A generation that once ‘Googled it’ now asks AI instead. Need financial advice? Ask ChatGPT. Medical symptoms? Ask AI. Relationship problems? Yep, AI again.
For millions of people, artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the first place they turn for answers, and frankly, it’s easy to see why.
These tools are extraordinary. They’re fast, clever, available 24 hours a day and capable of explaining complex subjects in plain English better than many professionals.
But when it comes to buying or selling a home, one of the biggest financial decisions most people will ever make, should we really trust AI with the process?
Buyers can use AI-generated questions to quiz their solicitors
|GETTY
Surprisingly, the answer in many cases is yes, but with some important warnings. Let's start with mortgages.
AI can decode terminology and explain FTB, BTL, APR or LTV in plain English better than most humans.
And if you don’t quite understand it the first time, unlike during a conversation with a human expert, there’s no pressure to pretend you understand, you can just keep asking until you really do ‘get it’.
But importantly, it can’t know that your lender has just pulled a product, or that your credit file has a blip from three years ago that needs explaining, or that a particular broker has access to a deal the high street doesn't.
Then there's conveyancing. I've seen buyers use AI-generated questions to quiz their solicitors, and some of those questions were excellent. But legal work isn't about questions.
It's about knowing what to look for in title deeds, spotting covenants that could stop you from extending, and understanding whether a flood risk report is a real-world problem or just something to bear in mind.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
That judgment comes from years of handling real files, not from a language model trained on the internet.
For general things, such as the tips on moving day, choosing a removal firm, and timing your exchange, AI is actually pretty decent.
It certainly saves time by extracting the information you want from a lot of websites rather than you having to visit them yourself.
The danger for buyers using AI is when they're using it instead of experts, not alongside them.
AI is helpful for tips on moving day and choosing a removal firm
|GETTY
Your five-step guide to using AI more safely when moving house:
1. Use it to learn, not to decide. AI is a brilliant educator. Let it explain jargon, demystify the process, and help you arrive at meetings better prepared.
2. Cross-check everything. AI can be confidently wrong. Any figure, deadline, or legal point it gives you needs to be verified with a qualified human.
3. Ask the questions you're embarrassed to ask. Lawyers and brokers can feel intimidating. AI never judges. Use it to build confidence before the real conversation.
4. Use it to compare and shortlist. Researching removal firms, surveying companies, or local solicitors? AI can help you build a shortlist. The final call should still be yours.
5. Never use it for contract or legal advice. This is the hard line. Anything involving your actual mortgage offer, your contract, or your legal position, speak to a professional. AI is a remarkable tool. But tools don't replace tradespeople. At least, not yet…
Property expert Jonathan Rolande is the founder of House Buy Fast. For more information visit www.housebuyfast.co.uk
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter