Trade Me launches ChatGPT property search app in NZ

Trade Me Property has launched an app within OpenAI's ChatGPT that lets users search its property listings using conversational prompts.

The app returns results for homes for sale across New Zealand and displays them on a visual, interactive map. By combining chat-based search with location data, it lets users move from a question to a set of listings without switching services.

Trade Me called it the first ChatGPT app launched by a New Zealand company, and said it began piloting the integration late last year.

How it works

Users type prompts in ChatGPT to browse for-sale listings and receive results that match their query. The interface then shows those results on a map, which users can interact with while refining their search in the chat.

The product sits in OpenAI's in-product app directory. Trade Me Property appears under the Lifestyle category, where users can connect ChatGPT to the service.

The launch reflects a wider shift in search habits as generative AI tools take a larger role in early-stage research. Property search has traditionally relied on filters and saved searches on dedicated portals. Trade Me is betting that more users will start with natural-language questions, then narrow options through follow-up queries.

Trade Me chief technology officer Paolo Ragone linked the launch to the company's technology roadmap and its focus on product development.

"This is about more than just keeping up, it's about pioneering new ways of interacting with our members," Ragone said.

OpenAI's app integrations create a new distribution channel for consumer services with large datasets. For a property marketplace, the key asset is its inventory and listing metadata. The Trade Me Property app draws on that catalogue to return search results inside ChatGPT.

Ragone described the launch as an early move in what he sees as a global shift in how people search online.

"OpenAI's app integration is a significant global development, and we are incredibly proud to be the first Kiwi company to play in this space," he said.

Trade Me has not disclosed commercial terms for the integration or whether the app will include paid placement options for agents and vendors. It also has not outlined what user chat data is stored, shared, or linked to a Trade Me account as part of the experience.

Property search

Trade Me head of property Alan Clark said the company has been monitoring where and how buyers begin the research process, particularly as housing affordability remains a dominant issue for many households.

"The journey to buying a home is becoming more dynamic, often starting with a quick question in an unexpected place," Clark said.

He said the feature turns conversational queries into a search experience that still returns live listings and map-based browsing.

"This app recognises the changing behaviour of how we research property, transforming the conversational experience into a deeply practical search tool. It gives our users a fast, intuitive way to explore the market, delivering real listings and an interactive map without ever leaving their chat," Clark said.

In practical terms, this new route into Trade Me Property places the service alongside the AI assistant in a user's journey. It could widen the top of the funnel for property discovery if more consumers use ChatGPT for everyday questions about location, commuting distance, school zones, pricing expectations, or property types.

The launch also increases competitive pressure on local property portals and agency networks experimenting with AI-driven tools, including chat-based experiences and automated listing summaries. It underscores how third-party platforms with strong consumer reach can become the starting point for specialised searches.

Trade Me has not said whether it plans similar ChatGPT apps for other parts of its marketplace, but framed the release as part of a broader shift toward conversational, AI-supported search.