Most listing remarks sound the same. "Stunning home, great location, a must see!" A buyer reads that and learns nothing. When you write listing descriptions, your job is to tell a buyer the one or two facts that decide whether they book a showing. Here's how I do it. I lead with the feature buyers actually search for, name real details, and stay honest about what the house is. I also check every word against fair housing rules, because a single phrase like "perfect for families" can get you in trouble.
The short answer
Put the strongest searchable feature in the first sentence: "Ranch home with a main-floor primary suite and a three-car garage." Then name specific features buyers care about, in plain words. Keep it honest, so the showing matches the listing. Describe the property, never the people. Follow your MLS rules on what can go in public remarks, and keep it within the character limit.
Step by step
- Fill in the MLS fields first. Beds, baths, garage spaces, basement finish, HOA dues and features. Buyers filter by fields, not by remarks. A great description can't save a home missing from a search.
- Name the buyer's top question. For each home, ask what a buyer will want to know first. Main-floor bedroom? Finished basement? Big yard? Mountain view? Lead with it.
- Write the first sentence like a search. Use the words buyers type: "ranch," "main-floor primary," "finished walkout basement," "RV parking," "three-car garage," "no HOA."
- List real features with real details. "Kitchen opens to a covered back patio" beats "great for entertaining." "Roof replaced in 2023" beats "well maintained." Only use dates and facts the seller can back up.
- Explain the layout. Room counts don't tell people how a home lives. "Two bedrooms and a full bath on the main level, two more upstairs" helps a buyer picture it.
- Be honest about condition. If it needs work, say so in a fair way: "Priced for the buyer who wants to update the kitchen and baths." Surprises at the showing kill trust.
- End with a simple next step. Open house time, or that floor plans and video are on the listing.
- Run the fair housing and MLS check before you submit.
Words to use and words to avoid
| Instead of this | Write this |
|---|---|
| Perfect for families | Four bedrooms upstairs, fenced back yard |
| Great for retirees / empty nesters | Main-floor primary suite, no-step entry |
| Walking distance to church | 0.3 miles to the Main Street shops and library (name non-religious places) |
| Safe, quiet neighborhood | On a cul-de-sac with low through traffic |
| Great schools | Served by [school name] in [district]; check the district website |
| Bachelor pad / man cave | One-bedroom loft / finished basement rec room |
| Exclusive community | Gated entry; HOA includes pool and clubhouse |
| Stunning, amazing, must see | The actual feature: vaulted ceilings, new windows, a view of open space |
Why these words matter. The federal Fair Housing Act bans ads that show a preference based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status. Colorado adds more protected classes, including creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status and source of income. "Perfect for families" points to familial status. "Walking distance to church" points to religion. Even if you mean well, the words can say "these people are welcome, others aren't." Read HUD's guidance at HUD's fair housing page.
One exception. Age-restricted 55+ communities can be called "55+" or "active adult" when they really are. Describe the community's rules and features, not who "should" live there.
MLS rules to check
Every MLS has its own rules for public remarks. Common ones:
- No contact info in public remarks: no phone numbers, emails or websites.
- No showing instructions in public remarks. Those go in private or agent remarks.
- No compensation talk in public fields.
- A character limit. Know yours and write to fit. Don't let the most important feature get cut off.
- Facts must match the fields. If the remarks say four bedrooms and the field says three, fix it.
Check your MLS's current rules before you submit. Colorado advertising rules also apply to listing ads, and you need a signed listing agreement before you advertise the home. See dre.colorado.gov.
How long should it be?
Long enough to answer the top questions, short enough to read on a phone. For most homes that's 100 to 250 words, inside your MLS limit. Put the best facts in the first two lines, since many sites cut off the rest behind "Read more."
A worked example
Weak: "Stunning home in a great neighborhood! Perfect for families. Close to everything. Must see!"
Better: "Ranch home with a main-floor primary suite and a finished walkout basement. The kitchen opens to a covered deck that faces open space. Four bedrooms and three baths, plus a basement rec room and storage. New furnace and water heater in 2024. Three-car garage. About 10 minutes to the light rail station. Floor plan and video tour on the listing. Open Saturday 11 to 1."
The second one tells a buyer exactly why to come see it, and it doesn't say a word about who should live there.
How to explain it to your client
Sellers sometimes want their remarks to say "great schools" or "perfect for a growing family." Here's how I handle it.
"I know your home has been great for your family, and buyers will feel that when they walk in. In the listing, though, the law says we describe the house, not the people who should live there. So instead of 'perfect for families,' we'll say four bedrooms up and a fenced yard. Instead of 'great schools,' we'll name the schools and let buyers look them up. It actually sells better, because it gives buyers real facts."
Watch-outs
- Overselling. A description that promises more than the house delivers wastes showings and angers buyers.
- Unverified claims. Don't write "new roof" unless you know the date and have proof.
- Square footage guesses. Use the measured or public-record number and note the source in your file.
- Copying another listing's remarks. Write your own every time.
- ALL CAPS and exclamation points. They look desperate.
- Leaving out a known issue. Disclosures still apply. Remarks aren't a place to hide things.
Further reading
- Marketing Your Colorado Home to Sell on kennarealestate.com
- Colorado Listing Photos: A Seller's Guide on kennarealestate.com
This is training for real estate agents. It isn't legal, tax or lending advice. Check with your managing broker.
Questions
What should go in the first sentence?
The feature buyers search for most for that home, like "main-floor primary" or "finished walkout basement."
Can I say "perfect for families"?
No. It points to familial status. Describe the bedrooms and the yard instead.
Can I mention nearby churches?
Don't use places of worship as selling points. Name parks, trails, shops and transit instead.
Can I put my phone number in the remarks?
Most MLSs don't allow contact info in public remarks. Check your MLS rules.
How long should a listing description be?
Usually 100 to 250 words, within your MLS character limit, with the best facts first.
Can I say "great schools"?
No. Give the school names and point buyers to the district website.
Brian Lee Burke is the founder of PadLeaders, a Colorado real estate broker licensed since 2003, team leader of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (formerly Kenna Real Estate Group) and the author of Mastering Real Estate and The Real Estate Playbook. More about Brian.