Copywriter Workshop:

Your listing description is your first chance to attract and engage with potential clients. Typically, it includes the address of the property, the list price, and a short summary of features. This is pretty standard stuff but sticking to the basics is nowhere near enough to stand out from a crowded marketplace full of other listings.

The good news is; you don’t have to be a copywriter to come up with descriptions that get noticed. By adding a few simple features, you can improve the effectiveness of your listings — more people view them, which increases your chances of gaining new clients.

Depending on the audience that you as agents are targeting, I am going to show you five real estate listing description examples that will help you get more people to pay attention to your listings and maximize your sales.

1. The Problem Solver:

If your potential clients are on the market for a new home, chances are, they’re reading multiple listings a day. To save time, they probably read the first few lines and skim through the rest of the content. They want to get the facts quickly so that they can move on if the listing doesn’t have what they’re looking for.

That’s why you expect clients to read your listing from top to bottom. Instead, tell them what they want to know from the beginning.

This listing leads with a statement outlining a solution to the problem the homebuyer faces — for example, a specific design sense. So instead of scanning the listing for relevant information, the buyer sees what they need to know at the top of the listing.

When to use this: This approach works well for niche buyers looking for specific features. Even if you target a wide range of clients with your services, it’s a good idea to also cater to specific niches that stand out in the areas you service. By understanding their needs, you stand a better chance of winning them over as clients by speaking to their unique needs.

2. The Inquiry:

It’s tempting to want to start your real estate listing description by saying you are the best agent with the best properties. While this may be true, this approach doesn’t resonate with all clients. They want to know why you’re the best, and your description is where you can back this up.

One way is to lead with a question and use your copy to guide clients to the conclusion that your property is the best.

This is an example of an Airbnb listing but it’s a great example of how to draw clients in with a question. It’s targeted and speaks to people who are looking for properties in a specific location.

Based on what your client is looking for, get their attention with a question that gets to the heart of their needs. It shows you understand them and piques their interest. Your audience wants to know the answer. Examples of questions to ask that get noticed include:

Geared towards cost savings: Want to learn how to buy your dream home for less?

Geared towards a quick sale: Do you want to close in 60 days or less?

Geared towards specific neighborhoods: Have you heard? This neighborhood has exclusive new listings.

The rest of the description should answer the question. For example, if you ask the location question, the rest of the listing can talk about your experience in the area, applicable details about the property and your success rate getting buyers the homes they want.

When to use this: This approach works when you understand your client and what their biggest home search struggle is. Poll your current clients to get an idea of what they’re looking for and their expectations. You can group the responses into categories and then use the findings to design different listings. You can even use social media to track the kinds of comments your clients make or the questions they ask.

3. The Market Analyst:

This approach requires that you lead with an important market statistic or fact. Some homebuyers, especially first-time buyers, are interested in information like interest rates and down payment requirements. If you’re targeting this group, start your description off with some insight into what matters to your client.

Part of the description in this listing includes the estimated mortgage of the property and a link to current lending rates. This offers value to clients and helps them during their decision-making process.

This approach also positions you as knowledgeable of the industry and trends. Chances are prospective buyers will want to know more. Use the rest of your description for the details behind the statistic or fact and tie it back to the house you’re listing.

When to use this: Use statistics and facts to support your message and show clients how you can help them achieve their goals.

4. The Standout Text:

One way to get people to stop and read your listings is to choose words to show in bold type throughout your copy. Bold fonts convey power and offer a contrast to the rest of the text.

Do some research to figure out what phrases or words customers search for the most. When they see these words stand out against the rest of the text, they’ll want to keep reading to learn more.

ADDRESS

28 Kaapuni Dr, Kailua

PRICE

$15,888,000

ABOUT

Bedrooms – 5

Bathrooms – 6

Living sqft: – 6,828

Covered Lanai sqft: – 1,359

Land sqft: – 29,507

Year Built – 2011

Taxes – $4085/mo

Description:

Kaapuni Villa…The ultimate luxury retreat on Hawaii’s best beach. Designed by award-winning architect, Peter Vincent, this timeless treasure captures the essence of tropical living – open spaces, cooling breezes, lush landscapes and breathtaking views ideally situated on 2.5 miles of pristine white sandy beach. The 5 bedroom 6 bath estate and grounds seem to have been sculpted from the land to echo the idyllic beachfront setting with home and grounds embracing a crescent infinity pool and lush tropical landscapes. Superbly crafted with exquisite imported materials, every design element enhances the expansive yet intimate nature of this priceless gem where the walls of glass disappear to create seamless blending of nature and modern life and where ocean and mountain views at every turn ensure an inimitable sense of place. Complete with every world class amenity and located on 2/3 acre of land, this hidden treasure is a world apart but just minutes away from the charming town of Kailua with fabulous dining and shopping and just 20 minutes from downtown Honolulu, Waikiki and Honolulu international airport.

When to use this: Use this approach to emphasize information that you don’t want your audience to miss while skimming your listing. Bold things like the price if it’s competitive, the location, or some of the neighborhood amenities.

5. The Charismatic Companion:

A better approach is to adopt a more conversational tone that makes you sound relatable. Remember, you’re not only trying to sell houses, you’re also trying to sell yourself. Your listing is an opportunity to show the person behind it and sell people on your personality and how easy it is to work with you.

This listing is written from the house’s perspective. It’s a fun approach to standard listings and keeps readers engaged to find out more about the listing.

Proof and finalize your grammar/spelling of your listing descriptions with Grammarly!

Grammarly automatically detects grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in your writing. It’s easy to use offline and online. Download Grammarly for Microsoft® Office on Windows.