“Efficient kitchen = Too small to fit two adults” –don’t let your real estate advertising miss the mark

I once went online to view the ad for one of my vacant rental properties. After reading the advertisement three or four times I realised something quite stunning. After no less than 12 years experience working in real estate, owning my own real estate businesses, selling and renting real estate and having had investment properties for over 8 years… I didn’t understand half of what was being said on my own advertisement! My property manager had crammed in more LUG, BIR, WIR and XYZ’s than you could fit jelly beans in the Grand Canyon! I immediately thought, if I can’t understand this – what hope does the average consumer?

Real estate advertising mistake number 1. Over use of abbreviations on the internet! This isn’t print advertising and space is not sold per word – live it up and really sell your properties, for sale or rent – please!

To follow is an excerpt from a Barbara (aka real estate giant from NYC, author of my favourite business book of 2006 – If you don't have big breasts, put ribbons on your pigtails) Corcoran article.

The most misleading words in real estate (and what they really mean)
1. Cozy (too small)
2. Charming (too old)
3. Original condition (appliances are 50 years old)
4. Needs TLC (it’s a dump)
5. Conveniently located (noisy)
6. Desirable neighborhood (this little house has been way overpriced because the neighborhood has some snob appeal)
7. Efficient kitchen (too small to fit two adults)
8. One-car garage (you can drive your Chevy in, but can’t get out)
9. Peek at the park/river/mountains (if you angle your mirror just so)
10. Useable land (no trees)
11. Beachfront steal (no hurricane insurance available at any price)
12. Country living (too far from anywhere to drive to work)
13. Must see inside (outside is ugly)
14. Unique (hard to sell)
15. Just available (previous owner just died on the premises, hope you don’t mind)
(read the full article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20215090/)

Real estate advertising mistake number 2. Over use of over used words!

Just 5 minutes ago I did a search for properties for sale in my home suburb with these less than staggering results as the headings for properties:

So Close to Town
Peaceful and private location
Affordable 4 bedroom home
Investment opportunity
And some with the fabulously creative heading of just the suburb!!!

C’mon real estate agents – let’s provide a bit more value for money in terms of the advertisements we provide! Using www.reallysold.com (the ultimate online tool for creating real estate advertisements – which I created to help real estate agents avoid advertising mistakes) what about these substitutes:

A hop, skip and a jump to… well… everything!
Been saving for a rainy day? It’s pouring right here, right now!
Is this how Donald Trump got started?
To each his own… bathroom that is!
A winner for a beginner…

Real estate advertising mistake number 3. Using headings that a four year old could have written! According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the United States, the headline is the most important thing in writing a successful ad – use this one chance to really make the most of your advertisement.

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By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments