2022 Housing Buzzwords
With digital house-hunting becoming the norm, property descriptions aim for the perfect mix of vivid imagery and factual details. Analysis of the keywords find that “Beautiful” no longer cuts it.
Today’s treacherous housing landscape has made home-seekers savvier when it comes to sifting through listings and determining which ones to focus their time, effort and money on. And, while the price and photos may be what draws them in initially, the full description of what a property has to offer can also play a decisive role for many. But, what are the most-used keywords to attract those in the market for a home? Here’s what we found:
- Spaciousness defines home descriptions in 2022: Keywords addressing the need for more “room,” “space,” and an “open floor plan” were among the most used, aimed at ticking the boxes of space-deprived buyers. This universal need for space was also reflected in the frequent use of space-related adjectives, like “open” or “great.”
- Curb appeal matters, but parking space matters more: “Garage” was the most-mentioned amenity in listing descriptions across the country.
- Homes that promise a “patio/porch” or a “yard” might experience a boost in interest with these outdoor amenities still riding high off their post-pandemic popularity.
- Outdoor amenities might be loved across price brackets, but descriptions for million-dollar listings prioritized mentioning the perk of cozying up to a “fireplace.”
- House-hunters and condo-chasers may notice different descriptions in 2022: Houses allowed for more space for nice-to-haves, like “fireplace” and “pool,” while condos emphasized area and community perks, such as a “great location” and being “within walking distance.”
- Keyword popularity varied across different regions: Descriptions in the South put the spotlight on outdoor features, but the Northeast cared more about having a “full bath.”
- For renters, 2022 was all about convenience. Renters were lured with community perks, a favorable location and, most important, enough parking space.
In a world where prospective home-seekers might consider purchasing a home without first physically stepping inside the property, there’s a limited amount of time—and words—to grab attention. With that in mind, Point2 set out to determine which industry-related words and phrases had the potential to coax someone into buying in 2022.
We examined 52 million words found in descriptions of over 730,000 properties on Point2Homes.com. Upon analyzing the most widely used, our study revealed which terms U.S. agents mentioned the most when describing properties across major geographical regions and various price segments, thereby unveiling the terminology used to attract certain types of home-seekers.
Most Used Housing Keywords
Home descriptions echo the needs of the homebuyer at a particular moment in time— as reflected in our 2021 study on words used to attract home-seekers after the pandemic. And, if homebuyers learned anything lately, it’s that one can never have enough space. Accordingly, this year’s home descriptions were more than willing to address it.
Notably, a home advertisement should highlight the aspects of a property while also answering current buyer demands. And, while the purpose of a home description is to list the features of the property, it also needs to go beyond just telegraphic lineups of amenities in order to sell the idea of a dream home. So, beyond the usual suspects (like “home,” “bedroom,” “bathroom” or “kitchen”), 2022’s home descriptions were all about having “room” and “space.”
Specifically, peppered within well-crafted narratives of homelife bliss were real estate buzzwords, amenities, and trends aimed at whichever type of buyer the home needed to attract—from “closet” and “suite” to “counters” and “hardwood flooring.”
Most Used Features & Amenities
The right words are crucial when describing properties. And while there’s no magical phrase to captivate prospective buyers, some keywords work better than others—particularly those referring to desirable home amenities, features or upgrades.
This year, the amenities that popped up on the regular were “garage” and “parking”—the latter, especially, when searching for condos. Granted, this is to be expected, as accessible parking has gradually become the most in-demand requirement for today’s home-seekers. And, in a perfect representation of the cyclical aspect of demand and supply, the need for car space is directly addressed in most listing descriptions.
Following a post-pandemic boost in popularity, outdoor oases like “patio/porch” and “yard” were next in line, making the need for outside space and fresh air one of the top priorities to be addressed. Meanwhile, the popularity of the “home office” has dwindled following back-to-work arrangements. Therefore, this once-essential amenity was less popular in descriptions in 2022 compared to one year ago.
Similarly, general concerns about space were laid to rest, with frequent mentions of “storage,” “walk-in closet” and “open floor plan.” Among equally practical amenities like “full bath” and “stainless steel appliances,” nice-to-haves like “fireplace” and “pool” snuck into the top 10 most popular features and amenities in home descriptions.
Keyword frequency also varied depending on the property type desired and the amount of space available for specific features and amenities. For instance, house buyers will often encounter descriptions highlighting the “patio/porch,” “yard,” or “fireplace,” whereas condo buyers will see “parking,” “pool” and the fact that the condo is “within walking distance” of certain points of interest.
Learn More. Read the full article available here at point2homes.com for more data and infographics, including most used search terms for branding, renting, and region.