Here are four steps you can take to pack more power into your listing descriptions and build more buyer enthusiasm:
1. Set it Up
The house a buyer ends up purchasing is really only part of the equation that makes the place a home. Equally important is the location – the neighborhood, surroundings and nearby amenities. Starting off with a few essential elements that make the area unique is a great way to set the scene and help house-hunters paint a complete and realistic picture of the home. From this foundation you can build excitement as you start to delve into all the juicy details about about the home that buyers are eager to learn about.
2. Say Something New
Once a buyer is reading your listing description, they’re done reviewing the essential home facts, so there’s no need to waste words about the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square-footage, etc. Use the opportunity to bring more detail to the picture and expose the features and feelings that make the home unique. It’s important to include essential attributes like “pool”, “waterfront”, “garage” and “first floor master”. And keep your descriptive language in check. You want to use common words that buyers are likely to search for or they may not see your listing in their results at all.
3. Avoid Empty Adjectives
Sweeping adjectives like “fantastic”, “spacious”, and “charming” are subjective and buyers aren’t looking for opinions, they’re looking for facts. Don’t tell them the home is fabulous, show them that it’s fabulous by revealing it’s best features. Showcasing specifics using descriptive, straightforward terms like “Marble,” “Granite,” “Spiral Staircase,” “Gourmet Kitchen with New Viking Appliances, and “Solid Bamboo Flooring” will get you the most bang for your buck.
Vague terms may also be misinterpreted as a cover up. In a recent article about the secret language of listings, Real Estate and Lifestyle expert, Michael Corbett, offered the following reality check translation guide:
Charming = Small
Cozy = Even smaller
Small pool = Big spa
Above ground Spa = Old leaky hot tub.
Fixer = Old and dilapidated
Needs TLC = Needs a remodel
Handyman’s special = That’s a three-to-four-hammer job. You’ll be hunting down contractors for help with this one.
Steps from pool = Can be seen as "discriminatory against handicapped "
Partial view = If you are standing on the roof, or you lean out the second-floor window
Peek-a-Boo View = No view.
Up-and-coming neighborhood = Paint your fence with antigraffiti spray.
As is = There is something very wrong that the seller doesn’t want to fix.
Diamond in the rough = No jewel here—way too much work.
Don’t gamble with terms like these that can be translated to suit biased opinions. Stick with the facts and you’ll generate legitimate interest and prevent wasted showings on buyers who don’t share your idea of an “amazing” kitchen.
4. Finish Strong
A strong finish will prompt buyers to take action so they don’t miss out a home that may be the home they’ve been searching for, so you want to end with your best stuff. In a recent survey we asked current renters what features would make them fall in love with a home and found that a Master Bathroom tops the list at 70% followed close behind by a Walk-in Closet (63%), a Gourmet Kitchen (56%) an Outdoor Deck (55%) and Wood Floors (50%). If your listing has these goodies, then save them for the end so they’ll leave a lasting impression.
Use these four steps to get buyers more fired up about your next listing description or to revitalize a stale listing that’s been sitting on the market too long.
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