How to take your property listings from ordinary to extraordinary

Let’s face it, enquiries are the lifeblood of any successful real estate business, and we know that the main source of enquiries is online real estate advertising.

For that reason, the features and language you use in property listings need to be carefully considered and refined.

When crafting your next listing remember the goals of any property ad are to:

1. Persuade potential buyers that your listing is just what they’ve been searching for.

2. To inspire house hunters to take the necessary action to make the home their own.

The amount of effort you put into any property ad is a direct reflection of the quality of the service you provide vendors. So, you don’t only want to attract sellers today but also need to impress people looking to sell in the future who come across your listings in their research.

Here are our tips that’ll ensure you put your best foot forward in your real estate listings.

Add an eye-catching headline

The practical purpose of your listing headline is to inform prospective buyers about what makes that particular property unique within an instant of viewing your ad. Most agents pick the primary selling feature to make their headline.

Take your listing to the next level by writing something out of the ordinary and different from the standard ‘nice home, great location’ headlines buyers are used to seeing over and over.

An enticing or humorous one-liner will make the property stand out and stick in a buyer’s mind. You want to make buyers do a double take and compel them to keep reading.

If you have a specific target buyer in mind choose a key feature or benefit that’ll appeal most to them to include in your headline copy. The ‘Feng Shui inspired masterpiece’ example below will work wonders to entice Feng Shui enthusiasts to read on and then hopefully pick up the phone.

The clever play on words using the location of this Fitzroy North property as inspiration will make buyers remember the address of the home but also indicates that it offers luxurious living, all in a brief four-word headline.

Craft a compelling description

In your listing description, you need to cover off all the basics buyers need to know, as well as paint a compelling picture of the property that’ll make them want to see more. Ensure your description is easy to scan for readers (bullet points can be useful) so the key information they need jumps out at them, then go into more descriptive detail to add interest.

The basics to include-

• Price. This is likely to be the most important factor when buyers are searching for a new home. Without a price guide, it’s not uncommon for buyers to exit the listing page or assume the home is too expensive. The Statement of Information helps any interested parties to determine a realistic price estimate.

• Specs and amenities. Provide the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, car spaces and the lot size early on in your description. Other desirable attributes to go on to talk about include a dishwasher, heating, cooling, appliances, an outdoor space, any recent renovations, built-in robes and floor coverings.

• Location is a huge priority, after price, for buyers. Describe the neighbourhood and what is located within walking distance of the home.

After all the essential information is out of the way, go into selling mode and describe all the incredible and unique features the home has to offer in an interesting and compelling way. This could include descriptions of the views, its water or park front location, wine cellar, environmental and energy efficient features, its Zen garden, butler’s pantry, dressing room, sauna, spa, private gym facilities and nearby amenities (think schools, parks and shops).

The example listing description below beautifully explains what living at 69 Chalmers Road would look like allowing buyers to imagine themselves relaxing reading by the fireplace. The prose creates an alluring and charming image at the same time as showcasing the home’s unique lifestyle benefits, attributes and vibe:

‘Truly the perfect antidote for a hectic city life, our owners have created a cosy inviting space where life seems to go on at a more leisurely pace. The beautiful open kitchen is the hub of this home and encourages long dinners with family and friends. Maybe a glass of wine curled up in front of the open fire with a good book is your thing’.

Tap into buyer’s emotions with video

It’s not out of the ordinary for most agents nowadays to have beautifully staged and professionally captured photography to promote their listing. But not all agents are going the extra mile to include a video tour and drone footage of the property in the ad.

Having a professional video produced will add that extra wow-factor to your listing, showcase the lifestyle perks of the property (in a way words can’t), and the visual and audio cues will effectively tap into buyers’ emotions.

Fantastic property video tour videos will-

• Evoke a feeling and sell a lifestyle over and above what static images and the written copy can accomplish.

• Successfully showcase the unique and attractive features of the home.

• Appeal to a broad demographic with musical selection and narration.

• Include agent details and a clear call to action to conclude.

The following video and its narration, ‘Entertainers will absolutely love this private outdoor space, you can soak in the heated spa after a candlelit dinner with friends on the terrace’, does a great job of setting the scene and selling the luxury lifestyle perks of this stunning Lavender Bay home.

Don’t forget a call to action

Buyers need to know what to do next to make the property they’ve just watched a video tour of and read all about their own. So, be sure to add a call to action at the end of your listing urging potential buyers to get in touch via phone or email for more information or if they want to meet in person. Also, make sure they know when all inspections are scheduled and how to register for the auction within the listing.

Putting together a compelling and engaging real estate listing is an art, and over time, with a bit of practice and some guidelines, you’ll perfect the process.