We found that 80% of answers in Sacramento 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 Sacramento
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zillow | 70% | 56% | 57% | +14 pts | +13 pts | #11 | #4 |
| Agent or team websites | 55% | 68% | 72% | -14 pts | -17 pts | #47 | #17 |
| FastExpert | 45% | 42% | 44% | +4 pts | +1 pts | #24 | #8 |
| HomeLight | 40% | 24% | 22% | +17 pts | +18 pts | #3 | #2 |
| Google Business Profile | 30% | 17% | 15% | +13 pts | +15 pts | #4 | #3 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 25% | 24% | 0 pts | +1 pts | #28 | #13 |
| Local news | 25% | 15% | 12% | +10 pts | +13 pts | #2 | #1 |
| Other directories | 25% | 39% | 31% | -14 pts | -6 pts | #33 | #18 |
| Realtor.com | 25% | 17% | 19% | +8 pts | +6 pts | #16 | #5 |
| Yelp | 20% | 7% | 7% | +13 pts | +13 pts | #3 | #2 |
| Social media | 5% | 3% | 3% | +2 pts | +2 pts | #23 | #9 |
| Brokerage websites | 0% | 9% | 10% | -9 pts | -10 pts | #48 | #19 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.6 individual agents per answer
HomeLight was the largest gap in both comparisons: 40% here, +18 percentage points from national (22%) and +17 percentage points from same-size markets (24%).
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 (27), homelight.com (12), fastexpert.com (10).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| zillow.com | 27 |
| homelight.com | 12 |
| fastexpert.com | 10 |
| homes.com | 8 |
| google.com | 5 |
| realtor.com | 5 |
| yelp.com | 5 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 4 |
| maps.google.com | 3 |
| realtrends.com | 3 |
| linkedin.com | 1 |
| upnest.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, HomeLight was +18 percentage points at 40% here versus 22%.
- The local Agent or team websites share of 55% stood -17 percentage points from the national share of 72%.
- Google Business Profile registered 30% locally and 15% nationally, a +15 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Sacramento
| 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% | 7.4 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 85% | -5 pts | Zillow (100%), Local news (80%), FastExpert (60%) |
| ChatGPT | 80% | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 88% | -8 pts | Google Business Profile (80%), HomeLight (80%), Realtor.com (80%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 8.4 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (40%), Google Business Profile (40%), FastExpert (20%) |
| Perplexity | 60% | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 83% | -23 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Homes.com (100%), Zillow (80%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Zillow, at 100% here versus 38% nationally (+62 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 20% here versus 55% nationally (-35 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Realtor.com, at 0% here versus 32% nationally (-32 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 8.4.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 6% in Sacramento, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 60% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Sacramento 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% | #45 of 50 | #19 of 20 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.6 | #25 of 50 | #10 of 20 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 6% | #31 of 50 | #10 of 20 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Sacramento ranked between Raleigh, NC and San Antonio, TX among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Sacramento ranked between Columbus, OH and Asheville, NC among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Sacramento ranked between Los Angeles, CA and Tucson, AZ among the 50 markets.
Sacramento market context
Population: 528,706
Median household income: $87,321
Median home value: $506,300
Per-capita income: $43,376
Owner-occupied homes: 52%
Homes with broadband: 94%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.8×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 2.0×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesSacramento 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 | 528,706 | #27 of 50 | #15 of 20 |
| Median household income | $87,321 | #11 of 50 | #4 of 20 |
| Median home value | $506,300 | #15 of 50 | #4 of 20 |
| Per-capita income | $43,376 | #29 of 50 | #9 of 20 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 52% | #27 of 50 | #11 of 20 |
| Homes with broadband | 94% | #11 of 50 | #6 of 20 |
What this means for agents in Sacramento
- 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 45% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Agent or team websites appeared in 55% of Sacramento answers, versus 72% nationally. We recommend keeping a bio, reviews, and recent sales current across those pages.
Questions asked in Sacramento
- Who is the best real estate agent in Sacramento, CA?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Sacramento, CA?
- Top realtors in Sacramento, CA
- Best listing agent in Sacramento, CA to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Sacramento, CA?
Sacramento AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Sacramento?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 80% of AI answers for Sacramento, CA named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Sacramento AI answers?
Zillow appeared in 70% of answers for Sacramento, CA.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Sacramento?
The four tools had 6% average pairwise overlap in Sacramento, CA, 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.