A successful listing is defined both by how well it’s written and by the quality of its exposure—that is to say, how well you’ve leveraged traditional mediums with newer web resources to tap into the largest pool of potential homebuyers. For tips on both fronts, check out our advice below on how to write a successful listing that casts a wide net.
Start with the right selling agent
A good selling agent will work with you to write the best listing possible and see that it gets maximum exposure. You’ll have to do some digging to find the agent best suited for the task. To provide a starting point, a selling agent who fits this checklist is likely equipped to present your listing in the best light.
Does the agent have a sleek and user-friendly website?
Are MLS listings on their site error-free and written in a professional voice?
Do their listings highlight attractive area amenities?
Would the listing descriptions on their site pique your interest as a homebuyer?
Are their listings accompanied by attractive home photography?
- Bonus points if they make use of good video!
Do they use social media to drive additional traffic to listings?
Are their business profiles on social media separate from their personal profiles?
For more on finding a good agent, check out 4 things to look for in a real estate agent »
Writing tips
If you’ve picked the right selling agent, they have good experience writing effective listing descriptions, but that doesn’t mean you should tune out of the process. After all, two sets of eyes are always better than one. Check to make sure that your home’s listing description meets the following criteria.
- You’ve heard it before, but it bares bears repeating: write clean, grammatical and typo-free sentences. Even the smallest error can turn away otherwise interested readers.
- Strive for straightforward descriptions of your home’s best qualities with just a few well-chosen adjectives. Too much fluff comes off as cheesy and distracting. Worse, it can seem like you’re trying to make your home sound better than it really is. Simple descriptions of your home’s finest qualities pack the best punch. They also help to ensure your listing doesn’t become too lengthy.
- Mention attractive neighborhood and area amenities in your description, like a community clubhouse or pool, if your home’s in a good school district, and whether there’s good retail or outdoor recreation nearby.
- Include specific details and brand names that might excite homebuyers. For example: “Kitchen with beautiful countertops and upgraded appliances” could instead say, “Beautiful kitchen with GE® stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops.”
Advertise your listing via multiple channels
After collaborating with your agent on an attractive listing description, hopefully supplemented with killer professional shots and even video of your staged home, then it’s time to get busy sharing it on whatever platforms might attract additional homebuyers. Below are a few ideas of how to creatively drive extra traffic to your listing.
1. Harness the power of Pinterest:
Create a board that describes your home’s best selling points in the header, and then get busy creating pins that showcase your home’s photography. Each pin can link back to your listing site. You can also pin shots of attractive area amenities, like a nearby beach.For a great example, check out this inventive Pinterest board, featured on REALTOR® Mag.
TIP: Don’t upload all your pins all at once. Doing so can flood followers’ feeds and seem spammy. Instead, do something like two to three pins a day. This tactic can also generate more impressions because you’re posting at different times and increasing the period of time your board is active.
2. Share it with friends on Facebook:
Again, you want to avoid annoying people by overdoing it, but a couple well-timed posts of your home’s photography with a link to your listing is a great way to alert friends who might be on the market. Plus, even if they’re not actively looking, they could share your posts with friends who are!
TIP: Make sure to show more than tell on Facebook. Upload your best high-resolution photography and include a link to your listing. Have fun writing something creative that doesn’t sound too desperate. This increases the chances of friends “liking” or commenting on your post, which increases your chances of reaching interested homebuyers!
3. Pin your listing on Twitter:
Because of its faster-flowing chronological news feed, it can be harder to reach as many eyes on Twitter as on, say, Facebook, which prioritizes posts based on what it thinks users want to see. Nevertheless, you can effectively market your listing to whoever views your profile page—with the ability to “pin” a tweet to the top of your timeline.Write one really great tweet about your home, include a link to your listing and then pin it. Until you choose to unpin it, the tweet will stay front and center for anyone visiting your profile.
TIP: You can also pin posts to the top of your Facebook timeline.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the online resources that could give your listing a boost. If you’ve had success with other methods, share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!
Want more tips to help sell your home faster? See our For Sellers section for other great articles.
