by G. Sax, Head of Communications, RESO
We caught up with Lisa Nickerson, CEO of Infinityy, part of this year’s NAR REACH cohort, to talk about the concept of place, the ubiquity of AI, ranking important decisions and run-NING! Enjoy!
Q1: You frame your personal angle on real estate as “The places we choose shape the lives we live.” Let’s relate that to home, community and workplace. You also say that “place” is more than geography – that it shapes how we live, work, connect and thrive. Can you expand on that, especially in relation to the expansion of remote work, social media, AI and other digital tools that don’t necessarily rely on the concept of place?
Lisa: How you live relates to how you feel, and sometimes it’s aspirational. It’s similar to “You are who you hang out with” or “Show me your five best friends, and I’ll show you your future.” That segues into all aspects of real estate. In commercial real estate, spaces are chosen based on factors such as the proximity of good public transportation, convenience to other companies and the amenities of a city, or maybe even who you’re likely to run into in the elevator.
There are so many decision-making points related to why people ultimately choose a particular home, place to work or place to go on vacation. For REALTORS®, a property description in an MLS listing is just one tool in the toolbox that ultimately impacts a buyer’s decision making.
With remote work, you can essentially live anywhere, and that gives people a completely different opportunity to think about how they go about making decisions. But no matter your value matrix, it’s still about place – how you want to live and who and what you want to surround yourself with.
In terms of commercial real estate, if you’re a fast-growing company, the five-year lease model doesn’t quite work for founders. Some owners will move you within their portfolio if they have the ability to do so. But you’ll need to know which landlords can work within that framework.
That’s where having a trusted AI agent or immediate access to the broker representing the property helps you get accurate answers quickly.
Q2: Infinityy is an AI-powered experience platform. In 2026, every industry-related conference session, expo floor booth, blog post, podcast and Uber conversation leads with AI. At what point do you think that AI becomes less about marketing and more about self-evident infrastructure? Because nobody says that they are on the World Wide Web or can be reached by way of the miracle of voice transmission.
Dropping the .ai will come, just like we eventually dropped “www.” What’s most important about Infinityy is that it doesn’t replace the human element of a transaction. Infinityy’s AI agent, “Fin,” engages the buyer/renter and passes off to the REALTOR® when the buyer/renter is ready to engage. We purposefully didn’t brand Infinityy as Infinityy.ai, because the AI is only part of the value real estate professionals get from Infinityy.
People searching for a home don’t want endless amounts of information. What consumers want is answers to their questions when they want them. Buyers and renters are also now searching homes with ChatGPT, which can often provide inaccurate data. Our AI isn’t reaching out to the entire internet; it’s looking at listing information from the MLS or marketing data the developer/owner provides, or it’s using LocalLogic data. We are the first company to use LocalLogic’s MCP in our AI.
And, of course, we follow all fair housing guidelines. When our AI agent can’t answer a question, it defers them directly to the sales or leasing professional. This allows consumers to know they can trust Infinityy for all of their places and spaces decision making. The only information the AI will answer is from the listing.
Q3: You state in your bio that the future of real estate is about helping people make one of the most important decisions of their lives with greater confidence, clarity and connection. “One of the most important decisions of their lives” is a well-used phrase in real estate marketing. So what are some other “most important decisions,” and where do you think finding a home ranks on that list?
Number one is who you choose as your partner in life. Hands down, I think this is the most important decision because it influences every other decision you make. Number two is your peer group – you are who you hang out with. Then, deciding on where you live and finding the “perfect house.” The house you ultimately choose is absolutely influenced by #1 and #2. Maybe we should integrate Match.com into Infinityy? Just kidding.
RESO: It’s not a bad idea. You know, Spencer Rascoff, former CEO of Zillow Group is now the CEO of Match Group. Give him a call! You didn’t mention kids. What about them?
Kids are a subcategory of #1, which then flows into #2 and #3.
Bonus Question (G. Sax): Shockingly, I’m a five-time marathon finisher, so I was drawn to a photo I saw of you crossing the Boston Marathon finish line. Congratulations! That’s amazing. That achievement quite obviously indicates that you’re not only a real estate industry dynamo but a strong runner. How many marathons have you done, and how did you qualify for Boston?
Lisa: I have run five marathons as well! You don’t have to run Boston with a fast qualifying time. You can participate if you run it for charity. I ran for Housing Families, an organization I was on the board of for 17 years. They support families in need of emergency and short-term affordable housing while also offering critical services.
Here’s the thing about Boston or any other marathon. When you’re training for something – a marathon, a triathlon or any other event that takes a great deal of outside time and effort, it forces discipline and strengthens your mind and body. The stronger and more resilient you are, the better you are at your work, I guarantee it. Anyone can do it, and your career will thank you.
Three Questions is a lighthearted interview series that features real estate industry professionals, their businesses and how they interact with real estate standards.
