Writing a listing description that converts

Guests skim listings on a phone, in a list of twenty near-identical options. Your description has roughly two lines to say who this place is for before they scroll past.

Lead with the guest, not the building

"A quiet two-bedroom for families, five minutes from the beach" beats "Beautiful modern apartment with stylish interiors". The first tells someone whether to keep reading; the second is true of half the market.

A structure that works

• Headline: property type, standout feature, location. Under 60 characters.
• Opening lines: who it suits and the single best thing about it.
• The space: layout, sleeping arrangements, bathrooms, working spaces.
• Amenities that matter: fast Wi-Fi with a number, parking, washing machine, air conditioning.
• The area: what is walkable, and how long to the things people come for.
• Practicalities: check-in method, stairs, noise, anything that could surprise on arrival.

Be concrete about distances

"Close to the centre" means nothing. "Twelve-minute walk to the old town, six minutes to the metro" is both more persuasive and more defensible in a review.

State the constraints

Third-floor walk-up, no lift. Street parking only. One bathroom for six guests. Saying these plainly costs you the bookings that would have become bad reviews, and nothing else.

Words to retire

Cosy, stunning, nestled, oasis, home away from home, and any sentence that could describe every property in your city. Replace each with a specific detail: the wood stove, the corner window, the eight-minute walk to the lake.