The most successful Realtors® write the best listing descriptions. This is an art and a science. Even when you’re good at it, you need to strive to keep learning.
You may be great in person. You may connect with people from the get-go and showcase the best a property has to offer. But, if your listing descriptions are weak, you’re robbing yourself of the chance to shine.
So let’s take a look at 3 things you need to know about writing the perfect listing description.
1. Know the words that sell
Know what your buyers want to hear, and say it to them.
Buyers like to hear things like trusted name brands for appliances. They want to hear something that sounds great, without seeming too good to be true.
Here are some keywords that sell houses:
- Beautiful: It’s commonly used for a reason. It strikes an emotional chord with your reader.
- Granite: You already know what a key selling point granite counter tops are. Lead with them!
- Hardwood: Same as for Granite.
- Fixer Upper: This may turn off some buyers. But people looking for a steal or investment really respond to the value this presents. Use it carefully, since it doesn't encourage top dollar for your seller.
Don’t forget to sell the area, as well. Use your local knowledge to sell the proximity to local lakes, attractions, or amenities.
2. Know the words that don’t sell:
At the same time, it’s just as important to know what words send buyers immediately to the next listing.
- Must Sell or Motivated Seller: You might be trying to convey a great price to your reader, but it smells of desperation. You won't get the top dollar your seller is looking for with this statement.
- Clean: I should hope so. Is there really no other high point of the home you could highlight?
- Vacant: The word vacant makes it sound like the house has been abandoned, or has been on the market for a long time for some reason. It's a major turnoff for buyers.
3. Sell a lifestyle, not a home
You don’t want the reader to try to picture the home. You want them to picture themselves living there. Happily, of course.
Ian Grace gave some really great advice on how to do this in a RealtorMag article. He said, “It is vitally important to understand that you are not selling a house. What you are selling is living there.”
“You see, that is the picture prospective buyers have in their mind — living in their new home, which may have an extra bedroom or two, so the kids can have their own space and privacy and the resultant family harmony. Or perhaps the extra entertaining areas, where both parents and their children can host their friends at the same time, but separately.”
Of course, this isn’t easy to describe. Anybody can list off a house’s specs. But painting a clear and appealing picture for a buyer takes practice and requires you to be one part Realtor® and one part storyteller.
But it’s well worth it to practice your craft. Not only will your listing descriptions shine, but so will your just-listed fliers and open house advertisements. Your results will quickly show you that your time was well spent.
Bonus tip: Pay the most attention to your opening and closing
Like any piece of writing, you should spend the most time crafting the beginning and the end.
Your lead and headline have to stand out among the countless other listings. You have such a small window of your readers’ attention. Make it count! If you use any of the advice above, you’re already a step ahead.
Don’t make your closing an afterthought. Make it as easy as possible to get into touch with you to set up an appointment. So don’t send people to your website. Send them to your inbox or cell phone.
What do you think goes into a strong listing description? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments(9)