If your listing description reads like a robot wrote it, buyers will scroll right past. On the flip side, if it sounds too chatty or vague, Google won’t understand what you’re selling. The trick is to write for *both* audiences — humans first, search engines second.

You don’t need AI tools or fancy copywriting formulas. You just need to picture a real person walking through the home and tell the story they’d want to hear.

Step 1: Stop Copying What Everyone Else Writes

If your listings use phrases like “luxury living,” “prime location,” or “move-in ready,” congratulations — you sound exactly like everyone else. Buyers don’t search for homes using those words. They search for “4-bedroom house near schools with a fenced yard.”

The goal isn’t to sound clever. It’s to sound clear.

Here’s how that looks in practice:

• Instead of “stunning kitchen,” write “updated kitchen with quartz counters and new stainless appliances.”
• Instead of “inviting living room,” say “open living space with natural light from three large windows.”
• Instead of “perfect for entertaining,” describe what that means — “room for an 8-seat dining table and walk-out patio access.”

That kind of detail paints a picture *and* gives Google the right words to match search intent.

Step 2: Write Like You’re Walking a Buyer Through the Home

A great listing description feels like a private tour. Picture yourself opening the front door with the buyer beside you. What do you notice first? What makes you stop and look twice?

Write in that order.

Start with the big picture: location, number of rooms, and major highlights. Then move room by room — kitchen, living area, bedrooms, and backyard. It helps readers visualize flow, not just features.

For example:
“Step inside to a bright living room anchored by a stone fireplace. The remodeled kitchen opens directly to a dining nook overlooking the backyard, where you’ll find a new deck and mature oak trees.”

See how that sounds like a person talking? That’s the goal.

Step 3: Use Keywords Naturally

Google cares about structure, but it also knows when you’re trying too hard. You don’t need to stuff your description with every keyword imaginable.

Instead, sprinkle in real phrases buyers actually type:

• “Homes near downtown Carmel”
• “3-bedroom ranch with finished basement”
• “Townhome with garage parking”

Those phrases sound normal — not forced.

If you want more examples of SEO that feels natural, read our breakdown on how to build a realtor marketing funnel. It explains how to use keywords without sounding like you’re writing for a computer.

Step 4: Focus on What Photos Can’t Show

Your pictures do the heavy lifting, but your words should fill in what buyers can’t see.

Photos can’t tell you how the morning light hits the breakfast nook or how quiet the cul-de-sac feels at night. Mention those details — they trigger emotion.

Here are a few sensory examples that sell:

• “Morning light fills the sunroom as the neighborhood wakes up.”
• “A gentle breeze carries the scent of lilacs across the backyard.”
• “The crackle of the fireplace turns movie nights into cozy rituals.”

Emotion wins clicks. Specifics win trust.

Step 5: Make the First Line Count

The first 150 characters are everything. They appear in Google search results, MLS previews, and social shares. That’s your hook.

Start with what makes this home special — location, layout, or story. Avoid wasting the opening on fluff like “Welcome home to this beautiful property.”

Try something like:
“Bright 4-bedroom home in Carmel’s Woodgate neighborhood, featuring a remodeled kitchen and fenced yard backing to green space.”

It gives the who, what, and where — no filler.

If you’re building your listings into a full website, check out our guide on how to showcase listings without IDX. It shows how to keep your content SEO-friendly without depending on clunky feeds.

Step 6: Write Like a Human, Edit Like a Marketer

Once you’ve written the first draft, step away for ten minutes. Then come back and trim the fat. Remove any word that doesn’t help someone picture the property.

A quick test: if you can’t visualize what you just wrote, delete it.

Here’s an example of a bad sentence:
“Experience the pinnacle of suburban excellence in this stunning residence.”

And here’s how to fix it:
“This 3-bedroom ranch sits on a quiet corner lot, two blocks from the neighborhood park.”

You just turned empty marketing speak into an image someone can picture.

Step 7: Don’t Forget the Neighborhood

Buyers aren’t just buying a house — they’re buying a life. Mention what’s nearby: schools, restaurants, parks, or walking trails.

Example:
“Located minutes from Midtown Plaza, the Monon Trail, and local favorites like Sun King Brewery.”

Specificity shows you know the area, not just the address. It also adds searchable keywords naturally — neighborhood names and landmarks are gold for local SEO.

Step 8: Format for Readability

Nobody wants to read a wall of text. Break up long paragraphs. Use bullet points for upgrades and features.

If you’re uploading to an MLS that strips formatting, use short sentences and line breaks instead. Keep each section digestible — no more than three sentences per block.

You’re not writing a novel. You’re writing a tour guide that fits on a phone screen.

Step 9: Match Your Voice to the Home

Not every house should sound the same. A modern downtown condo and a country farmhouse shouldn’t share a tone.

For upscale listings, aim for polished but warm:
“Floor-to-ceiling windows frame skyline views from every angle.”

For family homes, keep it grounded:
“Backyard big enough for summer barbecues and backyard soccer games.”

The voice should reflect the buyer you’re trying to attract, not your personal vocabulary.

Step 10: Proofread Like You Mean It

You’d be amazed how many listings go live with typos in the headline. “Gourment kitchen.” “Granite coutnertops.” “Walking clost.”

Run a spell check. Then read it out loud. You’ll hear where the rhythm feels clunky or where words repeat. If something sounds weird when spoken, it’ll sound weird online too.

Step 11: Always End with a Call to Action

Don’t just end on a period. Tell people what to do next.

Instead of a cold “Schedule a showing,” give them a reason:
“Come see why this corner-lot home has neighbors stopping by just to compliment the porch.”

It feels conversational, not pushy.

“But you don’t get it! I only have *so many* characters!”

I get it – the MLS or BLC or whatever they want to call it this week limits the characters you can put in the box. That’s why we get to read “Stunning PRCH w/GRT VW of WtrFRNT”. But here’s an alternative – build a page on your site, or even a full listing site. One client of ours hired us to build a site for an upcoming real estate auction (think 123MainSt.com) that allowed their team to put anything and everything they wanted on it. It immediately ranked in Google and sold nearly 15% over list BEFORE the auction even took place.

Bonus: Use a Template That Keeps You Consistent

Once you’ve nailed your tone, create a simple structure for every listing:

1. Headline: Include property type and key feature
2. Intro: Neighborhood and unique value
3. Main Body: Room-by-room highlights
4. Neighborhood: What’s nearby
5. Closing Line: Warm invitation or CTA

A repeatable format saves time and keeps your marketing voice consistent across every property.

For a broader strategy on how to turn that consistency into leads, see our article on top realtor website mistakes and how to avoid them.

The Bottom Line

Your listing descriptions don’t have to sound robotic to rank on Google. They just need to sound real — detailed, specific, and human.

Paint a picture. Keep it simple. And write like you’re standing in the home with the buyer beside you.

That’s what separates a description that gets clicks from one that gets calls.