How to Write Creative Real Estate Listing Descriptions

It’s always worth learning new tips for writing eye-catching and creative listing descriptions. Here’s a few considerations.

1. ‘Brand’ Your Listing With a One-sentence Title

Length: One sentence

Writing a great listing description starts with a one-sentence title. Make your listing stand out by coming up with a one-sentence brand. This will make it more attractive to potential buyers and help them see it as a home, not just pictures on the internet. Here are some examples of great branding one-liners:

• Millionaire details. Miser maintenance.
• Artsy, techie, picky? Welcome home.
• Prewar. Shaken and stirred.

2. Pitch Your Audience on the Home’s Best Features

Length: Two to three sentences

Your next section after your title should be a two to three-sentence description of the best features of your home. Here’s an example that highlights the apartment’s best features in a narrative format:

3. Pitch the Benefits of the Location & Neighborhood

Length: One or two sentences

One way to make your home stand out when selling it is to focus on its best features. Another way to make it more appealing to potential buyers is to highlight the benefits of its location and neighborhood. Even if the location and neighborhood aren’t ideal, try to find a positive aspect. For example, if the home is located on a noisy street but is in a great school district, emphasize the positive aspects of the school district. If the house is located in a less than ideal neighborhood, but is situated on a nice block, be sure to mention how appealing the block is. Here’s an example:

4. Finish With Caveats That Are Important for the Buyer

While we never suggest that agents should write a listing description that includes all of the negative aspects, it is still important to mention any caveats that are important for the buyer to know. If you don’t mention that a property is in a senior’s-only development, a buyer might not forgive you. For instance:

7 Real Estate Listing Description Writing Tips From a Professional Writer

1. Sell Benefits, Not Features

This means that when you’re writing copy, you should focus on how your product or service will benefit the reader, not on the features of the product or service itself.

What does this mean for your listing description? Simple. Instead of just saying that the house has a big backyard, try to suggest what sorts of activities could be done back there, like touch football with the family. You could also mention how much privacy the backyard offers. Or for example, if there is a balcony or terrace, the description should mention enjoying coffee or Prosecco in the evening air.

2. Research the Proper Architectural & Design Terms Before You Write

You should take the time to learn the proper architectural and design terms to describe it. If you want to come across as sophisticated and knowledgeable about herringbone floors, avoid describing them simply as “beautiful zig-zag wood floors.” Instead, take the time to research the features that make herringbone floors unique and use that information to sell them to potential buyers.

3. Make Your Real Estate Listing Description Concise, but Precise

If you are familiar with Google Analytics, you are aware that most people only read the headlines of online content. Few people will read every word you write, even on Zillow.

It is important to highlight the key selling points of your listing at the beginning, rather than including long, detailed descriptions.

4. Avoid Just Listing Features or Details

While lengthy real estate listing descriptions are an issue, you can’t just get away with a bullet-point list of features either. The UX of portals like Zillow are already designed to present data that is relevant to the buyer. In other words, the portals have already done the work of presenting the number of bedrooms, square footage, and so forth in a neater, more digestible format to your buyer. If a product has the same features as another product, listing those features in a bullet point list is redundant and a wasted marketing opportunity.

5. Always Get Another Set of Eyes on Your Copy, Ideally a Professional

It can be difficult to get out of your own head and perspective when writing. It is easy to fall in love with your writing. You need to be away from your work in order to see it objectively.

We recommend working with a professional whenever possible. If you have a marketing team, get their opinion on your copy. If you don’t have a marketing team, you can send your listing description to a few members of your team or brokerage to get their first impressions.

It’s handy to use Google Docs to collaborate with other members for their input and edits on your document.

6. Write Without Fear, Edit Without Mercy

New writers often make the mistake of spending too much time on every sentence, word, and punctuation mark in their writing. This is not only exhausting, but it also gets in the way of being productive with writing.

The first step to any writing project should be to sit down and write. Don’t sweat grammar, punctuation, or spelling—just write.

Once you have a draft done, the next step is to read it out loud to yourself. This will help you to see where you need to make changes. If you are having trouble finding the right words, it is likely that your copy needs to be improved.

The key to editing well is to be merciless. If it doesn’t work, delete it. Period. Yes, you worked hard on your copy. Do not hold onto a mistake simply because it took a long time to create!

More Tips for How to Write a Real Estate Listing Description

Persuade Readers in Your Opening Statement

Your opening statement in your real estate ad is very important. Readers have the option to continue reading or quickly move on. You should use language that will make people want to continue reading.

