What is an empty adjective? It’s a word that doesn’t really mean anything – but it can mean different things to different people.
For example: nice, large, small, great, pretty, cozy, cute, huge, and spacious.
You’ve read hundreds of real estate ads filled with those empty adjectives.
If you’re writing them, it’s time to stop. Your goal should be to paint a word picture that entices both buyers and buyer’s agents, and you just can’t do it with empty adjectives.
Before you panic, realize that most of the time, it’s not that difficult to write a better ad. It just takes a few extra minutes.
Instead of saying that your new listing has a “great” view, say it has a view of (whatever is out there.) If you have to be really brief, choose a word or phrase such as “panoramic,” “180 degree,” “ocean,” “mountain,” “city” or “valley.” Just don’t call it great, because that doesn’t mean a thing.
After all, what does “great” mean? Different things to different people.
For instance, you might say the yard has a great fence. To me that would mean it’s tall and dog-proof so I could let my critters out to play without worrying. Chain link comes to mind. To someone else it might mean a rustic split-rail that only keeps people from walking or riding bicycles through your flower beds.
And then there’s that wimpy, meaningless word: “nice.” Instead of saying the home is surrounded by nice trees, say it’s surrounded by “100′ pines.”
But of course, if you have the space – such as on your own website – you can paint a word picture that includes privacy, shelter from the sun and wind, birds nesting in the trees, or whatever fits. Just don’t say “nice trees,” because “nice” doesn’t paint any pictures (and “trees” is too generic.)
Any time you’re tempted to describe a feature as “nice,” stop and think about what makes it nice.Then say that.
If you want to talk about size, say how large it is. A “12′ X 40′ deck” paints a better picture than a “large deck.”
Remember that while you’re painting word pictures of the features in a home, it’s good to add some action/benefits. You do have to be careful to follow the ADA rules, but try to suggest how the occupants will live in the home and benefit from its features.
A purchase is an emotional decision, justified with logic. And it’s benefits, not features, that affect emotions.
Write your ad. Then read it. What do you see in your mind’s eye?
