Diagnostics

Behavioral Science for Real Estate Agents

Behavioral science for real estate agents is the study of why capable agents do not do what they already know to do, and what actually changes that. It treats prospecting, follow-up and asking for the business as behaviors with causes, not as character traits.

By Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH

Behavioral science for real estate agents is the study of why capable agents do not do what they already know to do, and what actually changes that. It treats prospecting, follow-up and asking for the business as behaviors with causes, not as character traits.

Most training adds knowledge. Behavioral science asks a different question first: is knowledge the problem at all?

What it explains

Why agents avoid the activities that produce income. Avoidance is rewarded with immediate relief, so it repeats.
Why motivation fades. Motivation is a feeling, and behavior under pressure follows habit more than feeling.
Why production stalls at a level. Behavior tends to drift back to a familiar level as results rise. See the ceiling you built yourself.
Why the same agent can be strong in one conversation and avoid another. The pattern is specific to the task, not to the person.

What it changes in practice

Diagnosis comes before training. The R2R Assessment identifies which of 13 archetypes is in the way.
The fix matches the pattern. A Planner and a Price Softener need different interventions. See the 13 R2R archetypes.
Managers measure behavior, not activity. Conversations held, not hours worked.

What it is not

It is not a personality test, therapy or a motivational program. It describes work behavior and is not medical or mental health advice.

Who uses it

Brokers and managing brokers diagnosing why agents stall, team leaders coaching agents who will not prospect, and agents who know what to do and are not doing it. See sales reluctance and call reluctance in real estate.

Frequently asked questions

What is behavioral science in real estate?

It is the application of research on habit, avoidance and decision making to why agents do or do not perform key sales behaviors.

How is it different from sales training?

Training builds skill. Behavioral work removes what stops a skilled agent from using it.

Do I need an assessment first?

A diagnosis saves time, because it prevents spending on training for a problem that is not a knowledge problem.

Is this clinical?

No. It addresses work behavior only.

Where do I start?

With the agent assessment if you lead a team, or the R2R Assessment if you are an individual agent.

Does it work for new agents?

The same patterns appear early, which makes early diagnosis more useful. See the first 90 days.

About the Author

Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH is the former EVP of Learning & Development at Douglas Elliman Real Estate and the founder and Chief Learning Officer of R2R Diagnostic Group, where he helps real estate organizations and agents diagnose and fix the behavioral patterns behind inconsistent performance.

Start With the Pattern

Name the pattern, then change it.

The R2R Assessment identifies which pattern is actually running and what to do about it. Take a look at the assessment, or book a conversation.

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