Write It Like You Want to Sell It

My son and I were at Wal-mart the other day, picking up some groceries. We were in the checkout line and my son was reading the tabloid headlines. “Mom! Johnny Depp’s daughter is fighting for her life!” he told me (for a moment, I was confused. How does a nine-year-old know who Johnny Depp is? Is he finding re-runs of 21 Jump Street somewhere? Then, it occured to me…Pirates of the Caribbean!).

I realized the time for the “Headline News” talk was here. I explained that while Depp’s daughter may very well be ill, ‘fighting for her life’ might be an exaggeration. Magazines and newspapers want to sell copies of their publication. No one is going to buy a magazine which states, “Johnny Depp’s daughter catches cold”, but they might be more inclined to pick it up and purchase it if it says something more dramatic. My son nodded his head and pointed out the American Idol Sexual Assault Charges headline and I quickly diverted his attention to the Zippo lighters and regaled him with concert-going tales which lead to musical groups, songs he knows and the upcoming 3rd-grade school performance. Phew. Back in safer waters.

How this relates to real estate is pretty obvious. Which house would you rather see? One described as follows…”Three bed, two bath rambler. Completely fenced back yard. Convenient location, near parks and schools. View from backyard”

OR

“Lovely pergola at back patio frames Candy Mtn view…large trees provide shade in fenced backyard. Each of the three bedrooms has a ceiling fan, for optimal summer sleeping comfort. Neighborhood park is adjacent to home, at end of the cul-de-sac. Both elementary and middle schools are less than a mile away.”

The second example is not AMAZING, fighting-for-her-life great, but it’s more compelling than the first example. You just need to get the people inside, to see if it’s the home for them. And you’re more likely to if you have an outstanding description that touts the benefits of the home. Just like someone is more likely to buy a newspaper when the headline screams something astonishing.