Step 2: Get More Calls with Persuasive Property Prose

In an effort to empower real estate agents to convert online listings to leads, REALTOR.com published the 6-Step Online Optimization Plan. This report covers the following topics:

• Intro: Get more buyer leads from your online listings
• Step 1: Generate more buyer leads with photos
• Step 2: Get more calls with Persuasive Property Prose
• Step 3: Capture more buyers with full-motion home tour videos
• Step 4: Getting online home buyers to your Open House
• Step 5: Your social network is still your #1 profit center
• Step 6: Increase exposure, increase buyer inquiries

Following the introduction and step one of this report, step two discusses how to use persuasive property prose to capture the attention of new leads.

How often do you come across a listing online that has nothing but the short abbreviated characters that were typed into the MLS? Chances are, more often than not. If you were a home seller, would you be disappointed to see your home presented that way, without any effort being given in how your homes attributes are being sold? This is a perfect opportunity to outshine your competitions lack of care in how the are promoting their clients home.

The following will give you tips for writing a persuasive property description that can be used online, in print, and as voice-over dialogue in a video or virtual tour.

Property descriptions that get the phone to ring should always:

• Give Buyers a reason to day dream: Paint a picture of what it feels like to not only live in the house, but in the neighborhood.
  
  • Try writing a couple of lines for one of your listings.
  • Write as if you are taking a customer through the photo gallery of REALTOR.com® describing the most interesting details as though you are with a customer looking online.
  • Provide a call-to-action to call you to see this house (or others like it) today!
  • Take a look at the aerial view of the neighborhood on REALTOR.com® and see where the parks and other points of interest are in relation to the property. Use these to sell the location as well as the property.
  • Look at the helpful tips at the end of this guide and see how you can get across that which will make someone click or call.
• Give buyers details and a reason to buy: Provide details that are important to potential buyers and avoid generic adjectives.
  
  • Create a list based on each one of your properties.
  • List the top 10 selling features of your listing.
  • List the top 10 neighborhood attractions.
• Give buyers a reason and a way to contact you: Provide a call-to-action to call you to see this house (or others like it) today!

Picture yourself getting up in the morning and making breakfast, having friends and family over or taking time to read a good book. Tell the story of what you see and feel, but don’t forget little details that sell the home.

• Sample: Morning sunlight pours through the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows providing a view of a lush tea rose garden. Walk across 100 year old, hand-polished oak hardwood floors to a recently renovated state-of-the-art kitchen. Become the gourmet chef you always dreamed of with stainless steel appliances, black granite counters and a prep island that provides a view to your guests in the living room and a view to keep an eye on the kids playing in the backyard.

1. What’s it’s like to live in the neighborhood? - talk about restaurants, parks, yearly events. If attractions are nearby, mention the short distance. Tell the story of why people like to live here – if you run out of ideas, just ask a local home owner why they like to live there.
2. Avoid generic/nothing special adjectives such as great, beautiful, charming.
3. Break the rut of writing abbreviated MLS property descriptions.
4. Get inspiration by visiting a home builder website to see how they wrote about a planned community.
5. Start by interviewing the home seller on why they loved their home and the neighborhood.

Bonus Tips:

1. Check the “find a neighborhood” tool on REALTOR.com® to quick reference detailed neighborhood information for your listing’s location.
2. REALTOR.com® also enables you to display custom property descriptions to a large audience, including your phone number and multiple points of contact.

To learn more about REALTOR.com®, please click here.

Your 6-Step Online Listing Optimization Plan includes how to:

• Step 1:  Generate more buyer leads with Photos
• Step 2:  Get more calls with Persuasive Property Prose
• Step 3:  Capture more buyers with Full Motion Home Tour Videos
• Step 4:  Getting Online Home Buyers to Your Open House
• Step 5:  Your Social Network is Still Your #1 Profit Center
  
• Step 6:  Increase Exposure, Increase Buyer Inquiries