If you’re already listing your “for sale by owner” home, or have listed one before, you know there are thousands of different ways you can do it. There are endless options for writing a listing description, as well as including pictures. Today, we’re going to discuss the most catchy real estate phrases to include in your listing. Let’s get started!
CATCHY REAL ESTATE PHRASES
Many different studies have been done on the use of different words and phrases used in listings. And many explore and target different aspects and uses, so there is plenty of information to be explored.
PHRASES TO USE
For instance, Realtor.com reviewed a study done by CoreLogic on which catchy real estate phrases help your home sell faster. Let’s take a look at what they found out.
Realtor.com said that “The listing phrases that boosted home sales the most were ‘fenced backyard,’ ‘open concept,’ ‘natural light,’ and ‘updated kitchen’—so if your home has these features but your listing doesn’t reflect it, add them in!” Houses with open concepts and natural light have a more modern feel. And generally, young folks buying their first house will tend to buy something that seems more new and modern.
However, only homes that actually have these features can be advertised as such. If you don’t have these amenities, keep reading to discover what words to use that will be more applicable to your home.
PHRASES NOT TO USE
Realtor.com went on to say that “On the flip side, phrases such as ‘gourmet kitchen,’ ‘ceramic tile,’ ‘golf course,’ and even ‘custom-built’ led to more time on the market. This sounds counter intuitive at first, right? But researchers say these words can indicate expensive homes, which may have less demand than lower-priced, more affordable homes.”
WORDS TO USE
Another interesting study explored the different use of specific words. “Real estate economist Paul Anglin found that homes described as “beautiful” sell for 5 percent more than the average home. But listing a home as a “good value” may result in a 5 percent discount.” And interestingly, not only does the word “beautiful” make your home sell for more, but it reduces its time on the market by 15%.
Using the word “landscaping” has been shown to sell your house 20% faster than others. In an article from Veterans United, we read “Words like ‘beautiful’ and ‘landscaping’ can evoke an emotional response from buyers, which may explain their affect on listing times.”
Also, another phrase that will speed your sale time up is, “starter home.” Listings with the phrase “starter home” sold 9% faster than the average home.
WORDS NOT TO USE
Paul Anglin also found which words not to include in catchy real estate phrases. “Motivated” and “must sell” both had negative impacts on the listing. Veterans United says that “Terms of desperation seem to send buyers away in droves. “Motivated” and “must sell” both increase market time by 30 percent. “Motivated” sellers also lose out on the profit end, as their listings sell at 8 percent less than the average home.”
We think it’s safe to say, that when folks are looking to buy a home, they don’t want to feel pressured. For instance, if the phrase “highly motivated seller” is part of the listing, this may make the buyer feel like they’re going to be pushed. Buying a house is a big decision, and needs time. If you can, we suggest avoiding these words in your listing.
A QUICK RECAP
So we’re not confused, we’re going to quickly summarize what we’ve learned. We’ll start with words and phrases to use and then continue onto words and phrases that have negative effects.
WORDS AND PHRASES TO USE:
So long as your home actually has these qualities, some of the best words and phrases to use in your listing are as follows:
fenced backyard
open concept
natural light
updated kitchen
beautiful
landscaping
starter home
WORDS AND PHRASES NOT TO USE:
Many of the words you want to avoid in your listings include: “gourmet kitchen,” “ceramic tile,” “golf course,” “custom-built,” “motivated,” and “must sell.” For more ideas on words to use and not to use, read the entire article by Veterans United Home Loans.
SHORT, SIMPLE, AND DESCRIPTIVE
Now that you’ve learned the best catchy real estate phrases and words to use in your listings, you’re ready to write the best listing description ever! Keep in mind, no one wants to read a book when they read a listing. Keep it short, simple, and sweet. We wish you all the best in your house selling endeavor.
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