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You are here: Home / real estate grammar / Real Estate Marketing Word Usage – Perspective vs. prospective

Real Estate Marketing Word Usage – Perspective vs. prospective

October 7, 2016 by Marte Cliff

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Here’s a common word usage error that can throw a huge stop sign in the middle of your real estate marketing message: the use of “perspective” when you mean “prospective.”

Just to clarify…

Perspective is a noun with a Latin root meaning “look through” or “perceive,” and all the meanings of perspective have something to do with looking.

If you observe the world from a child’s perspective, you see through the child’s eyes.

In drawing, perspective gives your drawing the appearance of depth or distance.

If we say someone “has perspective,” we mean she has a reasonable point of view or a sensible outlook on life.

Prospective is an adjective. It indicates that something is expected or likely to happen. If you’re contemplating your future, you might speak of your prospective trip around the world, your prospective wealth and fame, or (to be more down-to-earth) a prospective soak in the hot tub after a long day.

And of course you might speak of your prospective buyers, sellers, and closings – which will lead to that wealth and fame and those trips around the world.

Since these definitions are not remotely alike, it’s no wonder that a prospective listing client would stop and wonder if you wrote about your plan for attracting perspective buyers. And yet, I see this one all the time in blog posts and even on web pages.

If you’ve read many of my word usage and grammar blogs, you know I love tricks and clues to help remember correct usage. This one is easy.

You prospect to find new clients. You don’t perspect.

Those future clients are called prospects. They aren’t called perspects.

They’re prospective buyers and sellers. Why would you call them perspective buyers and sellers? 

Filed Under: real estate grammar, real estate self-promotion, real estate word choices Tagged With: real estate grammar, real estate promotion, real estate word usage

About Marte Cliff

Marte Cliff is a professional real estate copywriter with a past - as a real estate agent and then owner/broker. She understands the real estate business, the challenges agents face, and the wants, needs, and fears that real estate clients face. She also understands the psychology of marketing.

When not writing, Marte enjoys reading, gardening, visiting with friends and family, and spending time with her canine companions. She enjoys life in a quiet mountain valley with wildlife as her nearest neighbors.

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