How to compose an ad about the sale of the apartment, that will definitely make the interested clients call you? Here is an object lesson for realtors: what to write, how to do it, why so and not otherwise.

But don’t forget that a well-written ad is only a small part of a real estate agent’s job. A high-quality presentation will bear fruit only if the other components of a successful sale are all right:

  • the apartment matches its description;
  • the package of documents is complete and correctly prepared;
  • you are honest with potential buyers;
  • you know how to lead the client in the sale process and are competent in drawing up contracts.

If you have any doubt about any of these points, you’d better ask for the advice of your more experienced colleagues before advertising the apartment. Such prudence will help avoid unpleasant surprises.

So, how do you make a home sale ad effective?

Gathering basic information

Provide the potential buyer with all the necessary information. Be concise and honest — the text should be succinct, containing answers to all the basic questions, but not overloaded with unnecessary details.

Address of the apartment, its square footage, number of rooms, layout, floor — start with the essentials, do not force the reader to look for the needed information throughout the text. This way you also immediately attract the attention of those interested in this kind of housing and weed out those who are looking for something else.

Here’s a tip: provide a description of both the total floor area of the apartment and the square footage of each room, including the bathroom. This will make life easier for both you and the buyers, sparing both sides from unnecessary clarifications.

Price

Do not conceal the price, specify it explicitly in the advertisement for the sale of the apartment. Many potential buyers are discouraged by realtors who are vague about the matter. And, as in the previous point, a clear indication of the price will help avoid unnecessary clarification over the phone or in messengers, including from those to whom your price doesn’t suit initially.

Either give the market average price, or a slightly lower price than other sellers in the neighborhood. Remember: both overpricing and unrealistic underpricing will cause a distrust of your sale ad and will not bring the sale any nearer. Turn to an appraiser for services, if necessary.

Price explanation

It is more efficient to specify at once what is included in the price of the apartment. Describe the benefits of the housing briefly and clearly: 

  • quality and the ‘remoteness’ of renovation, including plumbing equipment and window frames;
  • square footage of the balcony;
  • layout features (for example, the presence of a dressing room, pantry, recesses for built-in cupboards);
  • presence/absence of furnishings, quantity, quality and condition of furniture.

You can also specify the side the windows look out on, what kind of view opens from the apartment.

Real estate ads

Information about the house, neighborhood and infrastructure

Describe the condition of the house and the area in which it is located honestly and thoroughly, but as concisely as possible. Indicate the distance to the nearest transport stops and subway stations, give the information about the infrastructure of the neighborhood.

For example:

  • brick or panel building, the number of floors, the availability of a parking facility (and its type: underground/surface, paid/free);
  • the amount of time it takes to get to the city center or the subway;
  • the distance from the building to schools, hospitals, restaurants, and shopping malls.

List the facts and explain why they matter. For example, in a cast-in-place concrete frame building, any replanning is allowed, and if schools and kindergartens are within walking distance, it saves time on the road, etc.

Speak only to the point

In your announcement, talk to the potential buyer in the language of facts: not «stunning european-style remodeling», but «in that year the apartment was renovated — the walls were leveled, Italian laminate flooring was done, stretched ceilings of that manufacturer were installed, and the beige color non-woven wallpaper was put up». Don’t wander from the subject — give as much useful information as you can, but nothing more than that.

Provide photos

Take the photos in daylight. Make sure the apartment is tidy before the photo shoot — display it to advantage. It is important to show all rooms, including corridors, bathroom, kitchen and balcony. If the view from the window is good, provide a photo of it as well. If necessary, add photos that will show the condition of the furniture and plumbing equipment.

A couple of tips:

  • Do not photoshop, it will not help to sell the apartment more quickly, because when the buyer comes to see it in real life the deception will be revealed immediately;
  • Take a photo with an aspect ratio of 3:2, so that you can show more at once.

How to stand out from the competition

Add a plan of the apartment to the ad’s photo gallery. According to real estate agencies’ statistics, secondary housing with a representation of the layout sells 45% better than without it. You can also create a plan yourself using the plans of the Record of Deeds or measurements made manually, and online editors.

Specify the legal status of the property — the number of owners and registered persons, how long has the apartment been in ownership, whether there are debts on housing services and utilities.

Demonstrate your readiness for a quick deal. Sometimes housing is bought on impulse. Let buyers know that the opportunity to buy an apartment quickly is at hand and there are no hindrances to it. 

What’s sure to scare away a buyer in an ad

  1. Ambiguity. Write clearly and keep track of what associations the text evokes. For example, in the phrase ’a highway is 1 km away’, one sees an opportunity to get quickly to the center, while the other sees air pollution, noise, dust, and the risk of getting hit by a car.
  2. The erratic price. Many websites provide their visitors with a history of ads, and the constant change in price scares the buyers away — don’t take any chances.
  3. The phrases ’fire sale!’ and ’or near offer’. They suggest that there is something wrong with the apartment, the house, the neighbors, the documents.
  4. Inaccurate or false information. Do not conceal the flaws of the apartment in the ad, they will anyway be discovered when actually visiting it.

And the last tip: if the sale of the apartment is dragged on, do not make it known. Sometimes it makes more sense to create a new account and re-publish your ad.

Good luck with your sales!