Want to sell a property? Become a virtuoso of words

There are good and bad listings. There are artistic and dreadful photos. There are persuasive agents and those who are not suited to the job. Finally, there are engaging and off-putting descriptions. It is the written word that I would like to focus on today, pointing out that a neatly written listing can sell itself.

Of course, provided that we have handled all the other stages flawlessly. Quite a challenge awaits us, then. But nobody said it would be easy. So I am getting down to work to tell you about the most important tips for creating an engaging description.

Focus on one element

Find the strongest point that can be described in the listing and build the whole narrative around it. A client looks through many listings, so if they remember even one point from our description – that is a success! The rest of the information is meant to be a pleasant backdrop. Adequate. Nothing more. It is not meant to push itself to the forefront, because that is where our gem already is. From the detail to the general.

The less padding, the better

We have no time for reading. We… skim everything. We glance. That is why success can be achieved only with a description that contains specifics. No element can be left out, but a listing cannot run to a dozen or so thousand characters, because its form alone will put people off. We cannot afford to test whether a long description will catch on. We can already answer that question now. It will not. I have been through this many times.

The key to success (read: interest in the listing) is specifics and completeness. Let us think about how we ourselves would search for a flat and which information is the most valuable. The rest – the less significant – can be presented during the viewing at the flat.

Simple, but not… simplistic

Language matters enormously. It should be neither too colloquial nor too lofty. It should simply be accessible and should reach the average internet user. We must aim for universal appeal. Only in this way do we reach a wider audience.

As they see you, so they… judge you

After just a few seconds of observation we have our opinion about another person, a building, a film, a song and… a description. If we do not take proper care of the first impression, it may later be hard to erase it. That is why aesthetics matter enormously. So we cannot do without an interesting introduction (but not too long), division into paragraphs, subheadings, bullet points (I like specifics), highlights, lists and… a punchline. It is worth placing an effective call to action at the end. "Call to action" is essential! Then selling the flat becomes more and more realistic.