"Sexy! Fetching!! Fabulous!!!"
Washington Post (12/02/06) P. F1 ; Festa, Elizabeth


The housing slowdown poses a challenge for brokers who write property descriptions, with experts noting a change in the language used to attract prospective buyers. "It doesn't necessarily become more ornate," explains George Washington University anthropology professor Joel Kuipers. "It can become more direct and hard-hitting and move toward a harder sell." FranklyRealty.com founder Frank Borges LLosa says he scans advertisements for signs of motivated sellers who may be willing to accept lower offers. An analysis by Paul JJ Payack of San Diego-based Global Language Monitor finds that property descriptions increasingly are including the words "embassy-style," "turret," "flow," "livable," and "low maintenance;" while such words as "spacious," "dream," "granite," "architectural," and "sexy" have fallen out of favor this year. Meanwhile, research by University of Chicago economists Steven Levitt and Chad Syverson reveals that homes whose ads feature numerous exclamation points and the words "spacious," "charming," "fantastic," or "great neighborhood" tend to sell for less than the asking price. Regardless of the words used to describe a particular property, agents say buyers remain most influenced by location and price.