Zillow’s home search tools now available in Claude

Editor's note: Technology plays a big role in real estate. Startups and established companies are always developing new ideas, growing and forming partnerships. Here are some of the latest updates from companies that help the real estate industry work.

Zillow brings home search and affordability tools to Claude

Zillow has launched a new connector for Claude. It lets people search for homes, check estimated property values and explore what they can afford using Anthropic's AI chatbot. This launch comes just over a year after the home search company launched an app inside OpenAI's ChatGPT.

People can connect Zillow through Claude's Customize menu and ask in everyday language for homes to buy or rent. They can set conditions such as location, price and home features. According to a news release, results may include listing photos, prices, interactive maps, estimated home values and tools to check affordability. Links also lead to Zillow for more details.

The connector also helps people take the next steps in their home search. They can ask for home tours, contact real estate agents and explore ways to finance a purchase. Zillow said that listings approved by multiple listing services (MLSs) still show the broker and MLS credits used on Zillow.com. Zillow also said it does not send listing data to Anthropic.

"This connector helps Claude users take the next step through Zillow: a tour, an agent, a loan officer," said Josh Weisberg, Zillow's senior vice president of AI. "The conversation doesn't stop with providing information, it leads to a way to make it happen."

New York City firm connects listing data to AI assistants

RealPlus has launched its own AI connector. It links the company's real estate data and tools to Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants. Agents can use everyday language to search property listings, manage client information and view market data.

The new RealPlus AI Connector uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It offers 69 tools across 12 product categories, along with a knowledge base and data about New York City listings and buildings. According to a news release, its market data includes historical records going back to 2003.

Agents can use the system to create reports, presentations, spreadsheets and market charts. They can add their own branding and share these materials with clients, the company said. The connector uses each agent's RealPlus login. Its access rules are designed to ensure that AI can only access the same data and client profiles that the agent can access in the listing system.

After testing the connector with a small group, RealPlus plans to offer it to all its clients during October.

Home co-buying platform updates its website

Pairgap announced a new website today. The company said the redesign brings its message together and makes its tools easier for people to find and use.

Visitors can now create a buyer profile, take Pairgap's Compatibility Test and use the Co-Buyer Calculator to see how much they might be able to afford. The new website arrives just weeks before the company plans to launch Pairgap Community, a space that only members can access, according to a news release.

Buying a home with another person "is one of the smartest ways to build wealth, and our new site makes it easy to get started," said Nikki Merkerson, Pairgap's founder and CEO. First-time homebuyers and investors who want to buy with someone else can quickly "find out what kind of partner you are, see what you can afford together, and build your profile" on the new website, Merkerson added.

Speaking about the upcoming Pairgap Community launch, Merkerson said members will be able to "walk in ready to meet other people who are just as serious about owning real estate as you are."

Editor's note: AI helped create the first draft of this article. A Real Estate News editor then carefully reviewed, fact-checked and revised it.