Intent vs. Interest: Why Traditional Lead Scoring Fails in Real Estate

Introduction

Traditional lead scoring—borrowed from B2B software sales—fundamentally misunderstands real estate buyer behavior. This article examines why conventional approaches fail and proposes alternatives grounded in property purchase psychology.

The Traditional Lead Scoring Model

Most CRM systems score leads based on:

• **Demographic fit** (income, location, family size)
• **Engagement actions** (email opens, page views, form fills)
• **Source quality** (referral vs. cold lead)
• **Recency** (time since last contact)

Why It Fails in Real Estate

Problem 1: Long, Non-Linear Purchase Cycles

Software purchases follow predictable funnels. Property purchases don't.

• Average home search duration: **4.3 months** (NAR 2024)
• Buyers visit **10 homes** before making offers
• **37%** of buyers look for over 6 months

Traditional scoring penalizes "inactive" leads who are simply in deliberation phases.

Problem 2: Emotional Decision Architecture

Real estate decisions are emotionally driven. Traditional scoring measures rational engagement (clicks, opens) but misses emotional readiness.

A buyer who's been quietly browsing for 6 months may be more ready than one who filled out 5 forms last week.

Problem 3: Life Event Triggers

Purchase decisions often follow life events:

• Job relocation (sudden, urgent)
• Family changes (marriage, children, divorce)
• Financial events (inheritance, bonus)
• Life stage transitions (retirement, empty nest)

These triggers aren't captured by engagement metrics.

Intent vs. Interest: A Critical Distinction

**Interest:** Curiosity about properties, exploration of options, gathering information

**Intent:** Active readiness to purchase, motivation to transact, timeline commitment

The Interest Trap

High-interest leads look great in traditional scoring:

• Many website visits
• Multiple property saves
• Email engagement
• Form submissions

But interest without intent wastes agent time.

Intent Signals That Matter

A Better Approach: Behavioral Intent Scoring

The BIS Framework

Score leads on behavioral intent indicators:

Transaction Readiness (40% weight)

• Pre-approved for mortgage: +30
• Current home listed/sold: +25
• Lease ending within 90 days: +20
• Stated timeline under 6 months: +15

Engagement Quality (30% weight)

• Questions about financing: +15
• Questions about timeline: +15
• Questions about offer process: +20
• Multiple property comparisons: +10

Life Event Indicators (20% weight)

• Job relocation: +20
• Family size change: +15
• Retirement: +10
• Investment motivation: +10

Recency and Frequency (10% weight)

• Contact within 7 days: +5
• Multiple interactions: +5

Score Interpretation

Implementation Considerations

Data Collection Changes

To implement behavioral intent scoring, agents need:

1. **Better intake questions** - Ask about timeline, pre-approval, current housing
2. **Life event tracking** - Note triggers during conversations
3. **Behavioral observation** - Document question types and engagement quality
4. **Integration with lenders** - Pre-approval status updates

CRM Modifications

Most CRMs can be customized to track intent signals:

• Custom fields for life events
• Updated scoring rules
• Behavioral tagging systems
• Intent-based lead routing

Conclusion

Traditional lead scoring fails in real estate because it measures interest rather than intent. By shifting to behavioral intent scoring, agents can prioritize the leads most likely to transact while providing appropriate nurturing for those earlier in their journey.

Key Takeaways

• Interest ≠ Intent: High engagement doesn't guarantee purchase readiness
• **Life event triggers** often matter more than engagement metrics
• **Transaction readiness** indicators have highest predictive value
• Implement **behavioral intent scoring** for accurate lead prioritization
• Update intake processes to capture intent signals