Did you know that language, spelling, and grammar matter just as much as the high-quality images you post of your home online? In fact, it matters so much that up to 44 percent of buyers are put off touring your home if they spot a spelling or grammatical error in your listing description.
That's a whole lot of missed potential -- almost half of the legitimate buyers in your area could skip past your house listing if you don't take the time to put real effort into how your description is written. So, what does it take? This blog offers important tips on how to do your home justice with the written word.
1. Your Home Listing Should Include Highlights and Specifics
Believe it or not, statistical data in a listing description is not the only thing your average home buyer wants to read about. After all, they can learn about your home's square footage and the number of bedrooms in your listing's data fields.
What a potential home buyer really wants to read about is specifics about your home and its best features. It's wise to point out the desirable points of your home that a picture might not be able to offer. It's all about creating a mental image and sparking the imagination of a home buyer.
You'll need to carefully consider which items to highlight though. You want to mention any recent upgrades you've made to your home, such as new hardwood flooring or a remodeled kitchen. Add in specifics about the upgrades you've made i.e. the exact type of flooring you've installed or any brand-name appliances added to your kitchen.
You want to highlight your neighborhood's best features, too. This could include nearby family-friendly parks, hiking trails, access to transport routes, etc.
2. Be Selective With Adjectives and Buzzwords
Don't write your listing with the fear of being overly descriptive, even if your home is pretty standard. You aren't misleading your average home buyer, but creating a descriptive portrayal of what your home means to you, and can mean to them.
Despite how modest your home may be, there is a myriad of ways to describe it without sounding bland -- that is the beauty of language. The best way to do this is with the right adjectives and buzzwords to capture their attention.
Speak with your agent about the vibe and personality of your home, then select your adjectives to match. You can also hop online and do some research on the MLS for other well-written home descriptions for inspiration and reference.
Take special note of the buzzwords used in similar descriptions in your area and don't hesitate to apply them to your description where you can.
3. Ensure Your Description Aligns With Your Images
There's no use in painting a picture of your home in your description that doesn't match up with the images you've posted. Sure, you can and should use words to embellish certain features, but if your listing is just a jumble of over-the-top adjectives, it will look like you're trying too hard. And it will seem completely inauthentic.
Essentially, you want your listing to be descriptive, but it must also be grounded in reality. In order to achieve this, you want to arrange your descriptions so that they echo the order of the photos you've included of your home.
By matching your wording according to the flow of your home, your listing will sound realistic, without losing the personality of your home.
In Need of Real Estate Expertise For Your Home Listing?
Writing the perfect house listing depends on a few key factors, so keep these in mind: you want to be descriptive, but not obnoxious. Ground your description in reality, but don't be afraid to highlight your home's best features. And always do research on industry terms, buzzwords, and adjectives that offer a good click-through rate.
If you're in need of expert help on selling or listing a home, be sure to check out this blog for more.