Real estate listing descriptions are one of the most underrated marketing tools available to real estate agents. In the age of online searches, potential buyers rely on listing photos and listing descriptions to decide which properties are worth a closer look. If your home description and accompanying photos aren’t compelling, your listing will sit on the market, your sellers will be disappointed, and your reputation will take a hit.
To make your real estate listings stand out in a sea of competing homes, you need to learn how to make your listings compelling. This means insisting on professional-quality listing photos and listing descriptions. The photo piece of the puzzle is easy: just hire a photographer. Even if you’re in a low-value market where pro photos aren’t standard, hiring a pro is still a good idea. It will instantly differentiate you from your competition. You could also hire a professional real estate writer for your listing description (in fact, many agents in metropolitan markets do)! But this may be cost-prohibitive if you’re in a low-value market, and you’re already budgeting for professional photos. So you need to learn how to write your own compelling real estate listing descriptions.
In this post, we’ll discuss:
- quick tips for writing compelling real estate listing descriptions
- your real estate listing description template
- real estate listing description examples
5 Quick Tips for Writing Compelling Real Estate Listing Descriptions
Before I give you a template for writing your own real estate listing descriptions, let’s cover some quick tips. Here are 5 things to keep in mind as you learn to write listing descriptions:
- Sell the lifestyle. It’s all about helping buyers imagine living their best lives in the home.
- Use colorful adjectives. Descriptive words help paint a picture. Instead of saying “this 3-bedroom home…” try “this charming 3-bedroom home…” or “this contemporary 3-bedroom home”.
- Specify the location. Most agents skip the location because it’s captured in a field of its own. But with social media picking up listing descriptions, having the location specified in the listing description becomes important. Use city and state so the area is instantly evident to social media scrollers outside of your area. This is especially important if you have lots of people moving to your market from out-of-area.
- Avoid fair-housing no-nos. Terms that reference ideal buyers by protected class (like family-oriented or bachelor pad) could raise some red flags in terms of fair housing.
- Leave them wanting more. The goal of your listing description is to garner interest so buyers will make an appointment to view the home. Give them enough detail to entice, but leave them with questions to give them a reason to contact you or schedule a showing with their agent.
Your Listing Description Template
How many times have you stared at a blank computer screen, struggling to write the perfect property description for your new listing? Never again! Here’s a fool-proof template for writing compelling listing descriptions.
Headline
Your headline needs to summarize the highlights of your listing in around 5-10 words. Don’t waste time with the number of beds and baths; get right to the good stuff. Focus on the things that are most likely to attract buyers in your market. Views, a pool, a below-value asking price, a desirable neighborhood, a large lot…what makes your listing most appealing? Start with that. Need an example? We’ll provide a couple complete real estate listing description examples later in this post.
Opener
Just like your headline, you want the opener for your real estate listing descriptions to feature the best of features of your properties. But you can go into more detail here since you have a full sentence to work with instead of just 5-10 words. So add some adjectives to the basic features here.
Story
This is the meat of your listing description where you get to describe your buyer’s future lives to them. Imagine all the activities people could enjoy in the home and describe them. And again, you want to describe activities your buyers aspire to do, whether or not they actually do them. Examples include cooking healthy meals in the gourmet kitchen, staying in shape by jogging down the treelined path at the nearby park, hosting events on the covered terrace, or relaxing with a glass of wine in the spa tub.
This section could be just a few sentences for a low-to-mid-range home or a few paragraphs (MLS allowing) for a luxury listing. By the way, if you’re looking to make the leap to the luxury market, check out our post on How to Become a Luxury Real Estate Agent.
Call to Action Closing
Close your real estate listing description by inviting your prospective buyers to take action. Generally, the most effective call to action in a listing description is to invite prospective buyers to schedule an appointment to view the home. No need to list your contact information since it will be elsewhere in the listing (or if your listing description is syndicated to social media, buyers can easily contact you via that platform).
Real Estate Listing Description Examples
With the quick tips and basic template covered, let’s look at a couple of real estate listing description examples.
Classic Bungalow in the Up-and-Coming Los Feliz Neighborhood
Here is your chance to own a classic old-Hollywood-style bungalow in the up-and-coming Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Located on a quiet side street, this recently-renovated bungalow is just a five-minute walk from the hottest restaurants, clubs, and shopping LA has to offer. But you might not want to leave the house with all the amenities this home offers. Start the day with a cup of coffee on the sun-soaked terrace before enjoying a short commute to downtown or working from home in the designated office with the original french doors. Whip up healthy meals in your surprisingly spacious kitchen, and enjoy a long soak in your spa tub before bed. Live the Hollywood lifestyle without the excessive Hollywood price tag.
This home won’t last long at this price; schedule your personal tour today.
Rustic Cabin with Mountain Views on a Full 5 Acres
This rustic cabin in rural Gilpin County, Colorado provides the perfect mountain escape for anyone looking for breathtaking views and ample land.
The unassuming structure is move-in ready, but it also offers opportunities for enhancements for the homeowner who enjoys home projects. You’ll enjoy the slower pace of life in the mountains where you can spend hours hiking, fishing, or simply sitting on the front porch with an iced tea. The cabin boasts brand new energy-efficient appliances you can be proud of, and with the large windows, you can soak in the views from every room in the home. Just a one-hour drive from Denver, this property is an ideal weekend retreat for those who may not have the luxury of living outside the city full-time. Slow down a bit and focus on the present with this mountain gem.
This home must be viewed in-person to be fully appreciated; schedule your tour today.
Need More Help with Your Listing Descriptions?
As a professional real estate content writer, I’m happy to personally craft your real estate listing descriptions. You can order your custom listing description today directly from my Etsy shop!
