If your listing photos and narrative don\u2019t captivate home hunters searching online, you could lose these buyers forever. In fact, one study showed that listings with one photo took over double the time to sell<\/a> than listings with 20 photos.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why you and your real estate agent need to work together to create the best real estate listing in your area. We\u2019ve set out to show you exactly what you and your agent need to do to knock your real estate listing out of the park.<\/p>\n Have you ever just browsed around online looking at gorgeous homes listed for sale, fallen in love with one, and then seriously considered buying it just because of the photos?<\/p>\n Now, imagine you\u2019re actually in the market for a new home. There\u2019s two houses on the same street, similar floor plan and price point, but they have wildly different photos. One has been meticulously staged and professionally photographed. The other is cluttered, messy, and the photos were clearly shot with a smartphone.<\/p>\n The choice is obvious. And, it\u2019s backed by data. According to CBS News, homes marketed with top quality professional listing photos sell for 47% more<\/a> than homes with low quality pictures. Photos can also help your home sell 32% faster.<\/a><\/p>\n As the above infographic illustrates, online users spent 60% of their time looking at the photos on a real estate listing page, and 20% on property details and the listing blurb. That means that if your photos don\u2019t blow buyers away, then there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll never go see your home.<\/a><\/p>\n Whatever you do, don\u2019t take your listing photos yourself. As Kathleen Caponigro<\/a>, top real estate agent in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, told us, \u201cTo list a property with poor pictures is like shooting yourself in the foot right out of the gate!\u201d She also shared that, \u201c[photos are] your hook to get people interested in the home.\u201d<\/p>\n Your real estate agent should contract out your listing photos to a professional photographer who will edit and perfect every picture, or will take the photos themselves.<\/p>\n Though you don\u2019t need to take the reins on this part of the project, you can ask your agent for the name of the photographer they use and take a look at their portfolio.<\/p>\n If your agent asks you to find a professional photographer you feel comfortable with, check sites with unbiased reviews like Yelp or Angie\u2019s List to find top photographers near you. Once you settle on a few candidates and take a look at their portfolios, you want to look for several specific things.<\/p>\n Here are some key indicators of great listing photos<\/a> you should look for:<\/p>\n The order of your listing photos is important as well. According to Caponigro, the optimal order is, \u201cThe outside, of course. The entry way is generally important, especially if it\u2019s a grand entry…and then in order of importance. Kitchen\u2014people spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Dining room, living room, family room, then the master bedroom and the other bedrooms as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Another clever way to convince a potential buyer to come see your home in person is to leave \u201cEaster eggs\u201d\u2014little inside jokes or hidden messages\u2014of home features in the listing description that are not visible in photos.<\/p>\n Caponigro says, \u201cDon\u2019t give it all away, though. Keep a little something that piques their interest [so] that they have to come and see [the house] to see the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n The listing description is your only opportunity to explain anything about your home that buyers can\u2019t see in the photos. It\u2019s a great way to: use words more likely to show up in search results, show off brand-name and high-end features like your Viking stove, mention great things about your neighborhood, and advertise unique features.<\/p>\n Your agent will write the listing blurb for you, but you can ask to see it before the listing gets published online. Caponigro says that she, \u201cOften allows the homeowners to provide feedback…because sometimes they may think of something that I didn\u2019t\u2014not often\u2014or if there\u2019s something they really want added. If I don\u2019t think it\u2019s detrimental, I\u2019ll certainly add it to the listing!\u201d<\/p>\n Some real estate agents will post your home on a website like Craigslist. These websites offer \u201clist view,\u201d which means that you\u2019ll need a catchy title for your listing. Most real estate agents will do this for you as part of their marketing plan, but it never hurts to come up with some suggestions.<\/p>\n Unlike other marketing platforms that sort by image, a list view sorts only by the listing title. If your title is dull or very similar to other titles before and after yours, it\u2019s less likely that prospective buyers will even click through to your listing.