The most well written article, blog post, novel, or product description all have one thing in common; structure. Real estate listings are not different either.
Without proper structure, you will be frustrated with the little to no amount of inquiries you will be getting on your listings. If you want to really generate interest and curiosity in your listings then you need to structure your listings properly and in a compelling way.
Although the structure we are putting forward here can always be modified to your taste; this serves as a starting point to agents who want to write listings that generate leads. When writing listings, follow this 4-part structure:
- The Headline
- The Opening statement (the hook)
- Property Description
- Call to action (CTA)
The structure outlined above is the basic framework needed to create engaging listings.
The Headline
Because the headline is the first thing people will see; it is important for you to make it as attention-grabbing as possible.
Follow these tips to create a headline that will make people want to read further:
- Include the property’s standout feature.
- In order to help readers quickly identify the property’s value, include the property type and location using compelling adjectives
- In order to help you prequalify leads; we recommend adding price to your listings as you’re sure to narrow down inquiries to those who have the budget.
Look for the most important feature or aesthetic that will set your property apart from others in that neighborhood and use this unique selling point (USP) as a point of reference in your headline.
Pro Tip: Add high resolution images (preferably of your USP) that will enhance the appeal of your property listing.
The Opening Statement (The Hook)
Just like an article or blog post, the opening is crucial because it either urges the reader to continue reading or not.
Your listing is the same way. Your hook should hook the reader and pique their interest enough to want to read more and find out more about your property listing. Your opening statement ought to reveal more about your property without repeating any of the information you included in your headline.
Basically, your hook should contain any of the following:
- The number of bedrooms, toilets and baths
- Property features such as garden, pool and parking lots
- The property’s proximity to any facilities such as grocery shops, gym, restaurants etc.
Pro Tip: Keep your opening sentence short; not more than a few one or two paragraphs.
3. Property description
When it comes to property descriptions, many agents are fond of listing the good, the bad and the ugly. Although we’re a big fan of honesty and being transparent; we strongly urge taking out irrelevant details.
An example would be describing the property in terms of colors. We all know majority of home buyers will change the colors after purchase, so it is wise to skip that part to be on the safe side.
Instead focus on relevant details such as how nice the neighborhood is, the proximity to cool places and the lifestyle you hope they will enjoy when they buy the house – these are the things that motivate people to buy.
A good property listing should serve two main purposes:
- Inform the reader about the remaining property features such as the number of bedrooms / bathrooms, location, square footage, extras, recent renovations, etc.;
- Help them imagine living in the house with flowery descriptions and using the word “you will enjoy” a lot.
Pro Tip: Remember that your description has to be concise and shouldn’t contain any empty adjectives.
4. Call to action
Adding a call to action is pretty much self explanatory. Urge the reader to contact you to come and view the property, to view a video tour or to read any article you’ve written regarding living in that area (part of your <content marketing> efforts)
The basics of a CTA are:
- Your email address and phone number
- Your social media profiles and
- Your psychical address (if you have one)
Structuring your real estate listing is very important. It will help you generate better leads and get ultimately get your properties sold fast. Need help with your content marketing strategy? Contact us today.
