Home Seller’s Guide, Part V – Writing Good Ads

The vast majority of buyers who will contact you will have found you on the Internet or in a classified ad in the newspaper. So you definitely want to place classified ads. However, even small classifieds in large newspapers can cost a bit, especially if you end up running your ad for weeks or even months. The secret, of course, is to keep your ads simple and short. The hard part is keeping it short while generating interest. This chapter is dedicated to showing you how to do it.

Ideally, your ad will provide enough information that buyers will want to know more, but not so much that the ad will cost you a small fortune. Focus on price, location, and highlight key benefits. That’s right, benefits! Most of the ads you read will list features, ‘like close to schools’ or ‘Jacuzzi’. But as most professional advertisers would tell you, it’s much more effective to list the benefits such features provide: sell the sizzle, not the steak. For example, if your house is close to schools, that’s fine: write your ad in a way that shows how this will improve the buyer’s life a little, like “Mom can sleep late: schools are within walking distance.” If your home has a hot tub, you may want to say something like, “Rest and relax with a personal massage in your own hot tub.” Remember: people don’t buy features. They buy benefits. If you offer them benefits they can appreciate, they will buy.

So now you know what to put in your ad. Now, you have to make it short. Perhaps the best way to shorten any ad is to include a URL, the address of your web page. In this way, buyers can learn more, immediately (and in full color) with anonymity. You ranked only arouses curiosity, let your website do the rest. With a good website, your ad doesn’t need to say much more than ‘By Owner – Nice 3 bed, 2 bath brownstone apartment in a great neighbourhood. Take a look at (their website), or call 555-1212 for an appointment. $125,000, Boston’.

That’s as short as it gets, folks! You provided the location (Boston), the price range (so you don’t waste time with people searching lower or higher ranges), and provided the curiosity factor, along with two methods to satisfy your curiosity: call or visit your site Web. page. He has also told them that they could save, because he has listed it as By Owner.

If the specific neighborhood you live in is desirable, you may want to list it, such as ‘Nob Hill, Boston area’. If you have other good assets, like a large garden or acreage, include them. And, if you don’t mind advertising that you’re willing to pay $2000 in closing costs, by all means say so. These things create interest. If the price is below the appraised value, be sure to indicate this in your ad. Revamped to include such things, your ad might read:

By Owner – 3 BR 2 BA Brownstone, Nob Hill Area, Boston. Large patio. Seller pays $2,000 towards closing; price below appraisal. $125,000. Take a look at (their website) or call 555-1212 for an appointment.

Larger ads placed on local bulletin boards or newsletters can contain a lot more information, but anything beyond the basics shown above should be limited to the benefits listed above. If allowed and profitable, include a photo. This ad can also be printed as brochures.

NEXT: Using the Internet to sell your house