The best rental listing descriptions attract more top-quality renters with great headlines, incredible photos, enticing copy, and more.
5 Steps to Writing an Effective Rental Listing
Here are the steps to hook renters with quality listings:
- Create an Intriguing Headline
- Write an Engaging Property Description
- Identify Terms
- Use High-Quality Photos
- List How to Apply and Contact Information
1. Create an Intriguing Headline
Potential renters want to be able to identify the key facts of your property without searching around for it. Landlords can get right to the point by listing the price, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and perhaps a desired feature that sets your space apart from others.
Features may include:
- Top-rated schools
- Ideal location
- Great views (park, water, city)
- Large backyard
- Chef’s kitchen
- Walk-in closets
You can also add fun adjectives to intrigue renters. Here are some ideas:
- Modern
- Luxurious
- Upgraded
- Pristine
- Immaculate
- Energy-efficient
- Coastal
- Custom
- Private
- Aesthetically pleasing
Location, Location, Location
Always describe your property’s location early on. The NAR (National Association of Realtors) found that 69% of home shoppers started their web search with a local term like “Dallas Texas homes for rent.”
Adding a specific location or neighborhood in the headline grabs immediate attention from people looking in that area.
$2200 – Pristine 3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom rental home with chef’s kitchen in Downtown Austin
$2700 – 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom luxurious designer condo with sweeping city views in East Nashville
$4500 – 4 Bedroom 2.5 Bathroom custom home with a picturesque backyard in Temecula
2. Write an Engaging Property Description
Once you’ve hooked potential tenants with your headline, continue to pique their interest with an engaging property description. Focus on 1-2 of the best parts of the property and add them throughout the listing.
Include Property Descriptions
Consider what words and descriptions help paint a picture of your property. It’s important to ensure that your listings don’t veer into “spammy” content or sound like you’re trying to write intense poetry. Always err on the simple side. Here are some ideas:
- Gorgeous natural light
- High ceilings
- Tree-lined streets
- Custom tile flooring
- Oversized lot
Discuss the Neighborhood
Potential renters want to know how close the property is to their office, shopping, and places to eat. Add information that is specific to your neighborhood. Identify the nearby major roadways and briefly list what is nearby.
Add Included Amenities
Don’t forget to highlight amenities that are appealing to potential tenants. List any amenities located in or near your community, including:
- Gym access
- Pool
- Clubhouse
- Walking trail
- Greenbelt
- Lawn Service
- Nearby shopping
Headline: $2200 – Pristine 3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom rental home with chef’s kitchen in Downtown Austin (Property Description) This modern rental home offers high ceilings with plenty of natural light. The updated chef’s kitchen features GE Cafe Appliances and Quartz countertops. It is minutes from Lady Bird Lake, UT, and Austin Bergstrom Airport.
Headline: $2700 – 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom luxurious designer condo with sweeping city views in East Nashville (Property Description) This fully furnished apartment features high-end finishes and spa-like bathrooms. Relax in the premium community amenities, including a resort-style pool, fitness center, and on-site coffee shop. It is centrally located near shopping, dining, office spaces, and the neon glow of Broadway Street.
Headline: $4500 – 4 Bedroom 2.5 Bathroom custom hillside home with picturesque backyard in Temecula (Property Description) The custom-designed home features rustic wood-beamed ceilings, reclaimed hardwood floors, and two primary suites. Enjoy the panoramic views of Temecula’s Wine Country from your oversized lot with a heated pool and waterfall spa. It is located near Old Town and top-rated schools.
3. Identify Terms
Renters also need to know when the property is available and what lease terms the landlord will accept. Make this language as simple as possible so there is no room for misunderstandings.
Mention any Important Rules
Feel free to add a few brief details about the expectations like who covers the utilities or if no Airbnb is allowed. Don’t forget to list any HOA policies or ground rules from the start, including:
- Pet policy
- Smoking policy
- Security Deposit
Available January 3rd for a 6-month or 12-month lease. The owner pays yard maintenance; the renter pays utilities. No smoking on property grounds. No pets.
Security deposit of $1,500 due at lease signing.
Just be sure you know your local and state laws regarding how much security deposit you can charge and where you need to hold the money.
4. Use High-Quality Photos
While you can choose to take the pictures yourself, paying a pro is usually worth it. Their understanding of correct lighting and angles can make your rooms appear light and spacious. If you’re new to real estate photography, your pictures won’t show off your property the way you hope.
Choose 2-3 main photos to use in your rental listing. The top image should show the most appealing areas of your home, such as the kitchen, living room, or master bedroom. You may also want to use a photo of the outside of your home and/or a special amenity like a pool or community clubhouse.
Unless you make major upgrades or complete a home renovation, you can use your high-quality photos for years to come.
Many professional photographers can also create 3D floor plans to offer potential tenants a better picture of what your property looks like. This can help attract potential tenants or save you time from showing the property to those for whom the layout won’t work.
5. List How to Apply and Contact Information
At the end of your listing, remember to add information about how to apply, the application and background fee, and who to contact. You can even a link to the application to make the tenant screening process seamless.
Minimum Requirements
Adding a list of minimum requirements can help keep unqualified applicants from applying, saving you time and money. Here are some qualifications to consider:
- Minimum credit score
- No evictions
- No bankruptcies
- Minimum length of employment or bank statement with cash reserve
Rental Listing Red Flags
Experienced renters watch for warning signs that a rental isn’t legit or may have something wrong with it. Check out this list to avoid including any red flags in your listing:
- Vague details
- USING ALL CAPS
- Blurry photos or photos of unclean areas
- Excessive use of punctuation (!!!!!)
- Deferred maintenance
- Lack of information about what is required to rent the property (lease, credit check, background check)
- Lack of information about rental price, fees, and utilities
It’s also a good idea to run your listing through tools like Grammarly or the Hemmingway App. Misspelled words, confusing wording, and poor grammar may cause your listing to seem like a scam.
Where Should I List My Rental?
The reason to advertise a rental property is to ensure exposure. Here are some key places to list your rental:
- Rental websites (Apartment Finder, Rent.com, Zumper)
- Real estate housing websites (Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Realtor)
- Printed flyers for your favorite nearby local spots (coffee shops, community center, gym)
- Social media channels (Facebook, Facebook Marketplace, Instagram)
