by Adrian Amos
That’s what a study at the University of Guelph in Ontario found from analyzing the wording of more than 20,000 listings. According to the research, a listing’s phrasing affected sales price and the length of time it was on the market.
The study found that “beautiful” brought higher sales prices than “move-in condition” and emphasizing “curb appeal” over “value” or “price” moved listings quicker. Including provable facts also helped to increase the sales price – like “new roof” and “updated kitchen.”
Newsday.com offers suggestions of specific words and phrases to use and ones to avoid when describing your listings:
Words that bring money in
– “Gorgeous”: Everyone wants a pretty house.
– “Move-in condition” and “turnkey”: These phrases communicate cleanliness and that your house can be moved into with minimal fuss, speeding up sales time by 12 percent.
– “Lovingly maintained”: Means, “I’ll save money on repairs.”
– “Beautiful landscaping”: This fires the imagination. Curb appeal attracts interest because a buyer believes the inside will look good, too.
– “Granite”: The common countertop and floor material equates with luxury.
– “Gourmet”: This is a draw for a cook, who might imagine a beautiful kitchen to work in.
– “Must see”: A phrase that attracts attention
Words that might lower your price
– “Motivated” and “must sell”: These can be loosely translated as, “I’m already willing to lower my price before the buyer even sees it.” A wiser choice might be, “Priced to sell.”
– “Good value”: It may sound like it’s a good value for an unappealing property. “Market value” or “aggressively priced” might work better.
– “As-is”: This can be interpreted as, “The house is a mess, and the owner can’t do anything with it.” Try, “Needs TLC” or, “Needs sprucing up.”
– “Starter home”: Don’t use this expression, the research warns. Instead, let buyers decide if they want to live and die in the house or use it as a steppingstone.
– “Vacant”: Stage the house; don’t let it be shown empty.
– “Oversized”: Large homes are a white elephant. Experts suggest using “good layout” instead.
– “Small”: Your home or condo may be cozy, but don’t call it small.
– “Basement”: “Lower level” is more appealing.
– “Appliance credit”: If your appliances are on their last legs, replace them before putting your home on the market and advertise, “New appliances.”
– “Near a bus line” or “near a train line”: People don’t like to imagine the fumes or noise. “Easy commute” is smarter.
Find the original article here.
