Creating a Top Notch Real Estate Listing

When selling a house, coming up with the right words can be challenging, even to an expert. You want to portray even the dumpiest house in a positive light without misleading the potential buyer. It doesn't have to be quite as difficult as it seems.

When creating a real estate listing, it is important to remember that the listing must comply with Fair Housing laws. According to the Fair Housing laws, you must:

Ÿ Create an ad that is politically correct and does not target specific person or group. You cannot say the house is great for young families, perfect for older couples, great for singles, etc. Any listing containing a recommendation for a specified target is not meeting the guidelines set by the fair housing act.

When creating a real estate ad, you can only focus on the house itself. If the ad lists a preference to a family, group, race, color, religion, sex, or handicap, it is also not complying with Fair Housing Act laws. Look at the following listing:

Perfect family home with three bedrooms and one bath. Every thing has been updated including the paint, flooring, siding, roof, windows, doors, and more. Three-season sunroom gives excellent views of mountain sunsets.

According to the Fair Housing Act, two items in this listing are discriminatory. First, the term "family home" implies that the house is only suitable to families and not singles. Second, "excellent views" can be biased against a blind person. Though it sounds silly, these items must be avoided for the ad to be legal.

Additionally, your ad must be accurate, contain solid information, avoid vague terminology, and be clear. Why do you need to be so meticulous about your ads? If you provide false information on any ad, you could face a lawsuit by the eventual buyer for misrepresentation.

Once you are clear on the laws, you can begin creating a real estate listing that will capture attention and potential buyers. Regardless of the size of your home, there are unique traits that will appeal to the masses.

If your house is small, don't focus on the size. Instead, promote how the home's heating costs are low. A smaller house doesn't use up as much fuel as a larger house and this quality is attractive to many buyers in today's market. Homes with woodstoves are also popular because they provide a romantic quality on a cold winter's night.

List all of the updates you have made. Do not just blandly state that updates have been made. Make sure you cover the big-ticket items like new windows, new doors, new appliances, new flooring, new roof, new furnace, etc. Many homebuyers want a house that does not need a lot of work and they will favor listings that show the work has been completed.

Do not skimp on the features. List the rooms and any perks. If you have a large back deck, make sure to include it because outside living space can be just as important as indoor space. This is especially true of areas where there are four seasons.

Kitchens are one of the most important rooms in a house. People want storage space, dishwashers, and nifty built-in features. Be sure to list any bonuses you have to offer. Do not list brand names unless you know they are correct. Saying there is a Jenn-Air stove can be misleading if it is a stove similar to a Jenn-Air, but it actually is a different brand. The same is true with Jacuzzi tubs, list it generically and do not list brand names unless they are correct.

With these general guidelines, you can create a top notch real estate listing that will attract many buyers to your home.