Writing a description to advertise your property can be a daunting task. It’s not merely a description but a sales pitch to entice people into viewing and potentially making an offer on your property! It’s an opportunity to engage your target audience and not only ‘sell’ them the property, but ‘sell’ them the experience.  This post aims to detail how we can author property descriptions to gain maximum traction.

Overview of Key Features

The description should start with an overview of the property and its key features – maybe one or two sentences.   This is your big chance to engage the viewer.  Be Clear.  Be Concise.  Be descriptive.  Use plenty of adjectives (‘describing’ words for those of you that skipped school).

Consider this description:

A 3 bedroom property with nice rooms.

Not the most eloquent and engaging of descriptions is it?  Now consider this description for the same property:

A superb 3 bedroom semi-detached house offering immaculately presented living accommodation and a south facing garden.

Much better, right?  That’s because we’ve added adjectives such as ‘superb’ and ‘immaculately’ to further describe elements of the property in a more positive light.  We also specify the type of property (‘semi-detached house’ instead of ‘property’) and use the term ‘living accommodation’ as opposed to ‘rooms’ to try and evoke the feeling that this is a home and not just a ‘property’.  Additionally we mention a key feature – the south facing garden – which is a selling point for many people.

Here are some more examples to inspire you:

  • An extremely attractive and generously proportioned two bedroom detached property.
  • A beautifully presented bungalow with stunning views of the countryside.
  • A luxury apartment within a gated development within convenient reach of the town centre, local amenities and commuter links.
  • With no onward chain this enviably situated two bedroom apartment comes with dedicated off-road parking and is within walking distance of popular amenities.
  • A delightful four bedroom detached property offering spacious accommodation throughout.

More Adjectives

Here are some more adjectives that you might wish to use throughout your description:

  • Beautiful
  • Splendid
  • Wonderful
  • Gorgeous
  • Exquisite
  • Charming
  • Magnificent
  • Attractive
  • Delightful
  • Luxurious
  • Stylish
  • Opulent
  • Superb
  • Stunning
  • Sumptuous

Property and Location Guide

Now that we’ve engaged the viewer we can present the property in more detail.  This is an opportunity to discuss the layout of the property and how we navigate around it.  Perhaps mention the condition of the property too – has it recently been refurbished?  Or is it a prime development opportunity?  We can discuss the size and specifications of the rooms too – are there three double bedrooms?  Is it open plan living?  Does your kitchen have an ‘island’ or underfloor heating?  Do you have a rain shower? Try and fill this section with key features since we’re trying to distinguish your property from everybody else’s!

Part of the experience of a property includes its location and local amenities.  Are there any local parks nearby?  Hospitals?  Shops?  Transport links?  Airports?  Restaurants?  Be careful if you mentions pubs and bars – you don’t want people to think that you live next door to a noisy bar strip frequented by the nations binge drinkers.  Here are a few examples:

  • The property has undergone a comprehensive overhaul to create a stunning contemporary home offering versatile and spacious accommodation.
  • Open countryside, popular local schools and the train station are all within convenient reach.
  • The ground floor comprises two reception rooms, a modern kitchen with branded appliances and an open plan living/dining area.
  • The first floor accommodation comprises a master bedroom with vaulted ceiling and en-suite, two further double bedrooms and an opulent family bathroom suite.
  • The gardens are expertly landscaped with an elevated deck and a separate barbecue space.

Don’t Discriminate

Remember that you’re not interested in who is buying or renting your property (to an extent).  So in that sense you are not targeting a specific gender, race or religion.  Keep your description very neutral to ensure you don’t offend or exclude any potentially interested parties.

Next door is a [place of worship]

Not a good idea. Some people are atheist and don’t believe in God or places of worship.  This may detract some people’s interest!

Ideal for small families

Statements such as this can discount and/or discourage large families, couples and single people from registering an interest in your property!  It’s important to present your property in neutral manner and let the person reading your listing decide if it’s suitable or not!

Check Your Grammar

A description of any kind is not appealing if it’s littered with spelling mistakes. This lack of attention to detail will make people think that the property you are advertising has suffered a similar fate. Remember that the description is a reflection of the property. It is inviting people to share in the experience of your property.

As well as ensuring there are no grammar mistakes in your listing, you should refrain from using upper case (capital letters) words to highlight specific features.  It looks untidy, and on the web this typography can often be misconstrued for shouting!

A Note On Housing Benefits

To identify properties that are available to housing benefit applicants, some of the partners we publish our properties to require key terms in the property description. In such cases please include a term such as “Housing benefit considered”, “Housing benefit is accepted” or “Benefit applicants considered”. If such a term is not included in your property listing, it will not appear on some housing-benefit partner websites.

With Investate you can upload your own property photography, create a fantastic property description and sell your house online.