Building vs. Buying AI Solutions
Every real estate executive is asking the same question right now: Do we build our own AI features or integrate existing solutions? The answer seems obvious until you add up the real costs.
Here’s the truth: most organizations are making this decision based on incomplete information. They compare the sticker price of a third-party tool against the salary of one developer and call it a day. That’s not how this works.
The Hidden Costs of Building
Development Time: Developers aren’t just writing code. They’re researching models, testing accuracy, handling edge cases, and debugging problems solved long ago by established platforms. A “three-month” project can easily turn into nine.
Ongoing Maintenance: AI doesn’t run on autopilot. Data drift, updates, and security monitoring are constant. Building means hiring not just developers, but a permanent maintenance team.
Infrastructure Costs: GPUs, cloud storage, and processing power add up. What costs pennies per API call could cost hundreds if you run it yourself.
Compliance & Security: If you build, you own the burden of privacy, compliance, and legal risk. That’s not a one-time cost, it’s ongoing.
The Real Costs of Buying
Integration Complexity: APIs aren’t plug-and-play. Data formatting, workflows, and custom integrations take time.
Vendor Dependency: Your roadmap may be tied to theirs. If pricing changes or features vanish, you scramble.
Customization Limits: Off-the-shelf tools aren’t tailored for every use case.
Data Control: For some real estate applications, sending data outside your system won’t fly.
When Building Makes Sense
Build only when:
Your use case is truly unique to real estate
You have real AI expertise in-house (not just general developers)
Data privacy makes third-party options impossible
The AI feature is core to your competitive advantage
You’re ready for a multi-year investment
When Buying is Smarter
Buy when:
Solutions already solve 80% of your problem
Speed matters more than customization
You lack deep AI expertise
The feature is helpful but not your differentiator
Predictable monthly costs are better than budget overruns
The use case is common (support, help desk, customer inquiries)
Questions to Ask
Development Team
How many AI projects have we successfully deployed and maintained?
Do we have production infrastructure expertise?
Business Team
Is this feature core to our competitive position?
How fast do we need to launch?
Financial Team
What’s the three-year cost of ownership for both options?
What happens if development takes twice as long?
The Decision Framework
Start by buying unless you have a strong case to build. Buying validates demand, shortens timelines, and lets you learn what really matters. Build only when you’ve proven the use case and know exactly where third-party tools fall short.
For Real Estate Leaders
Your clients don’t care if you built or bought. They care whether your solution works, saves them time, and helps them serve clients better.
The smartest organizations buy first, learn fast, then selectively build what truly sets them apart. The ones that try to build everything from scratch? They usually end up with expensive, half-finished tools that don’t deliver.