There is a version of real estate that anyone can do: take some photos, put the listing in the MLS, and wait. Bent Danholm, founder of Danholm Collection in Central Florida, is direct about where that leaves agents as AI reshapes how buyers find properties and professionals. “You don’t even have to be a real estate agent to just put it in the MLS,” he says. “Basically, you could create an AI agent to do all that stuff for you.”
For luxury brokers, that’s both a warning and a window. The agents who survive the shift, in Danholm’s view, are the ones who can do what AI cannot: build genuine buyer profiles, market a property to a specific person, and deliver the kind of concierge service that high-net-worth clients actually want.
What AI is already doing inside serious brokerages
Danholm is already using AI internally, though he’s deliberate about what he shares publicly. One application he is willing to discuss is his team’s recent launch of an AI agent that posts on LinkedIn. The result surprised him. “My posts that are humanoid and very thoughtful get a lot less traction than the AI posts,” he says. “Interesting.”
His broader point is about literacy, not replacement. Luxury agents don’t need to build AI tools themselves, but they need to understand enough about what AI can do to direct the people who do. “You should know enough of what AI can do that you can have people create AI solutions for you,” he says, “whether that’s for data research, marketing, or social media posting.”
The visibility problem most agents haven’t caught up to
How buyers find agents is changing faster than most brokerages are moving. Danholm says he has already had a client reach out who found him specifically through a ChatGPT search, not Google, not Zillow. That’s not an edge case anymore. “More and more people will start searching that way,” he says.
Getting found on AI platforms requires a different approach from traditional SEO. It’s driven by the volume of credible mentions across authoritative sources, consistent name association with specific topics and markets, and the kind of press and editorial coverage that AI models treat as signals of expertise. The agents showing up in those results aren’t there by accident.
The concierge layer that technology cannot replace
Danholm is clear that the agents who thrive in the long term won’t just be those who use AI well. They’ll be the ones who combine that with something harder to commoditize: genuine, high-touch service.
“We do marketing and full concierge service, that’s what we do best,” he says. In practice, that means going well beyond the transaction. If a property needs better curb appeal before listing, his team identifies it, finds the right contractor, and manages the process. If a seller needs a painter, a stager, or a landscaper, Danholm’s network handles it. “They don’t have to worry about how to find somebody who does a better job than our landscaper,” he says. “We’ve got someone.”
For international buyers especially, that kind of support extends past closing. Danholm is currently managing a property for UK buyers who use it only a few months a year, handling everything they need remotely. That relationship doesn’t come from an MLS listing.
What the next few years look like
Danholm’s view of where the market is heading is grounded and not particularly optimistic for agents who are slow to adapt. “The ones that are able to actually properly market luxury homes are the ones that kind of thrive,” he says. Build the right buyer profile, put properties in front of the right people, and close the gap between listing and contract. The rest will be left behind, not necessarily by AI, but by the agents who figured out how to use it first.
For buyers and sellers evaluating who to work with, the question is increasingly not just track record. It’s whether the agent understands what is changing and has already started building for it. Learn more about Danholm Collection’s approach at danholmcollection.com/thecollection.
Danholm Collection is a luxury real estate brokerage based in Central Florida, specializing in properties above $1.5 million. Learn more at danholmcollection.com.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The views and opinions expressed herein reflect those of the individuals quoted and do not represent an endorsement of any company, product, or service mentioned. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making any investment decisions.
Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.
