How to Write an Effective Listing for Your Property

Creating a good listing is a crucial part of selling a property. The description and photographs of the property will influence the initial impression of potential guests.  You are selling your property through your title and thumbnail images, so create a compelling listing by focusing on these elements.

Structuring your listing is important:

1. Come up with a strong title that will make your listing stand out. Your description should include details that potential guests find enticing about the area and/or the property. Focus on your best attributes, like the location to nearby attractions.  Headlines that include, “Walk to Beach” or “10 minutes from Disney” add value but make certain they are true.  If you have something other properties may not offer, showcase them. “Private Hot Tub” or “Gorgeous Desert Oasis” appeals to guests and are either self-explanatory or intriguing enough to get a click.

2. Take the time to write appealing descriptions on all of your photos. The opening statement should tell readers what kind of property they are looking at and why they should consider booking it. Describe what kind of home you’re hosting and what kind of environment it is in. How do you want your guests to feel while they are staying there? This is the type of information you want to convey. 

3.   Tell readers who the property would be ideal for (focus on a certain type of guest and you’ll get them) but avoid narrowing down your audience too much because this could turn off some potential guests who would be happy to fill your gaps. If you’re hosting a home with several bedrooms and two bathrooms, present it as an ideal option for families, but don’t assume that only couples would be interested in your smaller apartment. Know your guests.  Focus on their needs and let them know how you serve them.

4. Your First Five Pictures. Make sure your first five pictures cover all the highlights of the house.  The first is your main draw but NOT the same as every other listing in your area.  If everyone has a picture of the pool, you should place “pool” in your title but draw them in with a picture of something more enticing than just another pool.  You want a great living room shot, a kitchen shot, a bedroom shot, and maybe a workspace shot (if you’re selling work) or a game room shot (if you’re selling fun for the kids).  Hit the highlights quickly and don’t show the “grounds” or the front of the house unless it is super duper amazing and appealing.  Your guests are not going to be living in the front yard.

5. Call to action. End your listing by encouraging potential guests to take action. You can, for instance, mention your social media and give clues about how to find out more (because platforms like Airbnb won’t allow you to straight up list your socials) Encourage them to contact you on platform to ask some questions.

This is the information potential guests are looking for when reading your description:

• The size of the home in square feet and the size of the property in acres

• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms

• Where the property is located

• Upgrades like a deck, patio, pool, or fireplace

• Is there designated parking (covered?)

• Anything that would make your home stand out, such as a view on a lake, a patio, or a finished basement

Go ahead and oversell your property. Potential guests need to have a good idea of what your home is like after looking at your listing photos and descriptions.  But they’ll be disappointed if your listing exaggerates the size or condition of your home, so don’t mislead. Make a list of the main selling points and if something could be a turn-off, try mentioning them in a neutral way.  Have photos that show what it’s like to “be there” or what I call “experience” photos.  If you have a theatre, have photos taken with popcorn, comfy pillows, and a movie going.  Place some umbrella cocktails by the pool with a casually laid beach towel and pool toys.  You want potential guests to say, “Oh, this looks like ____” and insert the vibe you are going for!

Additional Tips for Your Listing

1. Use precise descriptions. Adjectives are important because they’ll help potential guests imagine what your property is like. Look at listings for similar properties to get an idea of which adjectives you could use.

2. Be creative, but avoid being too crazy. Potential guests are looking for information and want to see listings that will help them select properties that could be good matches for them. Grab the attention of browsers and help them imagine themselves in your home, but avoid allowing your creativity get in the way of efficiently conveying information.

3. Do your research. Look at other listings for similar properties to get an idea of what kind of information is helpful and appealing, what kind of titles grab your attention, and how similar properties are described. You might also find some techniques that aren’t a good way to present a property and get an idea of wording you want to avoid.

Focus on creating a listing that stands out, structure it so that information is easy to find, and provide potential buyers with the information they need. Share some great pictures of the outside and inside of your home to give your future guests a better idea of what it looks like and feels like to stay with you. Finally, remember to end with a strong call to action to bring those guests your way.