You’ve started your real estate listing, take some professional photos, and now all that’s left is to write the listing description. This is the most exciting and, perhaps, the most crucial part of listing your property: while professional photos can draw potential buyers in, it’s the listing description that sells the place.
The description you write will show up everywhere – on flyers, social media, listing websites, etc. – so the story you tell has the potential to set this property apart from the rest. Effective listing descriptions sell faster and for much more; luckily, writing this kind of advertisement on your own is possible.
By now, you’ve probably read hundreds of listing descriptions in your life, so you know what a good one sounds like, but you don’t know how to write one yet. This guide will cover the structure, writing style, and things to avoid when constructing a listing description that sells.
Structure
There are three main parts to an effective listing: the headline, the opening statement, and the listing description itself. Together, these components should add up to 250 words at most – too many words will lose the reader’s interest, and too few words won’t provide enough detail.
Headline
Your headline needs to be short, location-specific and targeted to your audience. Headlines should highlight the main selling point of the property while being cognizant of the target demographic – a property that’s likely to appeal to Millennials will have different selling points and descriptions than a property that appeals to Baby Boomers.
To find ot what’s popular or appealing to your neighborhood, pay attention to other nearby listings, or consult your agent if you have one. Here are some examples of headlines:
Poor, undescriptive: HIGH CEILING 3/3 2119 SQ FT PENTHOUSE
Good, but wordy: immaculate turnkey three-bedroom/ two-bathroom house, just four blocks from the Douglas Metro-Rail Station
Great: Beautiful 2 bedroom one bath condo in the heart of Skylakes
The best headline features one or two key selling points while being concise; meanwhile, poor headlines try to fit too much information in one sentence, are confusing to read, or don’t tell the reader anything interesting about the property. Great locations and amenities are enough to draw the reader in; now, let the listing description handles the rest.
Opening Statement
Your opening statement is the first part of your listing description, but it deserves its own mention. Just like your photos will draw potential buyers to your listing, your headline and opening statement will draw them into the rest of the property description.
Think of your opening statement as an attractive summary of the property. If your headline draws the reader to its most attractive features, then the first sentence of your description should tell the reader exactly what they’re looking at in the photos.
Here are some examples:
“A private getaway from big city life, this 2-bed, 2-bath apartment accommodates both fun parties and quiet nights in.”
Located just blocks away from the riverside and the Third Ward, this rustic studio apartment places you in the center of the city’s nightlife.”
An effective opening statement focuses on both the location of the property and what’s aesthetically pleasing about it. What your opening statement emphasizes depends on your location and target market, but common features mentioned in the statement include:
Parking
Backyard space
Views of a mountain, city, lake, ocean, etc.
Renovated spaces
Mother-in-law suites, or spaces that can be monetized
Access to mass transit and/or major highways
Proximity to trendy neighborhoods or shopping spaces
Architectural design
Historical features of the property
Listing Description
By now, you’ve highlighted your home’s best features and identified the buyers most likely to be interested. You’ve caught their attention. Now it’s time to walk them through the full space in under 250 words.
Your listing description has two main jobs: spark a buyer’s interest enough to schedule a visit, and explain how to view the property. Start by making a list of all key features such as bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and standout details. Then turn those facts into a story rather than just a list. Use clear, visual language that helps buyers picture the space. For example, instead of simply stating “newly renovated kitchen”: describe “state-of-the-art appliances and sleek modern finishes set against warm historic brick walls.”
Your wording also shapes how buyers perceive the home in person, so frame any limitations in a positive way. Smaller square footage can become “minimalist and efficiently designed.” A compact bedroom can be “perfect for an office or walk-in closet.” A small yard can be “low maintenance.”
Every property has strengths and quirks, and you control how buyers see them. Give them a compelling vision before they step through the door.
Closing Your Listing Description
The last part of your listing description should provide a clear incentive and call to action for potential buyers. Sometimes, that incentive involves special promotions: a flexible close date or one year home warranty might encourage buyers who are on the fence (Check out reviews for home warranty companies on House Method to find the best one for your needs.) Otherwise, the incentive can simply be a restatement of your property’s attractions and what it can offer to its new owners. Regardless, your last sentence should encourage people to visit your home – telling readers to “schedule a visit” or call for more information” will persuade them into seeing your property, which is the next step before it’s sold.
What To Avoid In Your Listing
Writing a listing is like telling a story. Strong stories use specific, useful details. Avoid vague phrases like “nice” or “comfortable” — every home wants to be nice and comfortable. Instead, show why. For example, saying a home is “quiet, well insulated, and spacious with a cozy fireplace” gives buyers a clear picture. Always choose concrete details over vague descriptions.
Other things to avoid are overdone marketing terms. Houses that are a “must-see” or are “selling fast” don’t tell readers about the property. If anything, they discourage readers from visiting, since the writing is focused on marketing, rather than describing, the property.
To exclude
Avoid words like “fixer,” “cosmetic,” “bargain,” or any other real-estate-sales jargon. If buyers feel like you’re selling to them instead of informing them, they’ll trust your description less. Keep your language clear and avoid terms tied to investing, real estate buzzwords, or property-development talk.
