Introduction

You’ve got the perfect property that you’re looking to sell or rent out. The inside is Instagram/Pinterest worthy, the exterior is well landscaped, the bedroom has the perfect nook for their new home office, the bathrooms are private oases, and the commute to the nearest base is a breeze. But you just can’t seem to find a buyer or tenant. If the property checks off everyone’s checklist, chances are it’s because your listing isn’t making the best impression to the military community. After all, it doesn’t matter how amazing the house or apartment is in person if potential renters or buyers never get past the front door. In order to help you start generating income from your rental or sell your home, we’ll walk you through 7 expert steps to writing a home or rental property listing.

7 Steps to Writing a Home or Rental Property Listing

Step 1: Put the Important Features First

Before they even get excited about whatever extra bells and whistles a property may have, an individual or family will want to know the key basics before they read even further. So you’ll want to have these right at the top of your listing. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms, total square footage, outdoor space (including the size of the lot/property), utility specifications, are all major selling/renting points.

Step 2: Highlight Specific Assets

Once you have the major characteristics of the property laid out, it’s time to start listing the other great features of the property.

• Is there laundry in the building or complex? What floor is it on?
• What about a dishwasher?
• Balconies, porches, patios?
• Pools or a jacuzzi?
• Do the rooms have a whole lot of great natural light?
• Is there a space to work or attend classes from home?

Add any details that make your property feel more than just a place to eat and sleep.

Step 3: The Surrounding Areas

When you’re trying to rent or sell a home to someone, they’re not just going to be interested in the place itself. They also want to know what’s around the home and how it will fit with their daily life and needs.

• How close is it to the base they work on?
• What’s the commute generally like?
• Where is it in relation to major shopping centers and grocery stores?

Pro Tip: If you’re hoping to catch the eyes of families with kids, you’ll definitely want to highlight how many schools are in easy walking/driving distance and what the school reviews are. (Click to Tweet this)

Step 4: Focus on Grammar and Spelling

Getting all the information in front of potential renters is the first half, but you need to make sure they’ll be able to read and understand everything you’re trying to tell them. Proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important in a listing. Someone reading a well-written paragraph or list will know exactly what you’re trying to tell them without any doubts or ambiguity. Plus, something that comes across professionally and purposefully written always seems far more trustworthy than something that feels hastily banged out on a keyboard.

Step 5: Stick to the Point

After all the information we’ve told you to put in your listing and our insistence that you use correct grammar, this might seem like that hardest step. You may want to elaborate for page after page about how great the property is, but people are busy. Especially people who are moving/PCSing.

Pro Tip: Keeping any listing to around 250 words is your best bet to both get across what you need to and ensure a potential renter will read it, start to finish. (Click to Tweet this)

Step 6: Staging and Taking Professional Photos

As the old adage goes: a picture’s worth a thousand words. So while your listing may only contain 250 actual words, you can add a few thousand metaphorical ones with photos of the property. Make sure the photographs you take are staged, well lit, and clutter-free to show off all the place’s features in the best possible way. Writing a great listing is important, but professional photos will help them imagine themselves being there.

Step 7: Reinforce Your Availability

Looking for a new place to live can be an exciting process, but also a stressful one. Let potential renters or buyers know you’re here to help them through it. Make your contact info stand out in the listing. Adding a sentence or two about how eager you are and available to help any time can put them at ease when they’re thinking of reaching out.

Where to List Property

If you follow these steps (and maybe have a friend give the whole thing a once-over, to be double sure you got Step 4 perfect), you’ll wind up with a fantastic property listing. But that’s just the first big step in getting tenants or a buyer into your house or apartment. The next one is actually putting it out there. And if you’re really looking to appeal directly to members of the military community, there’s no better place for your listing than right here at AHRN.com.

Unlike other home listing sites you may know of, like Zillow or Realtor, AHRN.com is specifically tailored and aimed at military personnel and their families looking for a new home. Getting your home or property listed here will prove right off the bat to potential military renters that you’re a trusted housing provider.

Conclusion

Now you have the step-by-step expert process to sell or rent out your dream listing to military families moving to the area. So start typing and post your listing on AHRN.com today!

More like this: Why You Should Rent to Military Members