Sell $10K+ Over Asking With These Home Description Words

This isn’t a how to make a good listing description. I already wrote about that.

Instead, it’s about the words and adjectives real estate agents use to describe their real estate listing and community to attract potential buyers!

Best Selling Property Adjectives

I didn’t just make up this word list.

I went into the Austin MLS and pulled the listing description for home listings in the past year that sold at least 1% over the asking price (a sample size of 4514 listing descriptions!).

I pulled it into the word cloud to see which words are some of the most common in these top-selling listing descriptions!

Of course, I eliminated the more common words and focused on features and adjectives.

Man of these listings also prominently featured phrases like “stainless steel appliances” and “open houses”.

When comparing this list to the ones below, the best performing adjectives seem to be those that are describing updates, remodels, and actual features instead of general concepts.

Quick and easy are also surprise winners. The promise of an easy process or quick close does not detract from your home’s perceived desirability.

The Worst Home Description Words

I looked at listings that sold for $40k or more under their original asking price as well, and there were a few words that were prominent that were not as common in the higher selling listings.

Most words are the same, of course. It’s not as if the listing description is usually the reason a property fails to sell for the most. The price, pictures, availability, and MLS exposure are far more important factors to selling for the most.

But here were a few of the words that seemed to show up a little more often than they did in the list above:

• bdrms
• boasts
• elegance
• views
• gated
• media

Abbreviations like “bdrms” I imagine look a little lazy.

And surprisingly, perhaps “views” aren’t worth as much in a description as one might have imagined?

And words like “elegance” and “boasts” are just overdone.

I guess media rooms aren’t the draw that we assume them to be, either. At least in the real estate markets of Central Texas.

Danger Words

Only use the following words if you have the seller’s permission in cases where you know you’re targeting buyers who want to purchase at a discount in lieu of repairs:

• as-is
• TLC
• investor
• fixer-upper
• bargain, discount, opportunity, etc
• motivated

Most State associations have forms that allow you to get the seller’s sign off on the listing description or any other advertising materials you use to promote the property. Use those!

Banned Words

Your local association or State association might also have a list of words that are banned or strongly advised against in order to best avoid potential fair housing and other violations. I would check with your associations for this list and keep it handy when composing listing descriptions. Here are some common words you should probably avoid:

• Able-bodied
• Adult community, adult, etc
• Bachelor
• Board/Membership approval required
• Cheap
• Couple(s)
• Employed
• Empty nesters
• Independent living
• Integrated
• Landlord
• Married
• Mature
• Newlyweds
• (# of) children
• Older person
• Physically fit
• Seasonal worker
• Single Person
• Smoker
• Reference to private schools or describing schools (e.g. “excellent schools”)
• Any reference whatsoever to any of NAR’s protected classes (sex, religion, race, national origin, sexual identity, gender, age, familial status, ability, or color)

Conclusion

There you go! These are the home description adjectives that are apparently worth mentioning in your property description.

Good luck and happy home selling!