Lastly, avoid using technical jargon to describe your property. Avoid obscure construction terms. If buyers have to look up vocabulary, they lose the flow of your description. Highlight key architectural features like balconies or a fireplace, but skip technical jargon like “cantilever” that only distracts.
In short, write the way real people talk. Use clear language and strong visual details. Keep your listing engaging, specific, and easy to picture, and you’ll attract more interested buyers.
Fair Housing Rules
One thing that your listing legally cannot include is any mention of race, nationality, gender, disability, or familial status. Avoid descriptions like “great for new parents” or “culturally diverse neighborhood.” Not only can they violate fair housing laws, they also make for lazy marketing. Focus on the features instead. For example, highlight wide hallways and easy access rather than calling a home “disability-friendly.”
Revising Your Listing
Once you finish your listing, give yourself some credit. You just did the job of a professional marketer, and fitting everything into a limited word count isn’t easy! When you come back to it, focus on revising and refining so every word works for you.
Start by reviewing the tips we’ve already covered. Avoid abstract words, use area-specific descriptions, appeal to your target demographic(s), and provide a call to action. Once your writing is clear, descriptive, and creative, you can revise the listing by optimizing it for distribution.
Verbs
Nouns and adjectives create visuals, but verbs bring your listing to life. Verbs show action, so they tell the story of how someone can live in the home. If you remember one thing from English class, it’s that verbs drive the sentence — and your listing — forward.
With the right verbs, you can create some interesting and compelling images, while also cutting down on the number of words needed to describe something.
Look at this sentence: “The road is next to the hill.” The only verb is “is,” and it doesn’t paint much of a picture. We simply know a road sits near a hill.
Now try: “The road curves along the hill.” Suddenly, we can see the road winding beside it. It’s clearer, more visual, and more efficient than saying “the curvy road is next to the hill.”
You can use this same trick in your listing. Instead of writing that a home “has both modern and historic design,” try “the home combines historic architecture with modern comforts,” or “old-style charm meets modern convenience.”
Verbs like “is,” “be,” and “are” don’t give readers much beyond existence. When you swap those for more active, descriptive verbs, your listings become more visual, engaging, and compelling.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the practice of using relevant language to rank higher in internet searches. A web page that’s search engine optimized will be listed higher on a Google, Bing, or Yahoo search because the swiss replica watches website uses language that’s constantly being used in search engines. For example, if people in your area are looking for quartz countertops, then you want to include that in your listing, as they may come across it when they search for “homes in Miami with quartz countertops” on Google. This way, your listing will better attract people who are searching for the qualities that your property already has!
Persuasive, SEO-Friendly Words
Some words naturally perform better in listings and search results. Buyers respond to terms like “landscaped,” “updated,” “renovated,” and “remodeled.” They also notice descriptions like “impeccable” or “beautiful,” and features such as “granite countertops” or “pergolas.” Use them sparingly though. Two or three well-chosen words are enough, as long as they truly match the property. Overusing buzzwords can make your listing feel exaggerated and less trustworthy.
Real Estate Abbreviations
Another thing to be cautious about is any type of abbreviation. Again, you want to write in the same way that someone is likely to write a Google search. If you’re abbreviating the phrase “square feet,” someone is far more likely to say “sqft” rather than “SF” in their google search. Besides, “SF” might pull google searches about San Francisco or science fiction. Keep your abbreviations clear and common, or else they might confuse readers and search engines.
Other Tips
Be accurate when describing your property. A new showerhead doesn’t make it a “renovated bathroom,” so don’t stretch the truth. Buyers expecting a modern space will feel misled and may walk away once they see it.
Also keep your tone friendly but professional. Too many capital letters, exclamation points, or overly enthusiastic phrases can feel like shouting or pressure. Buyers want to feel interested on their own, not pushed. If they sense you’re trying too hard, they’re more likely to say no.
Proofread your posting for grammar and spelling. Poor grammar and spelling do two things. One, readers will assume that carelessness and laziness in your listing translate to a poorly maintained property; two, these mistakes distract the reader and pull them out of the description, disrupting the images and narrative you’re trying to build.
Consult other people for help in writing your posting. Ask a friend or an agent to create their own list of things they like about the property and the location. It’s easy to miss the great features of a house when you’ve been living in it for a while, so an extra set of eyes can make a huge difference!
Consider writing multiple versions of the same listing description. If your property might appeal to people from different backgrounds, you might want to have backup listings in case you need to swap them out. You might think that your property has appeal to both Millennials and Baby Boomers, and then find that Millennials just aren’t interested, so you need to shift your strategy towards appealing to older buyers. Having backups makes it easier to swap out descriptions, so you don’t feel rushed when your listing strategy changes.
Finally:
Lastly, we want to emphasize that listing description are a trial-and-error type of writing. Descriptive and well-written listings don’t always persuade readers the way you want them to, and refining your marketing strategy might involve writing and rewriting the same description several times before you start to gain any interest. Property listers and expert marketers alike struggle with the uncertainty of writing effective marketing materials, so don’t fret – going back to rewrite your listing is part of the process.
Discover Useful Tips for Selling Your House Fast