Selling · 2 min read
How to write a property advert that gets viewings
Photos, descriptions and key facts: how to write an honest, specific property advert that brings serious buyers to your door.
Buyers scroll fast. Your first photo and first sentence decide whether they stop. After that, clear facts and an honest description turn interest into viewings.
Photos first
- Shoot in daylight with lights on and curtains open.
- Declutter: clear worktops, remove personal items, put the bins away.
- Use landscape orientation, hold the phone at chest height, and keep vertical lines straight.
- Lead with your best image: usually the front of the house on a bright day, or your best room.
- Cover every main room, plus the garden, parking and the view if it’s good. OpenSell takes up to 20 photos.
- Don’t over-edit. Buyers who feel misled at the door don’t make offers.
The opening line
Say what it is and why it’s good, in one sentence: “A three-bedroom Victorian terrace with a sunny south-facing garden, a five-minute walk from the station.” That beats “Must be viewed!”
Walk the buyer through
Describe the layout in the order someone would walk round: hallway, living space, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, outside. Mention what’s been done recently (new boiler, rewired, roof replaced) and when.
The key facts buyers look for
Estate agents follow National Trading Standards guidance on “material information”. Even as a private seller, buyers will expect the same essentials:
- price and tenure (freehold, leasehold or share of freehold)
- council tax band and EPC rating
- for leasehold: years remaining, service charge and ground rent
- heating type, parking and outside space
- anything unusual: shared access, flood history, non-standard construction, restrictions
Be honest
A buyer who relies on a false statement in your advert may have a claim against you. Describe things accurately, say if something needs work, and let the photos speak. Honesty also filters out time-wasters.
What to leave out
- your phone number, email or full address. OpenSell keeps these private and passes on verified enquiries instead.
- links, and anything you can’t back up
- claims about schools or “investment potential” you can’t verify. State facts such as distances instead.
A simple template
Line 1: type, size, best feature, location.
Paragraph 2: walk-through of rooms.
Paragraph 3: recent improvements and running costs.
Paragraph 4: outside, parking, local amenities with distances.
Paragraph 5: anything a buyer must know.
Sources
- National Trading Standards: Material information in property listings
- Citizens Advice: Selling a home
Last reviewed . This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can change; check with a solicitor or conveyancer about your own sale.