Wahi Brings Smarter Home Search to Canadians

Wahi’s smart search filters are powered by image recognition, helping Canadian homebuyers quickly find listings with features like renovated kitchens, pools, or balconies.

By Kristin Doucet | 5 minute read

Buying a home in Canada often means going through endless listings that overlook the features buyers care about most. Listings usually cover price and location, but they rarely highlight details such as renovated kitchens, fenced yards, or balconies. Wahi makes the process easier by offering an image-based search that lets buyers filter for the exact features they want.

The Gap Between Buyer Wants and Listings

Canadian buyers often struggle to find homes that match their preferences. Location, proximity to amenities, and features like finished basements, backyards, or renovated kitchens matter greatly, yet most listings focus only on price and square footage. Wahi’s 2025 What Homeseekers Want survey shows 81% of buyers consider a backyard essential, while 59% want upgraded kitchens or bathrooms, making these features central to their search.

The Time-Sensitive Search Process

Turning those preferences into real options takes considerable effort. Buyers spend months researching neighbourhoods, visiting properties, and reviewing hundreds of listings with thousands of images. Traditional real estate searches require users to browse through hundreds of listings, each with 10–20 photos, which quickly adds up to thousands of images. 

The average search lasts three to six months, and in slower markets it can stretch to half a year, with buyers often investing several hours each week on homes that never fully meet their criteria.

“Wahi enhances the home search experience by allowing buyers to search properties using an image-based filter. Buyers can now search for specific features, such as hardwood floors, open-concept kitchens, or upgraded bathrooms.”

Search by What You See

Wahi enhances the home search experience by allowing buyers to search properties using an image-based filter. Buyers can now search for specific features, such as hardwood floors, open-concept kitchens, or upgraded bathrooms. The search also covers outdoor characteristics such as patios and pools, along with condo amenities like gyms.

Save Time in Your Home Search 

Many buyers spend hours scrolling through homes that don’t match the aesthetic they’re looking for. With Wahi’s image-based filters, a buyer who wants a balcony or a home theatre can search for those features directly. This saves buyers time by weeding out the homes that don’t match their preferences.

Beyond the House

For many Canadians, the setting of a home is just as important as what’s inside. Wahi’s filters extend to the surrounding area, identifying homes near lakes, forests, or mountains. Buyers can now bring these preferences into the search process from the start.

A Search Designed For Buyers

By combining standard listing details with image-based filters, Wahi gives buyers more control over their search. The process is simpler, faster, and better aligned with how people actually choose a home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Wahi different from traditional real estate platforms?

Instead of browsing through thousands of listing photos to spot features manually, Wahi uses image-based filters that identify details automatically. Buyers can search for renovations, flooring types, layouts, or amenities shown in property photos. This adds precision to the search process and eliminates time wasted on homes that don’t match preferences.

What kinds of renovations can buyers filter for?

Wahi’s filters make it easy to search for upgraded interiors. Buyers can focus on fully renovated properties or target specific areas such as renovated kitchens or bathrooms. This ensures buyers don’t need to sift through homes lacking updates, helping them prioritize listings that already have the improvements they value most.

Can Wahi help buyers prioritize location settings?

Yes, the filters extend to natural surroundings that shape lifestyle. Buyers can search for homes near water, forests, or mountains, instead of relying only on city or neighbourhood fields. By combining location details with visual features, Wahi allows buyers to identify properties that align with both lifestyle and setting.

Are flooring types included in the image-based search?

Yes, buyers can filter for flooring preferences like ceramic, concrete, or hardwood. Instead of checking every listing photo to confirm flooring details, Wahi recognizes these features automatically. This allows buyers to match homes with their preferred finishes while saving hours usually spent on manual scrolling and comparisons.

What kitchen styles can buyers search for?

Kitchens often drive buying decisions, and Wahi lets buyers filter for options like rustic kitchens or open-concept layouts. This is particularly helpful for those prioritizing design and function in their search. By isolating these features, buyers quickly identify homes with the kitchen style that fits their preferences.

Does Wahi’s search cover amenities and lifestyle features?

Yes, buyers can search for features such as home theatres, gyms or fitness rooms, pools, patios, or apartment balconies. These amenities often don’t appear in text filters on other platforms, making them easy to miss. Wahi ensures buyers can bring lifestyle needs into the search from the beginning.

How does Wahi handle outdoor features?

Outdoor spaces are often important to buyers, and Wahi’s filters recognize them directly in photos. Options include fenced yards, pools, patios, and balconies. Instead of overlooking these details in long listing descriptions, buyers can focus only on properties that meet their outdoor living preferences, which speeds up decision-making.

Can buyers filter by overall floor plans?

Yes, Wahi also identifies general layout features through photos. Buyers searching for open, modern designs or specific room arrangements can use floor plan filters to refine results. This reduces the chance of visiting homes with layouts that don’t fit and helps focus only on properties that align with lifestyle needs.