | #8 |
| Realtor.com | 15% | 17% | 19% | -2 pts | -4 pts | #33 | #13 |
| Google Business Profile | 10% | 17% | 15% | -7 pts | -5 pts | #40 | #18 |
| Social media | 5% | 3% | 3% | +2 pts | +2 pts | #22 | #8 |
| Brokerage websites | 0% | 9% | 10% | -9 pts | -10 pts | #47 | #18 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #47 | #19 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.1 individual agents per answer
Brokerage websites was the largest gap in both comparisons: 0% here, -10 percentage points from national (10%) and -9 percentage points from same-size markets (9%).
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 (50), zillow.com (27), fastexpert.com (11).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 50 |
| zillow.com | 27 |
| fastexpert.com | 11 |
| realtrends.com | 8 |
| homes.com | 7 |
| homelight.com | 6 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 4 |
| realtor.com | 3 |
| maps.google.com | 2 |
| ratemyagent.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Brokerage websites was -10 percentage points at 0% here versus 10%.
- The local Local news share of 20% stood +8 percentage points from the national share of 12%.
- Yelp registered 0% locally and 7% nationally, a -7 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Raleigh
| 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% | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 85% | -25 pts | Local news (80%), Agent or team websites (40%), Other directories (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 80% | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 88% | -8 pts | Zillow (100%), Agent or team websites (60%), Other directories (60%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 6.4 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (60%), FastExpert (60%), Google Business Profile (20%) |
| Perplexity | 80% | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 83% | -3 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Homes.com (100%), Zillow (80%) |
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 0% here versus 25% nationally (-25 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was HomeLight, at 20% here versus 6% nationally (+14 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Brokerage websites, at 0% here versus 17% nationally (-17 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 2.0 to 6.4.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 5% in Raleigh, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 60% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Raleigh 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% | #44 of 50 | #18 of 20 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.1 | #45 of 50 | #19 of 20 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 5% | #40 of 50 | #16 of 20 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Raleigh ranked between Nashville, TN and Sacramento, CA among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Raleigh ranked between Ann Arbor, MI and Savannah, GA among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Raleigh ranked between Traverse City, MI and Atlanta, GA among the 50 markets.
Raleigh market context
Population: 481,031
Median household income: $85,395
Median home value: $415,800
Per-capita income: $52,897
Owner-occupied homes: 51%
Homes with broadband: 95%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.9×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.6×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesRaleigh 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 | 481,031 | #31 of 50 | #19 of 20 |
| Median household income | $85,395 | #14 of 50 | #6 of 20 |
| Median home value | $415,800 | #28 of 50 | #7 of 20 |
| Per-capita income | $52,897 | #15 of 50 | #5 of 20 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51% | #29 of 50 | #13 of 20 |
| Homes with broadband | 95% | #3 of 50 | #1 of 20 |
What this means for agents in Raleigh
- Answers named 3.9 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 20% of local answers, versus 12% nationally. Consider developing useful local coverage beyond profile pages.
- Agent or team websites appeared in 65% of Raleigh answers, versus 72% nationally. We recommend keeping a bio, reviews, and recent sales current across those pages.
Questions asked in Raleigh
- Who is the best real estate agent in Raleigh, NC?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Raleigh, NC?
- Top realtors in Raleigh, NC
- Best listing agent in Raleigh, NC to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Raleigh, NC?
Raleigh AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Raleigh?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 80% of AI answers for Raleigh, NC named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Raleigh AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 65% of answers for Raleigh, NC.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Raleigh?
The four tools had 5% average pairwise overlap in Raleigh, NC, 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.