How to Write a Listing Description for a Luxury or High-End Property
Writing luxury real estate copy is like serving wine at a high-end restaurant. The presentation matters as much as the content. The pacing is intentional. Nothing is rushed or oversold. Every word is chosen.
The most common mistake agents make with luxury listings is writing them exactly like they'd write any other listing — just with bigger numbers. That approach fails. Here's why, and what to do instead.
The Psychology of the Luxury Buyer
Before you write a single word, understand who you're writing for.
Luxury buyers are not motivated by value or practicality. They already have those. They're motivated by:
- Exclusivity: This property is singular. There isn't another one like it.
- Aspiration: This house represents something about who they are or who they want to be.
- Curation: Everything was chosen deliberately. Nothing was cut corner.
- Privacy and control: They don't want to be sold to. They want to discover.
This means your copy should never feel like a sales pitch. It should feel like a carefully curated description that allows the property to speak for itself.
The Two Golden Rules of Luxury Listing Copy
Rule 1: Never state the obvious. Imply the exceptional.
"Stunning ocean views" is what you write when you're trying to tell someone something is special. It fails because you're doing the work for them.
Instead: "The Pacific is the first thing you see from the primary suite, the kitchen, and the great room — from here, it's simply part of the morning."
You've conveyed the same information. But instead of telling the buyer the view is stunning, you've put them inside the experience.
Rule 2: Slow down.
Entry-level listings are fast. Features, benefits, urgency, CTA — move through it efficiently. Luxury listings should breathe. Sentences can be longer. Paragraphs can take their time. The pacing signals that this property doesn't need to hurry.
"This 6,200 square foot estate moves at its own pace — from the porte-cochere entry to the chef's kitchen with Sub-Zero and Wolf, through the primary wing with its Venetian plaster walls and spa bath, to the private guest casita by the pool. Nothing about this house was designed for speed."
Language That Belongs in Luxury Copy (And What to Cut)
Do use:
- Specific materials and brands (Sub-Zero, Thermador, Waterworks, Holly Hunt)
- Architectural terms (porte-cochere, en suite, rotunda, coffered ceiling, radiant heat)
- Sensory language (the weight of the hardware, the warmth of the walnut millwork)
- Sentences about provenance ("custom-designed by [firm]", "sourced from [quarry]", "hand-laid by [artisan]")
- Exclusive framing ("rarely available," "one of seven," "no comparable has sold in this enclave in 4 years")
Never use:
- "Stunning" (earned nothing)
- "Must see!" (this is a luxury estate, not a garage sale)
- Price-point language ("at this price, you won't find...")
- "Move-in ready" (of course it is)
- "Motivated seller" (destroys positioning instantly)
- Exclamation points (seriously — none of them)
The Structure of a High-End Listing Description
Opening: Set the scene. This is where you earn the read. One or two sentences that put the buyer inside the property or the lifestyle.
"The property announces itself before you reach the gate. Custom iron work. Old-growth oak canopy. A driveway that takes long enough to traverse that you've already shifted into a different state of mind before you park."
The narrative: Move through the property the way a thoughtful tour would — not feature by feature, but room by room with intentional detail. Pick 3–4 signature spaces. Write specifically about each one.
The context: What kind of life does this home support? Entertaining on a certain scale. The ability to disappear from the world. Proximity to something specific.
The close: Understated. No exclamation points. Leave room for imagination.
"Offered privately. Available by appointment."
Luxury Copy Examples by Property Type
Modern Estate:
"There are 14-foot ceilings in the great room. The floor-to-ceiling glass faces northwest, which means the light changes from warm morning gold to the kind of late-afternoon violet that makes even regular evenings feel like events. The kitchen was designed for a chef — Wolf, Sub-Zero, a 14-foot island — but it was finished for someone who also wants to look good while cooking."
Historical Property:
"This house was built in 1924 by [architect] and it shows in the details most new construction can't replicate: the depth of the millwork, the plaster ceiling medallions in the formal rooms, the way the proportions feel settled rather than studied. Fully renovated systems. Original character untouched."
Waterfront:
"The property sits on 185 feet of private frontage — enough that the dock, the fire pit, and the outdoor kitchen each have their own territory. The house was oriented to capture the water from every principal room. This was not an accident."
A Note on Length
Luxury listings should be longer than standard listings, but not by padding. If you have genuinely compelling specific details to share about materials, provenance, and design intention — write them. If you're just adding sentences to fill space — cut them.
Ideal length: 300–450 words for the MLS long description. Short enough to be read in full. Long enough to feel considered.
The Question Every Luxury Description Should Answer
Before you publish, read your description and ask: "Does this make a qualified buyer feel like they'd be missing something exceptional if they didn't request a private showing?"
If yes, you're done. If no, you haven't found the thing that makes this property singular.
Also useful: How to write listing descriptions that actually make people want to see the house — the fundamentals that apply at every price point.
PropWrite generates luxury-specific listing copy that matches the positioning of premium properties. Try it free.