What a Good Listing Description Should Actually Do

A listing description has a different job than the photographs. By the time a buyer starts reading it, they've usually already seen the home online and decided there is enough interest to learn more.

That's why I don't think a description needs to walk buyers through every room or repeat what they can already see in the photographs. Its value comes from providing context—information that helps a buyer understand the home more completely.

Some of that information may involve the property itself. A first-floor room may offer flexibility that isn't obvious from a photograph. A renovation may have involved much more than new finishes. A large lot may provide unusual privacy, or an addition may have changed the way the home functions. These are details a photograph may suggest but can't fully explain.

The description can also help buyers understand the location. In Leesburg, proximity to historic downtown, access to commuter routes, neighborhood amenities, lot characteristics, and the differences between communities can all influence how a buyer evaluates a home. Those details are useful when they're specific to the property. Generic descriptions of the area usually aren't.

I also try to avoid exaggerated language. Calling every kitchen “stunning” or every room “light-filled” doesn't tell a buyer very much. Specific information is more credible and usually more useful. If the kitchen was renovated, explain what changed. If the library is exceptional, tell the buyer why. If the backyard is unusually private, describe what creates that privacy.

A good listing description should add information and context to what the buyer has already seen. When it does that well, the photographs and the written description work together to give buyers a more complete understanding of the home.