Creative Real Estate Listing Descriptions Examples: Words That Sell

Unless you're a natural wordsmith, you might not understand precisely how vital creative real estate listing descriptions examples are when learning how to create your own. Just think about it - 90% of homebuyers start their search online. They're zipping through listings, barely glancing at the descriptions, especially if they're dull and only list basic features. What they really care about are the photographs. But your real estate listings should tell a story. A story that grabs the buyer's attention and keeps it. You're not crafting a novella; you're writing with one purpose - to sell real estate.

Why Care About Creative Real Estate Listing Description Examples?

We all know the saying, "A photo is worth a thousand words." Well, a real estate listing description is your chance to give life to those photographs. It's an opportunity to put the property's best aspects into words and highlight other features that buyers may appreciate. In short, think of it as another tool in your marketing arsenal.

The Essentials of Creative Real Estate Listing Description Examples

If you've ever tried to write a compelling description of one of your listings, you've probably experienced a bad case of writer's block. Don't be hard on yourself; it happens to everyone. The key to writing a good description is knowing what works and what doesn't. To create a listing description that sells, it must follow these five rules:

1. Format the description appropriately.
2. Stay away from words that issue red flags to buyers.
3. Mention unique features, brands, and latest upgrades.
4. Avoid certain words and phrases.
5. Be mindful of length, grammar, and the description's honesty.

Proper Format for a Listing Description

Formatting is necessary because buyers should be able to read the listing description easily and digest the information without feeling overwhelmed. You must also consider word limits on some listing sites. While highlighting the home's features, you need to put the selling points in order, not just in terms of what's important to buyers in your area, but also to coincide with the photographs on the listing. You don't want to go on and on about the backyard, the new deck, and upscale landscaping when the first few photographs are of the updated kitchen and family room.

Include an Attention-Grabbing Headline

Craft a short, to-the-point description of the house while mentioning a benefit of the city or neighborhood. Here are a few examples:

• "Craftsman home in Atlanta, Georgia: Come and enjoy this stunning and completely renovated Craftsman style home located in the heart of the Historic Oakland City."
• "Townhome in Austin, Texas: Welcome home to this beautifully maintained, three-bedroom 2 bath corner unit in the heart of booming South Austin."
• "New construction in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Grove Pointe offers brand new townhomes in Whitehall in the South Hills of Pittsburgh- This is a rare opportunity to build a new home in the Baldwin-Whitehall area."
• "Condo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Introducing residence 1202, an extraordinary two-bedroom + den, two-bath condominium with dedicated garage parking located in the sought-after south tower of City View."

Drawing In Buyers with a Compelling Opening Statement

If the headline highlights the house and the property's location, the opening statement should highlight one of the wow factors of the property. Ideally, this statement should be the catalyst that makes the buyer want to learn more about the property. Here are a few examples:

• "This truly move-in ready home offers 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms plus air-conditioned 2-car garage perfect for fitness, hobbies, games, or a workshop."
• "Built in 1981 and taken to the studs in 2020, this dreamy family home welcomes you with its white oak floors, stunning kitchen, and amazing entertaining spaces immersed with natural light."
• "We start our building tour with the garden-level apartment 1 by entering the front door and into the first-floor living room space with high 9' ceilings and huge windows to allow a flood of natural light into the space."
• "Conveniently located close to major roads, public transportation, Utah park, and shopping, this 2546-square foot townhome is perfect for a professional who works from home or a growing family."

Other features that can appear in an opening statement include city parking, large outdoor space, views (mountain, lake, river, etc.), waterfront property, proximity to public transit, updated kitchens and bathrooms, and accessory dwelling units.

Use Real Estate Buzz Words That Sell

You might be wondering, what can your listing descriptions say if you should avoid common phrases and be mindful of using inclusive language? Well, you can say a lot! The NY Times compiled a list of the 10 most popular words and phrases used in real estate listings at different price points. These words give you an idea of what features are popular among buyers at these price points.

You can take the features from the NY Times list and use adjectives to jazz up the listing. For example, if the property has new granite countertops or new appliances, you can use adjectives that denote "new" without explicitly saying it. Some examples include upgraded, remodeled, updated, renovated, latest, recent, and just completed.

