If you'd rather skip the manual replacement, upload your listing photos to SofaBrain's AI Listing Description Generator, add your facts, and pick a tone and length — it drafts the description for you. Try 2 descriptions free — no credit card.
How to use these templates
- Pick the template that matches your property type.
- Replace [bracketed text] with your listing's specifics.
- Edit the lifestyle vignette — the one part you should always personalise to your specific property.
- Run the final draft past someone unfamiliar with the property to catch unclear phrasing.
Each template is the core of a description. Add a line on location, a short vignette, and your specs to reach 200-400 words, the range our length guidance recommends for most homes. Keep every addition about the property, not about who should buy it.
Template 1 — Single-family home (starter)
[Two blocks / a 5-minute walk] from [neighbourhood landmark], this [bed]BR / [bath]BA [architectural style] on a [lot size] lot has had every system replaced in the last [N] years — roof ([year]), windows ([year]), HVAC ([year]), water heater ([year]), kitchen ([year]). Zero deferred maintenance, plus a fully fenced backyard with [yard feature: level lawn, shade trees, patio]. [1-2 standout features]. No HOA. Open house [day] + [day], [time].
Use when: $300-600K, recently updated, low-maintenance pitch.
Template 2 — Single-family home (move-up)
*The only home in [neighbourhood name] with [unique feature: finished walk-out basement, ADU, primary on main, etc.] — and the [original / previous] owners spent [year] [describing what they did with it]. Upstairs: **[bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA with [1-2 specific features], [kitchen description with brand + year], and a [south-facing / east-facing] primary that gets [specific light pattern]. [Lot size] lot, [landscape feature]. Walk to [specific local landmark].
Use when: $600K-1.2M, has a genuine differentiator vs comps.
Template 3 — Luxury single-family
Built in [year] for the [original family name, if known] family, this [bed]BR [architectural style] has been meticulously restored to its original glory. [Period detail 1], [period detail 2], [period detail 3]. Renovated chef's kitchen ([year]) with [brand-name range] and butler's pantry, primary suite occupies the entire [wing], period-appropriate spa bath. [Lot size] lot with [landscape feature] + [bonus structure].
Use when: $2M+, period or named-architect property, restoration story.
Template 4 — Condo (urban)
*Top-floor **[bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA in [building name or description] — the building [1 sentence reputation]. [Direction]-facing, [sqft] sqft, [ceiling height] ceilings, [original-period detail preserved through the renovation, if applicable]. Kitchen opens to the living room with [counter material] + [brand-name range]. Building amenities include [2-3 specific amenities]. HOA $[amount]/mo (covers [what it covers]). [Transit access].
Use when: Urban condo, building has a real story or brand.
Template 5 — Condo (three-bedroom)
***[Bed]*BR / [bath]BA, [sqft] sqft — a rare [bed]-bedroom layout in [neighbourhood]. [Open kitchen / dining / living layout] with [direction]-facing windows looking at [view]. Primary suite with walk-in closet and en-suite bath, [N] secondary bedrooms with shared bath ([flexible use: one set up as a home office / den]). In-unit laundry, [N] [side-by-side / tandem] parking spaces, storage cage. Building [recent capital improvement] [year], full reserve study with no special assessments planned. HOA $[amount]/mo includes [what it covers].
Use when: 3+ bedroom condo; answers the usual condo questions (parking, laundry, storage, special assessments).
Template 6 — Townhouse
*[End-unit / interior] townhome in [development name] — only [N] townhomes total [in this phase / in the development]. **[Bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA, [sqft] sqft, attached [N]-car garage with [workshop space / storage]. [Floor material] floors, primary on the [level] with [primary feature], [unique 3rd-level feature]. [Builder warranty if new]. Walking distance to [specific local landmark].
Use when: Townhome, scarcity angle works.
Template 7 — Fixer-upper (cosmetic)
*Solid **[bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA [architectural style] needing finish-grade renovation — paint, flooring, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms. ALL systems good (roof [year], HVAC [year], electric updated [year], copper plumbing). Inspected, all reports in disclosure packet. [Lot size] lot, fenced. Cash or rehab loan only — no traditional financing. Priced to sell.
Use when: Cosmetic-only fixer; want to attract serious buyers + filter mortgaged ones.
Template 8 — Fixer-upper (structural)
***[Bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA cottage on a [sqft] lot needs full renovation including [list: foundation, electrical, plumbing, roof — be specific]. Property sold AS-IS, cash only. [Engineering report / structural assessment] in disclosure packet. Lot is the value — comparable nearby lots sell for $[range] vacant. Tear-down or restoration; permits available for either.
Use when: Property is genuinely a lot purchase; want to attract investors.
