Photos + Listing Descriptions

Photos + Listing Descriptions: A Match Made in Real Estate Heaven

Fantastic news: you’ve plumped the cushions, cleared the clutter, and the fresh coat of paint is almost dry. Your photographer-extraordinaire is on the way, and your listing is going to absolutely crush it in the real estate arena. Those offers are going to be rolling in, baby.
Well, almost.

You just need one finishing touch: The perfect listing description. Your photos, gorgeous as they are, need to be paired with equally fabulous listing descriptions. Some things just go together, and photos and listing descriptions are one of those things.
Lucky for you, class is in session for listing descriptions 101.

The beauty of language

Let’s think of this as a dating app. Be honest: you’ve checked out the profile pic and you like what you see. But what does this person have to say for themselves? Are they interesting? Clever? Funny? There are turn-ons, and there are turn-offs. Real estate, my friends, is the same.
We don’t want to simply list off all of the features of your home and then mic drop. We want to make an effort to really describe it, to capture the soul of your home in words, the same way your listing photos do with their visuals. We want to tempt the buyer, pique their interest, and engage them with a story. The ultimate goal is for the buyer to fall in love and propose… with an offer.
Let’s take an example.

You see a photo of a kitchen. It’s fabulous, so you click on the description.
Description 1 reads: Updated kitchen. Adjoining dining room.
Description 2 reads: White shaker style, contemporary kitchen with generous custom-built cabinets and Italian marble countertops. Adjoining intimate dining space featuring a crystal chandelier with adjustable lighting levels.

Which one drew you in? It’s pretty obvious that the blind date behind door number 1 has no personality and would bore you to tears but you’ll swipe right on number 2.
You know we are right!

That’s because the 1st description is lackluster, while the 2nd description is an invitation to your beautiful new home.

Did you imagine yourself cooking up a 3-course dinner party for your friends and clinking glasses under that chandelier? And who could blame you? Full disclosure: our current status is googling how to cook Lobster Thermador for a dinner party in that house.

And we’re not the only ones. That 2nd listing description will attract interest from others online, book viewings, and will ultimately sell faster and stronger than the first. It sends a message to the marketplace: we’re professional, experienced, and we mean business.

Bring your home to life
A little trade secret for you: buyers get really frustrated looking at photos with below-par descriptions. They aren’t sure what they’re looking at – is it the master? Is it the guest bedroom? Not to mention, with today’s Social Media, News Feed, and “next!” mentality, attention spans are low – so grabbing a buyer’s attention is vital.

Quality photos and social media marketing visuals are essential to the success of your house sale, but they’re not enough on their own. That’s because photos are what grab the attention, but descriptions are what holds it.
Follow these steps to paint a picture of your home, draw attention to all of the wonderful features that other homes don’t have, stand out from the competition, and help the buyer feel the beating heart of your home.

1. Grab attention
Craft a punchy headline to get noticed and follow up with an opening statement to hold that attention. Describe a standout feature to compel the reader.

2. Use your power words
Avoid listing off facts, which is dry (and boring!). Instead, select picturesque adjectives that spark emotion and evoke imagination. Certain well-crafted lines will entice a buyer to take a close look and imagine themselves there.

Dodge: cozy, close to everything, needs TLC, fixer-upper, a must-see.

Try: pristine, modern, one-of-a-kind, spacious, move-in ready, custom-built, upgraded.

3. Home features
Time to highlight desirable traits. Shine a spotlight on things within your home that have proven to be important post-pandemic. The HomeLight Fall 2021 survey demonstrated that 3 features popular among buyers are: a home office, a great school district, and outdoor living space. Which brings us to #4:

4. Neighborhood features
Location! Location! Location! Let the buyer know about the desirable, local amenities. Emphasize proximity to schools, parks, and attractions. Tell them what’s awesome about your neighborhood. This is especially important if your interior needs work.If the home is in the perfect location, the work needed seems less of an ordeal for buyers to undertake.

5. Short and snappy
Budding novelists take note: this is not the time or the place for long-winded descriptions. Keep it concise and to the point. Most databases for property listings have a maximum word count, so you’ll be limited. Choose words for maximum impact in minimum space.

6. Orderly
Guide the buyer through the listing by arranging featured items to match the photos. It’s best to order your descriptions starting at the front door and ending at the back door, so that the buyer avoids confusion and knows what to expect when they see the home for themselves – which they’ll be desperate to do when they’ve seen your photos and descriptions, right?

Over to you
We hope that we’ve inspired you to sprinkle a little imagination and creativity into your listing descriptions. When you pair this with the stunning photos of your beautiful home, it’s a winning combination.

As always, we’re happy to talk to you about all things real estate – it’s what excites us. From virtual staging to virtual tours, floor plans, 3D spaces, videography, and aerial shots – we’re the experts.
If you’re ready to smash it in the real estate market, call us.

Hey, we make a perfect pair.