8 Buzzwords That Just Annoy Home Buyers

Consumers are getting smarter and smarter and choosing to go with their peer reviews rather than the buzzwords that many real estate agents and homeowners use to promote their listing. That being said, there are some words that are kind of a trigger for some consumers. Here are eight of the most annoying buzzwords that a lot of homeowners and agents use to describe property listings.

"Quaint or cozy"

By now, most of us understand that this just means small. Of course, the size of homes matter to homebuyers and some of them simply want to downsize, so we don't need to mask the idea of a house being small as being cozy or quaint. It is what it is. If the money wants a 3500 ft.² home, they're going to look for that. If they wanted 1200 square-foot home, that's where they're going to keep their search range. We don't need to mask it with flowery words.

"Luxury"

People can see luxury for themselves and luxury is really in the eye of the beholder as with beauty or treasures. But high end homes will attract a different set of potential buyers and the word luxury has been so overused the people really can't trust that word anymore.

"Up and coming"

The term "up-and-coming" can refer to a neighborhood or community but it's taken on a whole new meeting and not necessarily a positive one. This might mean that in 5 to 10 years home appreciation might skyrocket but for now, the neighborhood might leave a lot to be desired. This doesn't necessarily mean that buyers are going to stay away from it, but it doesn't always have a positive connotation.

"Priced to sell"

This honestly has zero impact on home description. If the home is priced well, offers good value, it doesn't matter that you have said it's priced to sell. What does that even mean? Does it mean that other homes are not priced to sell? A similar term is "a motivated seller", and just about every homeowner is a motivated seller to some degree. Only those that just want to test the market, which are few and far between are really not motivated.

"Updated"

Now this might have different connotations and it's not always a bad thing. All homebuyers want an updated kitchen or master bath but the word can be so vague that it literally could mean new floors or a new faucet while the rest of the kitchen or bath is still stuck in the 1970s. It's important to be more specific such as new countertops, cabinets, floors, and appliances or fixtures.

"Needs TLC" a.k.a. (fixer-upper)

This too is also a pretty vague term and it can leave a lot to the imagination. A little bit of TLC could mean cosmetic issues such as new wallpaper or floors or it could mean a complete tear down. You need to be more specific with these terms because this can lead buyers to assuming the worst even if it's just some simple cosmetic issues and the seller wants to sell as is.

"Walking distance"

Sellers and agents really should not be able to put this in the description at all because it could be discriminatory over folks that literally cannot walk. If you are immobile, disabled, handicapped, or use any type of movement assistance such as a walker, stroller, scooter, or wheelchair, the term walking distance is just offensive. It also varies depending on what someone will assume walking distance is. Walking distance to one person could mean a block while another could mean a mile. Just leave it out.

"Has it all"

How can anyone say that? For a home to have it all could mean 1 million different things to different people. It really lacks actual description and similar terms such as "the possibilities are endless" again leaves much to the imagination. You don't want buyers to doubt the home or description so simply be as straightforward and honest as possible.

Don't repeat the basics and be as clear and concise as possible. State the age, square footage, and don't try to misrepresent bedrooms. Remember, a bedroom must have a closet, a separate entrance, and a way of escape if necessary. If it's simply a room without any of those items, you legally cannot call it a bedroom but agents will try to shove extra bonus rooms that could be a bedroom etc. in descriptions.

Stay away from these terms and you'll find yourself getting a lot further with your potential buyers.