Template 9 — Multi-family income property
Fully-occupied legal [type: triplex, fourplex, etc.] on a [sqft] lot. Unit mix: [per unit: "2BR/1BA owner unit ($3,200)"], [next unit], [next unit] = $[total]/mo gross. All long-term tenants in good standing. Recent capital improvements: [capex 1 + year], [capex 2 + year], [capex 3 + year]. [Cap rate at current rents]; [cap rate at market]. [Financing notes: owner-financing, DSCR-friendly].
Use when: Income property; buyer underwrites on numbers.
Template 10 — Land
[Acreage]-acre [flat / sloping / treed] lot in [entitled subdivision / unincorporated zoning] with all utilities at the curb ([water, sewer, gas, electric, fiber]). [Soil test + year] — engineered for up to [sqft] [single-family / multi-family]. [Approved plans for an X available to transfer at no cost — if applicable]. [Specific local feature: adjacent to bike trail / etc.].
Use when: Buildable lot; help the buyer skip 6 months of due diligence.
Template 11 — New construction
*Just-completed **[bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA [style] on a [lot description] [neighbourhood] lot. Designed by [architect / builder], built by [builder if separate] — both with extensive [area] portfolios. Open floor plan with [floor material], [walls of glass / specific window feature], [kitchen brand], [range brand]. Primary on the [level] with walk-in dressing room + freestanding tub. Backyard with [outdoor feature]. Builder warranty.
Use when: Brand-new build; named architect/builder is a trust signal.
Template 12 — Waterfront
*[Frontage feet] of [direction]-facing private frontage on [water body]. **[Bed]**BR / **[bath]*BA [architectural style] [built year / fully renovated year]. Recent updates: [capex 1 + year], [capex 2 + year], [capex 3 + year]. [Private dock + boat lift in place / private beach], [boat included with sale / negotiable]. [Sunset / sunrise feature] from the [location]. [Drive time to nearest metro].
Use when: Waterfront — buyers want frontage feet + access details specifically.
How the AI generator compares to these templates
SofaBrain's AI Listing Description Generator doesn't fill in these templates — it writes from your photos and facts. You pick the property type (house, condo, townhouse, multi-family, commercial, or land) and the listing moment (new listing, price update, back on market, coming soon, for rent, sold and more), upload up to 10 photos (3 on a free account), and enter the facts: beds, baths, size, lot, year built, parking, price, highlights, neighbourhood, and nearby places. It then drafts a description in the tone you choose — Professional, Luxury, Friendly, or Casual — without the manual placeholder work.
Why use the AI vs the templates directly?
- It looks at each uploaded photo — the room, the finishes, the light — so you're not writing from memory
- Before you see the draft, it's checked for fair-housing wording, praise for rooms no photo shows, claims about the area you didn't give, "master" instead of "primary," repeated facts, and length — and rewritten once if a check fails
- You choose the length: short (~150 words), medium (~300), or long (~500), in any of 8 languages
- You can write another version from the same photos and facts to compare openings
Common mistakes when using templates
Forgetting to remove the brackets
Search your final draft for [ — if any brackets remain, the listing reads as broken.
Repeating the same language across listings
Buyers researching on Zillow often scroll through dozens of listings in an area. If yours reads identical to your competitors', you blend in. Customise the lifestyle vignette specifically.
Using the wrong template for your price point
The luxury template on a $400K starter home reads as overcompensation. The starter template on a $2M luxury listing reads as under-selling. Match template tier to price tier.
Ignoring the disclosure (virtually-staged photos)
If your listing photos include virtually staged rooms, add this disclosure to the end of every template:
"Some photos are virtually staged."
See the universal disclosure phrase for state-specific variants.
Frequently asked questions
How do I customize a listing description template?
Replace every bracketed placeholder with your property's specifics, then rewrite the lifestyle vignette so it's genuinely local — the coffee shop by name, the actual commute time, the real park. Before publishing, search your draft for [ to catch any leftover brackets, and read it aloud once; template language you'd never say out loud should be rewritten.
How long should a listing description be?
Aim for 200-400 words for most homes. Each template above is the core of a description; add a location line, a short vignette, and your specs to reach that range. Shorter reads as thin; longer loses buyers who are skimming dozens of listings in one session.
Should I use a different template for different price points?
Yes — match the template tier to the price tier. The luxury template on a $400K starter home reads as overcompensation, and the starter template undersells a $2M listing. That's why the set above separates starter, move-up, luxury, condo, fixer, and specialty property types.
Do fair housing rules apply to listing descriptions?
Yes. Describe the property, never the buyer: stick to features, finishes, location facts, and lifestyle amenities, and avoid any language about who the home is "perfect for" in demographic terms (family status, religion, national origin, and other protected classes). Every template above is written property-first for exactly this reason.
Is there a free AI listing description generator?
Yes — SofaBrain's AI Listing Description Generator gives you 2 descriptions free, with no credit card required. Upload your listing photos, pick the property type, tone, and length, add your facts, and it drafts the description, so you skip both the brackets and the blank page.