After photography, property descriptions are one of the main driving factors in prompting a buyer to get in touch.
If writing doesn’t come naturally to you, it’s tempting to just describe the basics and leave it at that, but the power of well-crafted copy can’t be underestimated.
Buyers can tell when property descriptions have been skimped on, and if they get the feeling that you’re not excited about the property, then why should they be? Spending a little time to improve your copy is an investment well worth making.
Rightmove gives you two locations to add in your copy, the Summary Description and the Property Description. It’s vital that you treat them as two separate parts of your listing with two different purposes – the first is to draw potential buyers in, while the second is where you really sell the property.
The Summary Description
Keep It Snappy
You only have 300 characters to make an impact, so it’s important you keep your summary short and punchy. Stick to outlining the key features of the property, and get rid of any other unnecessary words and details.
Don’t Repeat Yourself
Buyers can already see location and number of bedrooms a property has, so repeating these details is just wasted space. Instead, highlight perks of the property that won’t be immediately obvious, like transport links or scope to extend.
Include the USP
Think about what really makes the property stand out compared to other similar homes in the area. Does it have generous parking? A big garden? A balcony? Whatever it is, the summary description is the place to emphasise it.
Use Capitals
Capital letters should be used sparingly, but are a great way to emphasise the unique selling points that you’ve identified. Highlight 2-3 key words and phrases to make them stand out in your summary.
The Property Description
Make Use of the Key Features
Rightmove allow you to add up to 10 key features as bullet points that appear above your main property description. It’s well worth making full use of these as they help to summarise the selling points of a property for someone who may not have time to read the whole description.
Here are some ideas for how to use your 10 bullet points:
- Incentives like no onward chain or Help to Buy
- Desirable local schools or universities
- Distance from local amenities
- Transport links
- Any available parking
- Standout features like a south-facing garden
And remember, the top bullet points are the first prospective buyers will read, so make sure that they show off the best the property has to offer.
Avoid Fluff
Words like ‘exceptional’ and ‘stunning’ may seem enticing, but they don’t offer any real information about the property. You should try and make every word of your description count – you can still sell the home without using flowery language (see the Features + Benefits formula below)
Elaborate on the USP
The Property Description is your chance to expand on all the unique selling points that you identified in the summary and convince potential buyers that they don’t want to miss out.
Identify Your Keywords
Buyers on Rightmove can specify keywords for their search, so it’s important that you spell out any perks the property has. This isn’t limited to physical features either – be sure to include any motivating factors like ‘Help to Buy’ or ‘no onward chain’.
The Features + Benefits Formula
When writing your main property descriptions, the features + benefits formula is a good way to help you keep your copy on track. This simply means that you list a key feature first, and then elaborate with its benefits. Here are a couple of great real-life examples of this.
The addition of the benefit (‘giving a warm start to every day’) helps to paint a picture for prospective buyers, allowing them to imagine themselves waking up each day to the comfort and luxury of feeling warm underfoot. Once a buyer is able to visualise themselves in the property, they will be one step closer towards picking up the phone. It’s just one small addition, but it makes a big difference to the overall effect of the copy.
Think outside the box when it comes to the features and benefits of a property. This home was situated in an expensive part of London near a large number of high-end art galleries. The benefit included here (‘allowing the occupier the chance to display a range of art’) may be niche, but it caters directly to the kind of buyer that would be perfect for this property.
This blog post is an excerpt from our free downloadable PDF, ‘The Ultimate Guide To Property Listings That Sell’. To get hold of your copy, enter your email address and name into the sign up form below.
