How to Write a Good Property Listing

One of the key responsibilities landlords have is marketing their vacant rental units after a tenant leaves. Whether your marketing campaign is successful or not largely depends on how you’ve crafted your ad copy.

Prospective tenants will normally scroll through dozens of listings when looking for a home to rent. If your rental ad doesn’t stand out, they will likely pass by it. As a landlord, your goal should be to make prospective tenants click on and read your listings.

A high-quality rental ad is one that contains a strong property description, an engaging narrative, high-quality photos, and, ideally, a walkthrough video.

In today’s article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know when it comes to creating a good property listing.

Make Your Headline Pop

This is the first thing that a potential renter will see when they come across your rental ad. The headline you choose should pull a prospective tenant in and give them crucial details regarding the property.

Because of this, we recommend choosing words that are going to ensure your property stands out from the competition. A great strategy is to use a few positive words that define your home’s character, architectural style, and location. The following are some examples.

• Remodeled Condo with Upgraded Appliances in Lakeview.
• Historic Bungalow with Original Features in Nutana
• Newly Built House with Smarthome Technology in Stonebridge

Keep your ad’s headline brief, clear, and confident. Avoid exaggerating as your readers may think you’re being dishonest or overselling your rental. Additionally, avoid using caps lock when writing headlines, as readers often find this aggressive.

Write a Persuasive Opening Statement

Your opening statement is crucial to ensuring prospective tenants read through your entire property listing. Depending on what you’ve written, a prospective tenant will choose to either continue reading your listing or search for another rental.

To inspire potential renters to continue reading your listing, use descriptive words in your opening statement. Be specific and avoid including vague or unnecessary jargon. The following are a few examples of an engaging opening statement that will encourage renters to continue reading:

• Check out this beautiful 2-Bedroom Craftsman Bungalow located just minutes from downtown.
• Tour this stunning 3-Bedroom home with a private courtyard and plunge pool near the river valley.

Engaging descriptions like these will make readers want to know more about your property!

Use Descriptive Words

Before writing ad copy, make sure you’ve made a list of your property’s stand-out features. Pick words that will help a reader visualize the home in their head. Examples of adjectives that can help generate interest include the following.

• Well-maintained
• Quaint
• Luxurious
• Updated
• Dramatic
• Thoughtfully Restored

Once you have a list of adjectives, you can begin crafting your message. Compose your sentences in such a way that they help tell a cohesive story about the home you’re trying to rent out.

Lead With Your Property’s Best Features

One of the best ways to pique a reader’s interest is to highlight your property’s best features at the beginning of your rental ad. If your rental home has a large primary bedroom, use an adjective such as ‘spacious’ to help convey its size. If the flooring is hardwood, then use descriptors such as classic or original to the home.

Other desirable features that your property may have include the following.

• Upstairs carpeting
• Victorian Crown molding
• Energy-efficient appliances
• Open floor plan
• Ample storage space
• Secure parking
• Updated HVAC system
• Spacious backyard

Keep it Brief

Effective rental ads are both brief and specific. If a reader finds your ad too long, they’ll simply continue their search elsewhere. When using rental listing sites, you’ll probably be restricted to a certain word count for your listing. We recommend keeping your listing below 200 words.

In 200 words you’ll be able to include important information such as the property’s square footage, address, rent price, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Other important details a prospective tenant will want to know is whether there is parking, scenic views, or proximity to major highways and public transit.

Don’t forget to mention the neighborhood, your rental is in. Parents with school-aged children will want to know which school district your property is in and many young professionals look for homes in neighbourhoods with ample nightlife.

Use Positive Language

No matter the condition of your home, avoid using negative language as much as you can. Mentioning any flaws in your property will only work against you.

Prospective tenants, just like homebuyers, will steer clear of any listing that has a negative tone. You can ensure your listing maintains its positivity by marketing a small bedroom as a children’s playroom or home office. If your property doesn’t have a large yard, you can mention that there is minimal outdoor upkeep.

Proofread Your Listing

Before publishing your listing, take plenty of time to proofread it. A great strategy is to spend some time doing another task before proofreading. If you use this tactic, you are more likely to catch errors and notice when sentences are unclear.

To ensure your ad copy is free of issues, you can have a professional examine it for errors and possible legal issues.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code requires that landlords provide prospective tenants with fair and equal housing opportunities. The following are some statements that you should be careful not to include in your listings.

• A Christian Home
• No Wheelchairs
• Ideal for a Female
• Perfect Neighborhood for Singles

Ideally, your rental ad shouldn’t show preference for specific renters based on certain characteristics. The following are some of the protected classes under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.

You cannot discriminate against renters based on their

• Religion
• Creed
• Marital status
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Sex
• Familial status

Hire a Property Management Company

If you’re new to property investing and being a landlord, hiring expert help can be a great way to ensure your success. A good property manager will have the experience needed to help you craft an effective rental ad with a high click-through rate.

In addition to helping you craft your ad, property managers can also help you in other ways as well!

Bottom Line

The above tips are certain to help you craft an excellent property listing! However, if you need help with any aspect of property management, you can reach out to the experts at Leenan Property Management!

We specialize in managing single-family homes, apartments, and condominiums in Saskatoon, Regina, and the surrounding areas!