Words That Open Doors · Self-paced course

Module 1 · Before you write a word · Lesson 1 of 10 · free to read

The six questions every description answers

Most weak listing copy isn't badly written. It's under-researched. The agent sat down with a blank screen and a deadline and reached for the words that were lying around: stunning, gorgeous, must-see. Those words are lying around because nobody wants them.

Good copy starts with notes, not sentences. Before you write, answer six questions about the property.

Question	What you're really asking
Who	Who is this home, in character? Its features and the life it offers. Never a type of buyer. "Who" is the house, not the household.
What	What is it, plainly? Bedrooms, baths, layout, the two or three features that set it apart.
Where	Where is it, in useful terms? The street feel, what is a few blocks away, the view, the orientation.
When	When does it shine? Morning light in the kitchen, golden hour on the lanai, the quiet of a weekday afternoon. Also: when was it updated?
Why	Why would someone choose this one over the three nearby? The honest reason, in one sentence.
How	How does it live day to day? Where does the morning coffee happen, where do groceries come in, where does the day end?

Notice the who row. It is the one that trips agents up. "Who" never means "perfect for a young couple" or "ideal for retirees." Describing the kind of person who should live somewhere is a fair housing problem, and it is also lazy writing. Describe the single-story layout and the zero-step entry. Buyers can decide for themselves whether that fits their life.

Try it now

Pick your current listing (or a friend's). Answer all six questions in bullet points, no full sentences, before you write anything. Stand in each room if you can. If you can't answer "why," you're not ready to write yet.

Check yourself · not graded

In the six questions, what does "who" describe?

The ideal buyer for the homeThe seller's storyThe home's features and the life it offers

When is a description ready to write?

When you can answer all six questions, including whyWhen you have a deadlineWhen you have the photos back

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Module 1 · Before you write a word · Lesson 2 of 10 · free to read

Accuracy first: verify before you describe

A beautiful sentence that isn't true is not beautiful. It's a problem with good grammar.

Listing copy is advertising, and advertising has to be accurate. Before you write, check the facts you plan to lean on.

Square footage. Use a figure you can source (public records, a measurement, a survey or appraisal) and know which one you used. Don't round up. Don't add the lanai unless your MLS and broker say how to show it. If sources disagree, ask your broker how to present it.
Distances. "Steps to the beach" only if it is literally steps. Otherwise say "a few blocks from" or give the real distance. Walk it or map it yourself.
Year built, updates, permits. "New roof" means what, exactly, and when? Get the year from the seller and, where possible, confirm with records.
Views. "Water view" from the primary suite, or water view if you lean out of the guest bath window? Describe what a buyer will actually see.
Flood zone, HOA rules, rental restrictions. Don't characterize them in copy. Point buyers to the documents and let the facts speak.

Asking the seller, gently

Sellers remember their home generously. A calm question gets you the real answer without making them feel doubted.

Just out of curiosity, do you have the paperwork from the roof replacement? I'd love to put the year in the description.

It sounds like the kitchen was a big project. How would you like me to describe what was done, so it's accurate to the detail?

Would you be opposed to me using the public-record square footage, and we mention the lanai separately?

Keep a simple fact sheet for each listing: the claim, the source, the date you checked. When a buyer's agent asks, you have the answer in ten seconds. Your broker may have a required process too; follow theirs first.

Try it now

Take your last description and underline every factual claim. Next to each, write where it came from. Anything without a source gets verified or removed.

Check yourself · not graded

When is "steps to the beach" appropriate?

When the beach is within a short driveOnly when it is literally trueWhenever the home is in a coastal city

What is the best way to handle a flood zone in listing copy?

Describe it as low riskLeave characterization out and point to the documentsMention it only if the buyer asks

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End of the free chapter

That was chapter one. There is more waiting.

Thank you for reading. Here is what the rest of Words That Open Doors: Listing Descriptions and Captions That Sell the Life, Not the Adjectives covers.

Module 2 With enrollment

The craft

The first line is the whole job
Sensory detail without the purple
The five-part description and your MLS limits

Module 3 With enrollment

Before and after

Rewrite: the modest condo
Rewrite: the larger home

Module 4 With enrollment

Fair, clean, social and put to work

Words to retire and the fair-housing checklist
Captions for social
Your first week of better copy

The rest of the course

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You have the first chapter. The remaining 3 modules and 8 lessons open with enrollment. Join the list and Cara will write to you once, when enrollment opens.

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