You can Google the latest objection-handling scripts, you can buy that new phone tripod to record better open house videos, you can learn how to use A.I. to help you write engaging social media captions…
…but there are some things that will never change in our industry: the psychology behind buyer and seller decisions.
Humans evolve slowly. That's why the field of neuroscience is so useful for agents to understand.
In our recent /RealEstate episode, we sat down with Dr. Matt Johnson. A neuroscience PhD, author, and professor, who explained to us how to apply these brain-based behaviors to the real estate market.
Expect to learn how to best appeal to your buyers and sellers so that they choose you as their agent, as well as how to frame your listings to close more contracts.
To listen to our conversation with Dr. Matt, check out our /RealEstate episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts:
Part 1: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Part 2: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Dr. Matt starts the episode by explaining, brands don’t really exist in a corporate document — they exist in the minds of consumers.
When a potential buyer thinks about a brand like Nike or Volkswagen, a constellation of associations immediately light up in their brain.
This happens even within a single industry—say athleisure for example. When you picture Under Armour you think about sweat, discipline, and pushing your body to its limits. When you think about Alo Yoga, you think of influencers doing pilates in Malibu with a green juice after a class.
Same category, wildly different associations.
The same is true in real estate: when someone hears your name, what mental picture do they form?
This is why branding matters. Neuroscience tells us that our brains don’t process information like a sheet of facts. Instead, we build emotional and associative maps.
A brand is successful when it creates consistent, meaningful associations across many different clients’ minds, OR when it can be strongly associated to a particular (and highly profitable) niche.
At its core, marketing is the navigation of value between company and consumer.
In real estate, this means you aren’t just selling a house — you’re selling peace of mind, status, the passage of one life chapter to the next, a certain lifestyle, or belonging to a particular community. Clients don’t care about the square footage alone; they care about what living in that home will feel like.
Neurological studies back this up. Professor Gerald Zeltman from Harvard argues that 95% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously, influenced by emotion rather than logic. That means the story you tell about a property matters far more than the bullet points on the MLS.
One of the most striking findings in neuroscience marketing research is that emotional appeals are far more effective than rational claims. A study by Les Binet and Peter Field, analyzing thousands of ad campaigns, found that emotional advertising was twice as effective as rational campaigns in generating long-term business growth.
For real estate agents, this means focusing less on “I saved my client $20,000” and more on “I helped a young family find their forever home where their kids can grow up safe and happy.”
Stories that connect to a person's values, aspirations, and identity are what stick.
Instead of “this house has a 40‑foot pool,” think “imagine hosting your high‑school reunion in July here, grilling on the patio while everyone dives in to cool off.”
Instead of “yes, it has a fireplace,” think “my wife and I love ours—we curl up in front of it and read to our kids before bed on those cold December nights.”
Human beings are storytelling creatures. We forget lists of facts quickly, but we remember stories for years. Neuroscience research shows that when we hear a story, multiple areas of the brain light up — not just language centers, but also areas tied to emotion and sensory experience.
This is why a story about a cozy backyard barbecue will resonate more than a statistic about the pool size.
For agents, this means leaning into narratives. Like we mentioned before, your goal is to help buyers imagine their life in the space.
You can also recreate this on social media. Instead of talking about the great homes you sold for X amount of money, narrate the story of Jeff and Nancy, who had just gotten married and were looking to find their dream home to start their new family.
Standing out is critical in today’s crowded market. After all, there are now more licensed real estate agents in America, than there are homes for sale.
But differentiation for its own sake isn’t enough. Neuroscience shows that differentiation must be meaningful to the client.
Bright colors or flashy logos may capture attention momentarily, but without an emotional foundation, they won’t create lasting brand equity.
The real question is: what makes you different in a way that matters?
Maybe you’re the agent who makes first-time buyers feel safe and understood. Or the one who helps investors move fast with confidence. Or maybe you're known for helping newly single moms start their new chapter.
Whatever your differentiation is, anchor it in your clients’ lived experience.
Dr. Matt highlights a dangerous myth from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”
Neuroscience and marketing reality show that simply having a product (or service) isn’t enough. You must establish product-market fit — aligning what you offer with what your clients genuinely want and value.
For new agents, this means experimenting, iterating, and learning who resonates with your services.
For seasoned agents, it means doubling down on the clients and niches where you’ve already built trust.
One powerful method from neuroscience marketing is the “True Why” test.
Start by asking why your service matters. Then, keep asking why until you reach a deep emotional truth — often connected to life, identity, or even mortality.
For example:
Why does it matter that I help people buy homes?
Because they want a good investment.
Why does that matter?
Because they want security.
Why does security matter?
Because they want to provide for their family.
Why does that matter?
Because they want to live a meaningful life and leave a legacy when they die.
That’s the emotional foundation you want to tap into in your marketing.
Neuroscience also shows that our brains are wired to mirror the behavior of others. Remember those experiments where a person goes into an elevator where everyone is facing the wrong way, and the person who steps in decides to also face the wrong way?
When we see people like us choosing something, our mirror neurons fire, nudging us to feel the same way. This is why testimonials, reviews, and even photos of happy families in their new homes are so persuasive.
For agents, this means your past clients aren’t just success stories—they’re marketing assets.
A written review is good, but a short video testimonial where your client beams with excitement is far better, because it taps into both emotion and the brain’s instinct to copy what it sees.
Another important finding from neuroscience is how trust is formed. Studies using brain imaging show that when people see faces, their brains make split-second judgments about trustworthiness. That means your headshot, body language in videos, and even tone of voice matter immensely.
Clients are scanning for signs that you’re reliable before they even process your credentials.
Agents can use this by being authentic in their communications. Smiling in videos, maintaining eye contact, and showing empathy activate trust signals in the brain.
Neuroscience tells us that trust is not just logical — it’s biological.
Our take? Don't be afraid to be unapologetically you. If you talk fast, make it part of your brand. If you're really enthusiastic, lean into it. If you love to crack jokes when explaining things — that's your thing.
What makes you different makes you memorable. And as we already covered, to succeed right now, memorable is what you're striving for.
The human brain can only process so much at once. Neuroscience research on “cognitive load” shows us that when people are presented with too much information, they shut down.
For agents, this means simplifying your message. Don’t overwhelm clients with endless stats; guide them through clear next steps. A brain that feels clarity feels relief.
There is such a thing as saying too much. Most of the time, while you might find it impressive to be able to drop numbers and figures at the flip of a hat, your buyers are not going to retain that information. Instead, be the person who can explain complex topics in an easy way.
After all, you're not here to impress other agents — you're here to serve your audience.
If our conversation with Dr. Matt Johnson left us with something is this:
Real estate marketing isn’t really about homes – it’s about humans.
Agents who understand the brain’s preference for stories, emotions, and meaning will build stronger brands and win more clients. By focusing on how people feel rather than just what they know, you’ll connect at a level that truly drives decisions.
What's more, you will gain experience in principles that are everlasting, no matter how many technological, legal, or economical changes the real estate industry goes through.
To listen to the full conversation with Dr. Matt, check out our /RealEstate episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts:
Part 1: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Part 2: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts