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Before you list · 3 steps · free · the same words a Keighbor seller reads
Why this page existsThis is the guide a Keighbor seller reads at the "Write your listing description" milestone, published in full so you can read the whole job before anybody asks you to pay for help with it.
Key takeaways
You have a 100 to 200 word description that could go on a listing site tomorrow.
Your description describes the home, not the buyer.
You have your share link and a couple of short posts ready to go.
1
Write what makes it special
You're done when: You have a 100 to 200 word description that could go on a listing site tomorrow.
Photos drive the click; the description delivers the details. A factual, specific description gives buyers what they actually need to decide whether to come and look.
How to do it
Open with a line about the home's most notable feature: the natural light, the large yard, the walk-to-town location.
In 100 to 200 words cover the layout highlights, recent upgrades with dates, standout features, and neighborhood context.
Include the details you already gathered: beds and baths, square footage, HOA, utility costs, parking, lot size, and what conveys.
Prefer specific facts over superlatives. "2023 roof" and "quarter-acre corner lot" carry information; "stunning" and "must-see" do not.
If your area has down-payment assistance or preferred-lender rates buyers could use, mention them briefly.
Worth knowing
"New roof" and "fully renovated" invite scrutiny. Be ready to document any claim you make.
The same copy flows into every portal, so it is worth getting right once.
Write it before you list, not during.
What it costs
Free
Where to check
Your own records for any claim you make
2
Check your words are fair
You're done when: Your description describes the home, not the buyer.
Fair-housing rules cover listing language nationwide. A description should describe the home, not the ideal buyer or who should live there. This is a legal line, not a style preference.
How to do it
Read your description looking specifically for any language about who the home is for, or perfect for.
Reframe anything like "great for a family" into what is actually there: "four bedrooms, fenced yard."
Cut any reference to religion, race, national origin, age, familial status, disability, or gender.
Keep neighborhood context - close to parks, walkable to downtown - but not characterisations of who lives there.
When in doubt, describe what is there rather than who it is for.
Worth knowing
Feature-focused copy usually carries more information than audience-focused copy anyway.
School information should be a factual assignment, not an evaluation. "Assigned to Lincoln Elementary", not "great schools".
This applies to your social posts and flyers too, not only the MLS listing.
What it costs
Free
Where to check
HUD's own fair housing advertising guidance
3
Get your sharing bits ready
You're done when: You have your share link and a couple of short posts ready to go.
The moment you go live you will want to share the listing fast and consistently. Having the materials ready beforehand means the first day of traffic hits polished channels rather than a half-written post.
How to do it
Generate your share link. It bundles your description, best photos, key stats, and a contact button that routes to this sale's email address, so buyers reach you without seeing your personal one.
Draft a short social post - two or three sentences plus the link - you can drop into Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Nextdoor.
Draft a short text for friends and family: "We're listing our home. Would love any shares."
Check which of your Facebook groups and Nextdoor categories allow real estate posts, and note when you can post.
Save the link somewhere you can find it fast.
Worth knowing
One share link across every channel is more consistent than pasting different URLs from Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com.
The share link updates automatically when you edit your listing.
Coordinate posts so the listing information and links are ready when you share them.
What it costs
Free
Where to check
Open your own share link on a phone before you send it to anyone
There are 17 more like this one
Every step of a home sale has a guide this long behind it. Your room opens them one at a time as you reach them, and whatever you work out gets saved into the step.