Those upgraded granite countertops cost the homeowner a pretty penny, and buyers are drawn to value. You can tell buyers that the granite was expensive without using the word "expensive" explicitly. Use words like upscale, luxury, custom, imported, elegant, deluxe, chic, one-of-a-kind, and stunning.

Let's look at the impact of carefully chosen words that can change how appealing granite countertops are:

• Dull: "New granite countertops."
• Okay: "Recently upgraded granite countertops."
• Excellent: "Recently upgraded custom countertops made from a slab of black pearl imported granite."

Are you interested in seeing a kitchen with new granite countertops, or are you curious to see what black pearl custom countertops look like?

Highlight Unique Features, Brands, or Materials

Your listing will gain much more traction if you use real estate buzzwords, brands, or specific materials. Here are a few examples where agents took unique features and used the right words to draw buyers in:

• "The timeless, updated kitchen showcases white shaker cabinets with contrasting black counters, white subway tile backsplash, stainless appliances including a gas range, and decorative blown glass pendants. A steel and glass light fixture illuminates the dining room that is perfectly situated by the kitchen."
• "Designer condos with fully upgraded fixtures/finishes & various design package choices between units. 10-foot ceilings on top floor units with impressive floor-to-ceiling windows. Urban-style corridors with metal doors entering each unit - new technology, video security callbox on both building front entrances."
• "Don't miss out on the private outdoor backyard for entertaining or relaxing on the patio or in the 8-month-old hot tub! The yard also has front and back sprinklers, with the front being xeriscape for water efficiency! Lastly, enjoy your energy savings with paid-off solar panels and a 4-year-old furnace!"
• "Entering your new home, you'll step onto your very private porch surrounded by redwoods for some relaxation when you arrive home from work or play. You'll then open your door to the first floor, where you will enjoy a spacious living room with high ceilings, a fireplace for cold winter nights, dual-pane windows & nice roll-up window shutters, a cozy dining room with a pass-thru to a perfect-sized kitchen with lots of cabinets."

Descriptive Words to Avoid Using

As buyers read listings, some phrases and words will leave a foul taste in their mouths. Avoiding the overused rhetoric in many other real estate listings can be tricky. Adjectives and phrases that are used way too often include "great potential," "high-end," "newly renovated," "open floor plan," "quaint and cozy," "needs some TLC," "fixer-upper," "great starter home," "handyman special," "investment property," "this will not last," "priced to sell," "don't let this pass by," and "luxurious."

When writing your descriptions, you must also adhere to the rules of the Fair Housing Act. Some seemingly innocent phrases can be discriminatory. For example, "safe/quiet neighborhood" is often coded for "predominately upper-class white people without children." "Walking distance" can be seen as a misleading or presumptive assertion for seniors or those with mobility issues.

What to Do If There Are More Negatives Than Positives?

No home is perfect for everyone. Even new construction homes will have something that could be a red flag. So how do you spin a negative into a positive? When faced with a challenging listing, try adding humor or using creativity to highlight a positive that buyers may not see otherwise. For example:

• Small bedrooms could be turned into a home office or home gym.
• A close floor plan could be seen as a desirable feature for people who enjoy entertaining but don't want their guests to see the mess in the kitchen.
• A small yard can be spun as low maintenance, appealing to those who don't have much time for yard care.
• Properties with little natural light can be spun as energy-efficient, appealing to those who want to cut energy costs during the summer.

Proofread and Edit for Grammar and Accuracy

After spending hours crafting the perfect listing descriptions, don't forget to proofread and edit. Double-check your work, ask a friend for their input, and ensure that your descriptions are free of grammar mistakes and exaggerations. Avoid real estate jargon or abbreviations that the average buyer may not understand. Don't use excessive exclamation points or words in all caps. You can also have two or three versions of the description, focusing on different features that may appeal to buyers.

Try Learning from Creative Real Estate Listing Description Examples

Since almost all homebuyers begin their house hunt online, the property description is something you don't want to drop the ball on. In a world of generic descriptions, do something that stands out. Create a listing description that helps people see the home's value and picture themselves living there. It might take a while to craft the perfect description, but with enough practice, it'll come naturally.

Becoming a successful real estate agent takes time, but it's always helpful to continue learning and honing your craft. You can find plenty of creative real estate listing description examples on real estate listing sites and read blogs to learn more about real estate, investing, and more.