Tips to Writing an Effective Ad

Much care should be taken in writing an ad so that you may attract the largest possible number of potential buyers. 

We recommend the following guidelines to assist you in writing your ad text:

¨   Look at advertisements for homes to learn how other sellers write their ads. A good resource is the current ads in ForSaleByOwner.com magazine.

¨   List the 10 most positive things about your home; then use them.

¨   Develop an attention-getting headline.

¨   Be aware of your homes' vital statistics other than number of bedrooms and baths: such as total square footage, tax value, schools, churches, bus stops, and other community features.

¨   List several of the most desirable features of your home. Don't forget to include features such as: family room (FR), rec. room, dining room (DR), garage or carport, fireplaces (FP's), decks, fencing, storage building(s), landscaping, trees, stream, etc. Since many buyers purchase homes for emotional reasons, such descriptions as “cozy” fireplace, “sunny” deck, or “sparkling” stream are very effective.

¨   Emphasize any features or desirable financing that your home may have.

¨   Mention any Open Houses that you hold including the hours the home will be open. Normal Open House time periods are Sunday 1-3pm. This affords buyers the opportunity to attend church or any other weekend function during the morning, have lunch and then go to your open house.

¨   There is no need to specify the city, square footage, or number of bedrooms and baths in the ad. You'll notice that ForSaleByOwner.com magazine has placed this information where it is easy for the buyer to find.

¨   Disclose the home's approximate location (neighborhood).

¨   Consider a theme of urgency in the ad- such as “RELOCATING”, or “MUST SELL BY” to attract more interest. Only use accurate and honest information.

¨   Home prices are usually advertised with either $500 or $900 at the end (eg. $149,900 or $215,500) Property that is priced at $199,900 will look $10,000 cheaper than one marketed at $200,000.

¨   Don’t use confusing abbreviations just to save space. It is annoying and difficult to read.

¨   In the magazine, your ad is restricted by the size ad you purchase. 

  o    A 1 Block ad allows for 1 Photo + 450 characters (including spaces) of description.

  o    A 2 Block ad allows for 2 or 3 Photos + 600 characters (including spaces) of description.

  o    A 3 Block ad allows for 1 Photo + 450 characters (including spaces) of description.

¨   The websites allows for 3000 characters (including spaces) of description.  HINT: Most word processing programs have a “word count” option on the tools menu, which will allow you to count your characters quickly and easily.