As an agent, you’re probably writing a lot more than you thought you would. A potential client cannot ‘see’ you after you send them a first message – all they know about you is through your writing. Listing descriptions, titles, social media content, emails, WhatsApp messages…the list goes on, where each piece of your writing reflects your professionalism.
In a world dominated by gifs, emojis and videos, many an agent could use a refresher on writing skills. This is why we’re spilling the tea and sharing professional writing secrets for agents.
Writing For Property Listings
Listing Title
Imagine you’re scrolling through Bayut, looking for your dream home. You spot an apartment that might be The One, until you see a title that says “Butiful | cheap | one month free”.
Would you still be interested in the apartment? Most likely, no.
Being one of the first things property seekers see when looking at a listing, your listing title should be well-thought-out. Here are some tips for writing listing titles:
- Your listing title should stand out, be engaging and entice the end user to click through the listing.
- Bayut’s quality guidelines suggest a minimum of 40 characters. Avoid repeating details from a customer’s initial search.
For example: “1-bedroom Apartment, Mudon Views, Dubailand” – repeats what clients put in their initial search.
Instead, a title like “Beautiful Fully Upgraded Villa With Private Pool” would draw the attention of a potential buyer.
- Double-check your spelling! Common words like “spacious”, “gorgeous”, and “exquisite” used in property listings titles tend to get misspelt.
You might think ‘specious’ doesn’t seem too bad, but a potential client might see this as unprofessional.
Listing Descriptions
You’ve reeled in a potential client with a nice title, now get them interested in the listing (and working with you) with a well-written description.
A few things you should keep in mind to nail your listing description are:
- Your listing description should paint a picture of the property to the reader. Describe the view, the interiors, and what it looks like in order to make visualising the property easier.
- Bayut’s quality guidelines for Listing Descriptions suggests a minimum of 300 characters. The more descriptive, the better.
- Try to write authentic content – copied content does not fare well under Google Search. Results, as it would be flagged under ‘plagiarism’.
If you’re struggling with vocabulary, look up synonyms for the adjectives you want to use. For example, a synonym for ‘luxurious’ is ‘opulent’!
Remember, with writing: “show – don’t tell”. For example, instead of stopping at ‘beautiful view”, describe the waterfront view that faces the Arabian Sea or the view of Ain Dubai from a distance.
Let’s take a look at the difference between two listing descriptions:
- Situated in the heart of the city and offering a magnificent view of the Burj Khalifa, this 3-bedroom apartment is a sight to behold. Tastefully designed by Italian designer Venti Paulo, this 1500 sq. ft apartment in Sky Collection Apartment in the Address Fountain Views 1 offer luxury living inspired by the opulence of Dubai city.
This apartment comes with a fully fitted kitchen, a built-in wardrobe and state-of-the-art modern appliances. Featuring two balconies, experience natural lighting and enjoy a stunning view of Downtown Dubai, Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain. Prepare to be pampered, with services including twice-daily cleaning and 24 | 7 security and reception, along with amenities including; an infinity pool, a basketball court, a fully equipped gym, spa and more!
For further details, or to book your viewing, contact Briar Rose.
Get the latest tips for Real Estate Success
- 3-BHK in sky collection address marina. Luxury apartment
- Fully Furnished
- View of Downtown
- High floor
- 2 times cleaning
- 1 Parking space
- Infinity Pool
- Basketball court
- Fully equipped gym
- Spa
- 24 | 7 security and reception
- Single cheque is the request
Contact Briar :
Which Listing Description seems better?
Writing for Social Media
If social media is one of the platforms you use to market your business and personal brand, perfecting your writing skills should be a top priority. Grammatical or spelling errors are a huge no-no.
Social media represents YOU, so here are some things to consider before you type a caption for your next post:
- Keep your writing crisp and simple. No one’s going to read five paragraphs of text on an Instagram caption, so condense your content into a few lines that share your message
- Have a ‘Call To Action’, for your reader. “DM to set up a view or get more information or comment below”
- Use more personal pronouns like ‘I’, ‘we’, or ‘us’ to connect with your followers, rather than ‘the team’.
- Again, no misspelt words! Ensure autocorrect is enabled on your phone and computer to prevent spelling errors. Always proofread your work. Twice.
- Use correct punctuation. Full stops and commas are often ignored on social media, making it difficult to read the content. . Use commas when needed and end all sentences with a full stop.
- Emojis are fantastic in small amounts. One smiley face is cute, but 10 emojis might seem childish.
We have an in-depth guide on using social media as a real estate agent, so if that’s something you’re keen on, head over to our Content Corner!
Text Messaging And Email Communications
WhatsApp is the most common text messaging platform in the UAE.
There’s a sea of differences between texting your friends and texting customers. Here are some ways you can stay professional while messaging:
- Avoid short forms and “text” language. “Hw r u”, “u lookin 4 a property???” and “hmmm k” will not seem professional to potential clients.
- Start with a greeting, and share your name, your designation and how you can assist them. This can come quite handy when replying to a missed call over WhatsApp. For example, “Hello, I’m Madeline G, Senior Property Consultant at GrandeHomes; I missed a call from this number. How can I help you? ?”.
- Re-read your text messages before sending them, to avoid spelling mistakes and lack of punctuation.
You can use our Text Messaging and WhatsApp scripts to send great text messages to your clients for any situation.
Lastly, writing skills also matter when it comes to emails. A lot of property seekers on Bayut may send email enquiries through the contact email on property listings. You also may have to contact your clients via email regarding their tenancy contract renewals and property updates.
Here are a few writing tips to keep in mind when writing emails:
- Your subject line should describe the message of the email. For example, if you’re sending price trends in Dubai Marina, a compelling subject line would be Dubai Marina Price Trends
- Begin your emails with a greeting, such as “Hello”, “Dear …”, etc
- If you’re sending an email to your client for the first time, make sure you introduce yourself and your agency
- End your emails with a sign-off (Kind Regards, Thank you, etc.) and an email signature
- Use Grammarly or spell-check to avoid grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Also, read through your emails one more time before hitting send.
Another place where good writing plays a role in attracting potential clients is your Bayut Agent Profile. One of the first things property seekers see when looking at your listings on Bayut, it is like your online business card and represents yourself.
We recommend highlighting your strengths and telling property seekers why you’re the agent they can trust while writing your Agent Profile. For more tips on writing a good Agent Profile, check out our in-depth guide.
We hope this guide helps you navigate the writing in your real estate career. Good writing takes practice, so take your time to perfect this skill.
If you’re looking for more ways to hone your skills and level up your real estate career, check out our series of exclusive resources for agents in our Content Corner. You can also join us at our interactive workshops at Bayut Academy.