3 More Tips for Writing Effective Rental Listings

01 Jul 3 More Tips for Writing Effective Rental Listings

In our last blog post, we suggested two major tips to help you write effective rental listings. Today, we’re following up with three more writing tips that will help you to attract your ideal tenants.

3: Be Honest

If your listing doesn’t actually reflect the property, then people will be disappointed when they come to view it. This leads to lots of nibbles, but no bites, which wastes your time! You want people to be in a certain mindset when they come to see your property: cautiously optimistic, and ready to be charmed.

Being realistic about the property doesn’t mean underselling. Instead, shine the spotlight on the genuinely good things about the place.

4: Write a Good Headline

In online listings, especially, it’s essential to write a good headline. If you’re not sure what a good headline is, consider the rules of newspaper: don’t waste characters on repetitive or trite words. Grab the reader’s attention, but don’t be spammy, demanding, or use all caps. That just comes off as cheap.

A great headline should be composed of specially-selected strengths that give just enough information about your property to make the searcher interested to learn more. Don’t waste time on the exact square footage and number of bedrooms and bathrooms, or the general location. Often, searchers will have already filtered their results to fit their needs. Simply use words like “spacious” or “cozy.” Share the neighborhood benefits. Make it stand out. Your listing is one of possibly hundreds that a prospective tenant will be scrolling through.

Since listings are posted in a slightly different format for each site, make sure to double-check your own listing to make sure that you’re not restating things in the headline and subhead that are unnecessary.

5: Proofread Your Copy

Once you have the headline down, write effective copy. Remember, sometimes a prospective tenant is judging you as much as the property itself. They want to know that you’re intelligent and good to work with. And that starts with a thoughtful, error-free listing. If you’re not confident about your own writing skills, reach out to a friend or loved one who has strong writing skills.

Many of the most effective listings include imagery that encourages the reader to imagine themselves in the home, utilizing the special benefits. For example, “enjoy the neighborhood’s fresh morning air as you drink your coffee in our charming breakfast nook,” or “the 500-foot family room is perfect for entertaining…”