AI: Get onboard or get left behind with Mal McCallion of ModelProp

In this razor-sharp episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan Byfield sits down with one of PropTech’s original pioneers—Mal McCallion—to unpack the message every UK letting agent, estate agent and landlord needs to hear:

AI isn’t coming. It’s already here.

And if you’re not on board? You’re at risk of being left behind.

🧠 From PrimeLocation to Prophetic Predictions

With 24+ years in property and tech, Mal’s résumé reads like a PropTech hall of fame: launching PrimeLocation, rolling out Zoopla, and building tools for The Guild, GetAgent and more. Now heading ModelProp, he helps agents understand and adopt AI—before it’s too late.

Kristjan and Mal don’t hold back. They describe AI not as evolution, but revolution. Kristjan puts it best: “This is our generation’s industrial revolution.”

🤖 AI is Rewriting the Rules of Search, Service & Success

Forget SEO. Landlords are skipping Google and asking ChatGPT for their ideal agent—and it’s working. Kristjan shares real-world examples of Base Property gaining clients via AI prompts like:

“I want an independent agent with great tenant care.”

Future clients won’t search by area—they’ll search by values. Only AI-literate, values-driven agents will stand out.

🔍 How Portals Could Be Dethroned

Rightmove, beware. Mal critiques the portals’ complacency and highlights how AI-powered search offers more than listings: from Offsted school checks to panoramic views and nuanced prompts, AI is reshaping property discovery.

Soon, tenants will say: “Find me a home near work, with a kind landlord and a dog-friendly policy.” And AI will deliver—instantly.

💬 Let Machines Handle Machine Work

AI won’t replace agents—it will free them. Picture this:

• Voice AI answers enquiries and books viewings 24/7
• Maintenance is triaged before your team even sees it
• Clients get fast, consistent replies—even out of hours

It’s not perfect. But as Kristjan says, neither are humans. Speed, reliability and service win.

📉 Let Go of Perfectionism—Or Get Left Behind

Agents often expect 100% perfection from tech—yet settle for 75% from staff. That mindset is outdated. The competition isn’t other agencies anymore—it’s the AI that never sleeps.

Adapt or risk irrelevance.

💡 How to Embrace the AI Advantage

This episode doesn’t just theorise—it delivers tactics:

• Try ChatGPT’s Deep Research for prospecting
• Audit your suppliers: no AI strategy = red flag
• Explore tools like Ask Vinnie and voice AI

Kristjan also reveals how The Depositary is using AI to boost performance and fairness in tenancy conclusion—minimising dispute friction and maximising outcomes.

🚀 A Call to Agents & Landlords

London landlords: this is your glimpse into modern agency. Agents: this is your blueprint for staying competitive.

📢 Tune in now and take your first step into the AI-powered future—because it’s already transforming our industry.

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