Build the Ideal Vacation Rental Listing Part 3 – Title and Property Description

Your vacation rental listing’s title and property description provide you the opportunity to BRAG about your home. So, go ahead… put on your marketing cap and get creative! Whereas elsewhere on your listing you offer a vast amount of quantifiable data for the search process, the title and description allow you to let your love for your home come through loud and clear with colorful description and helpful information that serve to set your place apart from your competition.

Be sure to highlight the key features that make your home stand out among all the others. The goal is to catch the attention of vacationers and convince them that your home offers the best value for their vacation experience.

The Title

The title is important because it appears on the brief summary list of homes pulled by vacationers in their searches. So, be sure to single out the most attractive features to “sell” your home and ensure that viewers “click through” to see your full listing. Try to make it descriptive and appealing, easily accomplished by simply adding an adjective or two.

Examples:

 “Spacious Waterfront Home Ideal for Two Families”

    “Newly Renovated Cape – Sun, Privacy, Walk to Beach”

The Property Description

Most importantly, your description should include information about all three of the following:

•    The interior of your home, particularly highlighting any special amenities such as air conditioning, internet access, outdoor shower, linens provided, etc.
•    The home’s immediate setting including the yard and neighborhood, and, of course, any desirable views
•    Your property’s location and proximity to area attractions such as restaurants, shopping, bike trails, and, of course, the closest beach

For more tips on presenting the most effective property description, see our Property Description Guidelines. And also check out Build the Ideal Vacation Rental Listing Part 1 and Part 2 for ways to boost interest with pictures and guest reviews respectively.

Does your description include information about all three areas? My experience in proofreading our homeowners’ listings is that folks tend to include two out of the three, but there’s usually one area woefully neglected. Have you used full, flowing sentences and succeeded in differentiating your home from the pack?