While price and photos may be what draws home seekers to listings initially, the full description of what a property has to offer can also play a decisive role for many. To determine which industry-related words and phrases had the potential to persuade someone into buying a home in 2022, Point2, a division of Yardi Systems, examined 52 million words found in descriptions of over 730,000 properties on Point2Homes.com.
Upon analyzing the most widely used, the study revealed which terms U.S. agents mentioned the most when describing properties across geographical regions and various price segments. See which keywords rose to the top and which were less important below.
Most-used housing keywords emphasize the need for space: Beyond the usual descriptors, such as “home,” “bedroom,” “bathroom,” or “kitchen,” 2022’s home descriptions were all about having “room” and “space.” This universal need for space was also reflected in the frequent use of space-related adjectives, like “open” or “great.”
Most-mentioned features and amenities were parking and the outdoors: This year, the most popular amenities were “garage” and “parking.” Outdoor oases like “patio/porch” and “yard” were next in line, making the need for outside space one of the top priorities to be addressed. Practical amenities like “full bath” and “stainless steel appliances” and nice-to-haves like “fireplace” and “pool” snuck into the top 10 most popular features as well.
Popular features differ by region: “Garage” was the most widely used term in descriptions across the West and the Midwest, but “patio/porch” outranked it in the South and “full bath” won out in the Northeast. The Midwest and Northeast found common ground in their use of “basement” and “hardwood floors,” while home buyers in the South and West were connected by “pool” and “stainless steel appliances.”
Outdoor space is craved at all price points: Across the board, outdoor features like “yard” and “patio/porch” once again rose to the top of listings priced from $100,000 to $5 million. But, because outdoor amenities are already expected in high-end properties, “fireplace,” “chef’s kitchen,” or “hot tub” were also top highlights in more expensive homes.
Top adjectives were “spacious” and “new:" Home buyers were drawn by descriptors like “spacious,” “open,” or “great.” But, they were also attracted by adjectives linked to bathroom options, such as “primary/master,” “full,” or “private.” Likewise, adjectives such as “new” and “updated/upgraded” were heavily mentioned in home descriptions in 2022.
Top brands make top keywords: Whirlpool, Sub-Zero, and Wolf took the podium of the brands that were most widely encountered in home descriptions. Similarly, luxury names like Gaggenau, Thermador, or Miele were also used to boost the quality of the appliances found on the property.
Rental descriptions focus on community perks: Rental ads were built around imagery of what it would be like to use the “pool,” to have access to a “washer-dryer,” or to enjoy the rentals’ “great location” and the conveniences “within walking distance.” Plus, “parking” continued to be of utmost importance in rental descriptions.
