Glossaire IA & Immobilier

Key terms and definitions for AI and real estate technology.

3D Digital Twin

Technology

A photorealistic 3D model of a property that lets buyers 'walk through' it virtually from anywhere. Created using specialized cameras (like Matterport) that scan every room.

3D Rendering

Virtual Reality

The process of creating photorealistic images from 3D models for property marketing.

AI Lead Scoring

Lead Generation

Automatically ranks your leads by how likely they are to buy or sell, so you spend time on the hottest prospects first. Most CRMs now offer some version of this, though quality varies widely — some are little more than recency filters dressed up with 'AI' branding.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Technology

Overlaying digital information on the real world through your phone or tablet camera. In real estate, the main use is letting buyers point their phone at a room and see how it would look with different furniture.

Automated Nurture Sequence

CRM

AI-driven communications (email, SMS, calls) that automatically engage and qualify leads over time.

Automated Underwriting

Transaction

AI-powered evaluation of mortgage applications that assesses borrower risk and property value to speed up loan decisions.

AVM (Automated Valuation Model)

Property Valuation

An AI-powered system that estimates property values by analyzing data from public records, recent sales, and market trends.

Blockchain

Technology

A tamper-proof digital ledger that records transactions across many computers. In real estate, blockchain has been 'about to transform' property records since roughly 2018. As of 2026, real-world adoption remains minimal.

Cap Rate (Capitalization Rate)

Valuation

A quick way to compare investment properties: divide the property's annual net operating income (NOI) by its purchase price. Higher cap rates mean higher returns but often higher risk.

Chatbot

Technology

An automated conversation tool on your website that engages visitors, answers basic questions, and captures lead info 24/7. The key metric is lead capture rate — a well-configured chatbot should capture 3-5x more leads than a static contact form.

Comparable Sales (Comps)

Valuation

Recently sold properties similar to the one you're pricing — similar size, condition, location, and features. Comps are the backbone of every CMA and appraisal.

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

Property Valuation

A method of estimating property value by comparing to similar recently sold properties — increasingly AI-enhanced.

Computer Vision

AI Technology

AI technology that analyzes and interprets visual information from images and videos.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Technology

The software where you track every interaction with your leads and clients — calls, emails, showings, texts. For real estate, the value comes from MLS integration, transaction management, and automated follow-up sequences.

Customer Data Platform (CDP)

Technology

A system that pulls together all your client data — website visits, email opens, text responses, showing history — into one profile. Different from a CRM in that a CDP focuses on data aggregation.

Data Analytics

Analytics

Examining data to find patterns and make better decisions. In real estate, this ranges from simple (tracking which lead sources produce the most closings) to complex (predicting which neighborhoods will appreciate fastest).

Days on Market (DOM)

Market Metrics

How many days a property has been listed for sale. DOM is one of the first things agents and buyers look at — a high DOM signals that a property might be overpriced or have issues.

Deep Learning

AI Technology

Advanced machine learning using multi-layered neural networks for complex AI applications.

Digital Twin

Virtual Reality

A virtual 3D replica of a physical property enabling remote walkthroughs and spatial analysis.

Generative AI

AI Technology

AI systems that create new content — images, text, floor plans, or virtual staging — rather than just analyzing existing data.

Geospatial Analytics

Data Science

AI-powered analysis of location-based data combining satellite imagery, mapping, and property records.

IDX (Internet Data Exchange)

Technology

The system that lets you display MLS listings on your own website, so visitors can search properties without leaving your site. Setting up IDX usually requires a WordPress plugin or a dedicated website platform.

IoT (Internet of Things)

Technology

Everyday building devices — thermostats, leak sensors, door locks, cameras — connected to the internet so you can monitor and control them remotely. The downside: most IoT devices have 3-5 year firmware lifecycles.

Lead Nurturing

Lead Generation

Staying in touch with leads who aren't ready to act yet — through emails, texts, market updates, and check-ins. Most leads take 6-18 months to convert, so if you only follow up once, you're leaving money on the table.

Lead Scoring

CRM

AI-driven method of ranking sales leads by their likelihood to convert, based on behavioral data.

Listing Optimization

Marketing

Making your listing as visible and compelling as possible — professional photos, a strong description, strategic pricing, and proper MLS placement. The first 48 hours after listing are critical.

LLM (Large Language Model)

AI Technology

An advanced AI model trained on vast text datasets, capable of understanding and generating human-like language for real estate applications.

Machine Learning

AI Technology

Core AI technology where algorithms improve through experience by analyzing data patterns.

Marketing Automation

Marketing

Setting up rules so your marketing runs on autopilot — drip emails to new leads, social media posts on schedule, follow-up texts after showings. The risk: over-automation makes you sound like a robot.

Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

Industry

The database where brokers share their listings with each other, creating the most complete picture of what's for sale in a market. There are ~580 MLSs in the US.

NLP (Natural Language Processing)

AI Technology

A branch of AI enabling computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language.

NOI (Net Operating Income)

Valuation

What a property earns after subtracting operating expenses but before subtracting mortgage payments. NOI is the number that determines a property's value in commercial real estate.

Predictive Analytics

Data Science

The use of AI and statistical algorithms to identify future outcomes based on historical data.

Property Technology (PropTech)

Industry

The catch-all term for technology companies serving the real estate industry — from listing platforms to transaction tools to building management. The PropTech boom peaked around 2021-2022.

PropTech

Industry

Property Technology — the broad category of software and tools that innovate in the real estate industry.

ROI (Return on Investment)

Analytics

How much you earned relative to what you spent, expressed as a percentage or multiplier. In real estate, ROI is used to evaluate everything from marketing spend to renovation projects.

ROI Analysis

Analytics

Calculation of return on investment — AI-enhanced to factor in market trends and appreciation forecasts.

Smart Building

Technology

A building equipped with connected systems — HVAC, lighting, security, elevators — that can be monitored and controlled remotely. The reality is more complicated: integration between different IoT systems is often poor.

Smart Contract

Technology

A self-executing contract where the terms are written in code instead of legal prose. In practice as of 2026, smart contracts for RE transactions are essentially non-existent in the US — title insurance requirements still require traditional processes.

Tokenization

Technology

Converting ownership of a property into digital tokens on a blockchain, theoretically allowing fractional ownership. The catch: the SEC considers most tokenized real estate to be securities.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Technology

A fully immersive digital experience through a headset. In real estate, VR tours let out-of-town buyers 'visit' properties without traveling. Most 'VR tours' are actually 360-degree videos viewed on a screen.

Virtual Staging

Marketing

The use of AI to digitally furnish and decorate empty rooms in property photos.