Following on from our previous articles around floor plans and superb photography, the final piece of the estate agents 'must haves' is a fantastic marketing description. 

A word of warning is that all marketing statements must be true. For example, you cannot state that you have a bedroom if it does not have a window.

There are rules which are set out in the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) and the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations (2008). However, this does not stop some estate agents from marketing a 3-bed as a 4-bed, for example!

When it comes to the description of the home, most estate agents will list the rooms, with measurements and internal fittings, such as radiators and double-glazed windows, without actually selling their client's home.

A property description should paint a lifestyle by including exciting and descriptive worlds, creating a beautiful picture for the potential buyer. Upon reading, they should be able to see themselves living in their perfect, welcoming home. 

When writing a description, we make sure we include what in the house makes it special and would make a buyer stop in their tracks and go WOW?! Things to include may be a stunning feature fireplace, a relaxing spa bath and an amazing conservatory which allows the buyer to bathe in the sunshine.

It is also key that the initial 250 characters, which appear in the summary, are the most compelling and appealing to any would-be buyer. This is the one chance to grab the buyer's interest.

Any texts longer than this end with a "…" and the rest of the summary will not be visible. A lot of agents do not include a separate summary, so it is just the start of their description.

We do see a lot of agents who simply churn out template descriptions listing a bland set of characterless features.

Given the importance of your marketing decision, don't be afraid to challenge your estate agent and get them to re-write the description until you're happy with it.

Remember, this is your property and the amount of money involved is substantial, so you need to get it right.