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why you need to make your listing title catchy<\/a> so they click on yours and not your neighbor\u2019s.<\/p>\n One way to do that is to include power words in your listing title. We\u2019ll write two listing titles together, one with power words and one without.<\/p>\n Listing Title A:<\/strong> Nice house for sale in SF Bay Area<\/p>\n Listing Title B:<\/strong> New: Zen Retreat With Stunning Views in Laurel Heights<\/p>\n Can you guess which listing title has the power words? That\u2019s right, Listing B is a great example of what your listing title should sound like.<\/p>\n Give it a try and be sure to check out this power word dictionary<\/a> for help.<\/p>\n Buzz words or power words appeal more to buyers than other generic words like \u201ccozy\u201d or \u201ccute\u201d will because they\u2019re specific, emotional, and they paint a picture of your home. If you\u2019d like a few examples of well-written listings, check out these listing descriptions from a professional real estate copywriter.<\/a><\/p>\n Pull out that power word dictionary we just used. Use words that evoke happiness, warmth, excitement, and beauty. Don\u2019t go overboard with this! Use just enough power words to get the idea across that your home is a unique, special spot. Remember, it\u2019s the photos that do most of the talking.<\/p>\n If you want your listing to stand out in search results, you\u2019ll want to use local keywords.<\/a> That means using terms like \u201creal estate in [your city]\u201d or \u201c[your city] real estate\u201d that local home buyers will type into a search engine when they\u2019re looking for a home.<\/p>\n Throw out words<\/a> like \u201cquaint\u201d or \u201ccozy,\u201d and phrases like \u201cpriced to sell.\u201d These words have become white noise in real estate listings and don\u2019t mean anything to prospective buyers.<\/p>\n Instead, be as specific as you can about your home. Even if you do have a cozy den, think about what makes it cozy.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t say: The home has a cozy den off the living room.<\/p>\n Say: The den is the perfect space to relax with a cup of tea as the sun shines in through new Pella windows.<\/p>\n Other don\u2019ts include writing in all caps. This looks cheesy and can come off as spam to potential home buyers\u2014it cheapens the overall feeling of your listing. You should also proofread the listing blurb over and over to eliminate spelling or grammatical errors. Any errors in spelling or grammar can suggest that the real estate agent spent little time creating the listing, which will not reflect well on your home.<\/p>\n Top agent Caponigro told us that terms like, \u201cthis won\u2019t last\u201d are definite no-nos. She added that, \u201cTo me, \u2018this one won\u2019t last\u2019 is the kiss of death! It seems that any listing that has that has 100 or more market days! I just try to avoid that.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep a careful eye on special terms like \u201cen suite,\u201d \u201cwrought iron fence,\u201d etc., which could easily (and mistakenly) be listed as \u201con suite\u201d or \u201crod iron fence.\u201d These small errors can send buyers running for fear there\u2019s larger mistakes or errors in the house itself.<\/p>\n Most seriously, your listing should never violate the Fair Housing Act.<\/a> That means that it cannot discriminate in any way against people of a certain gender, race, background, color, or certain place.<\/p>\n Throughout your listing blurb, you need to get across that your home and neighborhood is in the best location.<\/p>\n![\"real](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/real-estate-listings-inforgraphic-775x588.jpg\")
<\/a>No Smartphone Pics Allowed: Your Photos Must Be Stunning<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/create-real-estate-listings-foyer.jpg\")
<\/a>How to Get Great Listing Photos<\/h2>\n
![\"real](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/create-real-estate-listings-house.jpg\")
<\/a>\n
\nFor exterior shots, no part of the house should be in the shade. For interior shots, you should be able to see the view out of all windows. This should not compromise the brightness of the room. Photographers can achieve this with a layering technique during the editing process.<\/li>\n
\nDo the images all look cropped, or was a wide angle lens used? All images should be shot with a wide angle, and the room should never feel cramped (no matter how small it is in reality).<\/li>\n
\nDoes it look like the photographer used a tripod in every shot? All images should be level. You\u2019ll be able to tell if the photographer went free-hand or if they used a tripod to make every shot look composed and professional.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe Listing Description: Tips for Writing and How to Help Your Agent Perfect it<\/h2>\n
How to Write a Captivating Listing Title<\/h2>\n
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How to Use Buzz Words in the Listing Blurb<\/h2>\n
Avoid Buzzkill Words<\/h2>\n
Showcase Neighborhood Proximity<\/h2>\n