5 tips for writing an awesome home description that will attract buyers & standout amongst the others
We all know a great first impression is crucial when it comes to listing your home. Your description is the buyers first chance to read about the property and discover all that it has to offer. The buyer will be looking at how closely the home matches the criteria they are searching for. This could be a huge factor in securing a showing from a buyer.
Now that over 90% of home buyers start their search online, an enticing home description is more important than ever.
Start with a compelling opening statement that answers the buyer’s “what am I looking at?” question. Be direct and to the point. Get creative! Focus on the buyer – make them want to know more about the home.
- Provide clear and specific information about the property (how many beds/baths) and its standout features.
- Describe the property accurately. Setting unrealistic or hyperbolic expectations doesn’t help in the long run.
- Format matters. Use complete sentences, proper grammar and punctuation without over using an exclamation! Arrange the items featured in the description to match the order of your photos.
- Be descriptive without over using adjectives. Include words that add value, such as “updated”, “upgraded”, “captivating”, or “impeccable”.
- Highlight unique features and use creative words to describe them. Describing desirable elements of the home that might not be obvious or captured in the photos is an important element to capture. Mention finishes and upgrades such as hardwood flooring, new countertops, and use brand names when describing appliances.
- Include desirable neighbourhood features such as parks, walking trails, nearby shopping, restaurants, attractions.
- Avoid red flag words, such as “needs TLC”, “fixer”, “potential”, “bargain”, that could deter potential buyers, imply that the home needs a lot of work and give the impression there is a lot of room for negotiating.
- However, if you have priced the property accordingly based on the work required and you’re aiming to attract a flipper or someone looking to invest in a project and renovation, then this type of wording would be acceptable.
- Real Estate Boards have rules regarding what can and can’t be included in a public facing description. We will always review your listing to ensure that what you have written will comply with the rules and will let you know if we need to make any changes.
- Some examples of words or phrases that cannot be used:
- You are unable to put your phone number in the public facing description
- URLS’s are not allowed in the description
- The word “suite” must have either “legal” or “illegal” in front of it when describing a secondary suite. Reach out to our team at [email protected] for any help in determining if your suite if legal or not.
- No calls to action that are not about the property. For example: “Call Today” or “Book a viewing” are not allowed
Again, we will check over your description and make sure it is in compliance with the rules! So there is no need to worry if you aren’t sure what you can include.
Need some inspiration?
Here are some home description examples from Bōde sellers that might help you get started!
We are happy to help you write your description or answer any other questions you have. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the Bōde Team at [email protected]
Examples:
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