Choose descriptive words carefully to engage readers in your opening statement. The art of good writing is to make complex ideas understandable to the lay reader without making them too simple. The goal of good writing is to make complex ideas understandable to the average reader without oversimplifying them.

Here are a few property description examples that are boring and need work:

The statements above mention basic features of a home, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. The phrases in this text are not emotionally charged, so they are not likely to attract buyers. Your target audience is home shoppers. It is beneficial to write property descriptions with emotional language to capture the attention of potential buyers.

While looking for a new home, people often skim through real estate listings. To make your listing stand out, try using some of the following language:

This home is unique and different from all the others. Readers looking for a private piece of land would prefer the ranch. The ultimate goal for buyers is to know what makes a property unique. This should be communicated to them through your opening comments. If the reader is bored right away, they will not continue reading and may move on to another listing.

Hook Your Readers with a Headline

Your readers’ first impression of a real estate ad will come from the headline. The headline is important because it is the first thing that readers will see. It should be interesting and make them want to continue reading to learn more about the property. In order to make your headline more attention-grabbing, you will need to choose words that are more powerful and appealing.

If you are listing your property on your local MLS, you likely will not have an opportunity to create a headline. Some agents will generate a mini-headline within the property description by wrapping their first text in asterisks. This is a great way to draw attention to important information about the listing. Here’s an example:

Would you like to own 40 acres of beautiful Colorado mountain land with a home that is over 5,000 square feet?

The headline is important when you’re trying to sell properties faster than your competitor. It’s a good idea to use language that describes the home’s location and highlights its best features. Consider these real estate description examples.

You can use a few positive words to describe the architectural style, character, and location of a home. You will invite your prospective buyer to keep reading the body of the text to learn more.

What should you avoid doing with headlines? Don’t exaggerate your text. If you are not careful, you may end up seeming like a slimy salesperson or insincere.

Additionally, it is best to steer clear of using all capital letters in your headlines, or even using them too often in the body of your text. When words are written in all-caps, it can feel like the writer is shouting at the reader. Keep your headlines brief, clear, and confident.

Choose Your Words Wisely in Property Descriptions

The best way to approach creating an ad for your property is to make a list of its best features first. This will help you focus on highlighting the most appealing aspects of the property in the ad. Using vague terms like “amazing” or “fantastic” is not ideal. You should choose words that will help the reader imagine the house in their head.

Use adjectives that will generate interest, such as luxurious, updated, original, and well-maintained properties with features like granite countertops and hardwood floors. If you want people to notice your listing, use words that will stand out beyond just the sales price.

Use verbs that express emotion and action to connect with the reader on an emotional level. Words like “love,”  “feel,” and “touch” create an immediate connection with the reader’s emotions and help to draw them into the story. You will have to write a lot of short sentences to make the most of the limited space.

Strategically Highlight the Most Unique Features First

When you are writing about your home, it is a good idea to start with the feature that makes it the best. If the bedroom is a good size, you can describe it as spacious or grand. Additionally, focus on crucial details like sizable bay windows that let in natural light, original Victorian crown molding, or new carpeting upstairs.

Do you have a big covered patio at your house that looks out over a big backyard? Highlight this feature first. Although the property may be modest, there must be at least one feature that sets it apart from other listings in its price range.

Home buyers who are really looking to purchase a property will know that HVAC systems and roofs can be large expenses. Make sure to mention any recent updates to your property, like a new air conditioner or roof, later on in your description.

Be Detailed But Brief in Real Estate Ads

When creating real estate ads, it is important to be specific in order to be brief. People who read don’t want to be stuck in a lot of text. There is a high chance that the listing service you use will have word-count restrictions. If you want your listings to be effective, try to keep them under 200 words.

What should you pack into those words? When you are advertising a property, it is important to include key details like the address, square footage, and price. The home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is also a two-car garage. Some primary points that buyers will want to know about when they see a real estate ad are: how much the property costs, how large the property is, what amenities are included, and what the surrounding area is like.

When marketing your home, be sure to include any unique selling points that may make it more appealing to buyers. These could include features such as updated kitchens and bathrooms, scenic views, mother-in-law suites, new windows, and proximity to major highways.

Mention the neighborhood, too. Location is a very important factor for parents who are looking for the best school district. If you’re a young couple that likes to go out at night, you’ll want to live in a neighborhood with lots of nightlife options, rather than a location that’s more low-key. Situated in the heart of downtown, this hotel is close to popular attractions like the Museum of Art and the Symphony Hall. Situated in the heart of vibrant downtown, this hotel is close to popular attractions like the world-renowned Museum of Art and the historic Symphony Hall.