The goal with any real estate listing is to arouse interest in potential buyers so they want to view your home, fall in love with it and decide to buy. But overused phrases and real estate buzz words could turn off buyers rather than entice them through the door, while the right emotive words coupled with a descriptive photos may help your home sell for a premium price.

If you’re putting the biggest asset you own on the market, you want to get it right. Keep reading to find out what words and phrases to use, and what not to use, for persuasive house adverts.

Size Matters

Family-style living spaces, open plan living and spaces that flow well, are appealing to buyers. Using words such as ‘spacious kitchen/dining’ ‘good flow’ and ‘substantial garden’ indicate size without being over descriptive with terms such as ‘gigantic’ or ‘enormous’.

If your home is on the smaller size you should avoid cliches such as ‘quaint and cosy’ which is window dressing for ‘small and poky’. Adding the exact square footage of your home is also a good idea so buyers can make up their own minds about the size.

Location Location 

Being part of a good neighbourhood is all important to buyers so by all means highlight the proximity to shops, restaurants, schools and child care centres if you’re close to them. But note the exact physical distance or time taken to get there rather than saying ‘a stone’s throw from the shops’ or ‘within walking distance’ which are tired cliches and aren’t specific enough.

Describe features accurately

Do mention brand names for kitchen appliances, if they’re quality ones, that there’s a heated swimming pool or if your home has a smart lighting system to hook potential buyers that desire more luxury features. Use emotive words to paint a picture of how these features can benefit the new homeowner, don’t just say ‘this home has it all’ or throw in the word ‘luxury’ or ‘updated’.

Are you eco friendly?

Eco friendly homes are on trend right now so if you have solar panels, sustainable flooring, a chicken coop or a veggie garden make mention of them. People want to feel more at one with the planet and feel they’re doing their bit to help, so use emotive words around going green, family values and community spirit to connect with buyers who feel strongly about energy savings and environmental responsibility.

Don't be vague on repairs

If your home needs some TLC or is a fixer-upper and you’re trying to sell it quickly, then avoid using terms like ‘great potential’. This could lead buyers into thinking it needs a complete overhaul - it’s better to say the home needs a kitchen or bathroom remodel. Often buyers want to put their own stamp on a property when they move in, so this could actually suit their needs and be a key point to sell your house.

Overall, try to be specific as possible and honest so buyer expectations match what they actually find at an open for inspection. Lastly be sure to use positive adjectives. According to an analysis done in the US, using 10 positive adjectives could potentially bump up the sale price of your home by 9%.

Have you followed our tips and are now ready to list your property on Bricks + Agent? Simply register as a vendor today, publish your property listing and compare bids from the best local agents. It’s quick, simple and free!  Sign up to our newsletter below for more helpful tips for selling your house.