Psychology Over Technology: What Consumers Actually Want | The MREA Podcast

We’re sitting down with researcher and industry truth-teller Mike DelPrete to cut through the noise on tech, AI, and what clients really want from us. Mike’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and The Economist. He teaches, he studies the business, and he backs every take with data.
We dig into the psychology behind home sales and why our industry is harder to “disrupt” than startups think. Mike shares fresh findings from secret-shopper research: Half of online and in-person leads never get a follow-up. We connect that to the three client traits that win listings and loyalty: be patient, be knowledgeable, and be transparent.
We also explore AI in two simple buckets: an operating-expense buster that helps us work faster and cleaner, and a shift in how people search. Then we get tactical: reviews as trust signals, a tight niche, and a cadence of communication that matches each client’s expectations.