As you scour through the internet for tips on writing a real estate listing, the multitude of advice out there can be a bit overwhelming.
To make things a little easier for first-time sellers, we’ve compiled some of the best real estate listing tips. Keep this article handy and follow these tips to get more inquiries from prospective buyers.
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It’s important to ask yourself what you would want to see in a real estate listing. If you’ve purchased a house before, what pulled you in and made you start reading the ad? What are some important pieces of information that convinced you to call the seller? You can also look over other real estate listings to see what kind of language and information piques your interest.
Put the asking price in the title
Imagine scrolling through listing after listing, clicking on beautiful houses that seem perfect for your family, only to find out they’re out of your price range. Going through that process can be disappointing and frustrating.
Save your buyer time and energy and put your price right in the title. It’s only fair to the buyer. After all, unlike ads for shoes or books, an ad for a home is asking a buyer for a major financial commitment.
More tips for your real estate listing title
Though you should put yourself in the shoes of the buyer, it’s also important to note that each buyer is unique – and so is your house. Though you may not have a green thumb, would a fan of gardening love your spacious yard? Would a foodie enjoy the trendy restaurants nearby? Would car collector be thrilled at the size of the garage?
Take one or two things that stand out about your house and use them as your first eye-catching selling point. For example: “Home with picturesque garden just off Park Drive East. Asking price $200,000.”
Location, location, location
You’re not just selling a house, you’re also selling the neighborhood. Is there a scenic hiking trail nearby? A good school? How about access to public transportation? Highlighting some of the best traits about your neighborhood in your real estate listing can help sway the buyer toward a decision in your favor.
Alternatively, what if your neighborhood isn’t so appealing? For example, what if you live in the middle of a noisy city? Fear not – you can use that to your advantage. Take your neighborhood’s negative trait and portray your home as the exact opposite. A buyer looking to live in the middle of the city will crave the “peaceful haven” that is your home!
Use imagery when writing a real estate listing
While you’re not looking to write a book, you do want to be as descriptive as possible in your real estate listing. For example, don’t just tell your buyer that you’ve got hardwood floors. Find out what kind of wood it is and put that in the description. They may have no idea what the difference is between Brazilian cherry and spalted maple, but the names have an elegant ring to them, and so will your house.
How to take pictures for a real estate listing
As much as you might want to, you can’t fit a thousand words into your real estate listing. But the old cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words is true. Taking good photos is key. Here are a few simple things you can do to make your pictures enticing to your buyers.
1) Hold your phone/camera sideways. Taking landscape-style shots instead of a portrait orientation allows the viewer to get a better grasp of the breadth of the room.
2) Consider getting a tripod, especially for taking pictures of the outside. If your hands are even slightly shaky, you risk your photos coming out blurry. Balancing your camera on a tripod will help to stabilize it, especially when you turn, zoom in or angle your camera as you experiment to find the best view.
3) Taking a photo of the outside of your property at dawn or dusk can enhance the image’s beauty. Our eyes tend to go to the brightest object in a picture, so a faintly glowing and dramatic sky will contrast nicely against the exterior of the house. Just make sure your house is well-lit for the photo.
These tips will help almost any real estate listing read better and get more inquiries. If you have a good tip we didn’t mention, be sure to share it in the comments!
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As a realtor, there is a reason we exist. a) I know how to write a listing and take gorgeous photos. b) I field the calls, make sure the buyers are qualified, review the offers before you see them. c) I price your property perfectly. As an FSBO, you will have many low ballers. They know you are not payig commission. Case in point: I took on a co-op listing that was FSBO. The seller was offered 110k. My deal came to 175k, after listing it for 169k. Doing it yourself you are leaving money on the table.