My Listing Photos Are Good But the House Isn't Selling — Could It Be the Description?

This is one of the most common frustrating situations in real estate: the photos are gorgeous, the price feels right for the market, but the showing requests just aren't coming.

Before you drop the price, check the description.

Here's the thing — great photos get buyers to stop scrolling. But the decision to actually book a showing? That's made while reading the listing description. If the copy doesn't close that decision, you've done all the expensive photo work for nothing.

The Photo-to-Copy Handoff

Think about the buyer's journey online:

1. Scrolling through thumbnails
2. Photo catches their eye → they tap
3. They swipe through more photos
4. They read the description
5. They either bookmark and schedule a showing, or close the listing and keep scrolling

The photos get you to step 4. The description gets you to step 5.

If you're getting photo views (you can check this in most MLS platforms) but not showings, you have a step 4 → step 5 failure. The photos are doing their job. The copy isn't.

The 3-Minute Description Audit

Pull up your listing right now and answer these questions honestly:

Does the first sentence earn a "keep reading"? Or does it start with "Welcome to this stunning home" / "Don't miss this opportunity" / "Nestled in a sought-after neighborhood"? These phrases have been read so many times that buyers' eyes slide right over them.

Is there a cliché in the first 50 words? "Stunning," "spacious," "cozy," "nestled," "boasting," "move-in ready," "must see" — count how many you used. Each one is a signal that the copy is generic, and buyers have learned to interpret generic copy as "nothing special here."

Does the description tell buyers something the photos didn't already tell them? Photos show what the house looks like. Copy should tell buyers what it feels like to be in the house, and what specific thing makes this property better than the six others they're considering. If your copy just describes what's visible in the photos, it's adding nothing.

Is there a clear reason why this house, right now? Buyers are managing competing priorities. Why should they rearrange their weekend to see this specific house this week? Your copy should answer that question, even implicitly.

The Mismatch Problem

One specific cause of photo/copy disconnect: the copy and photos aren't telling the same story.

If your photos are bright, airy, and lifestyle-forward, and your description is dry and spec-heavy — there's a mismatch. The buyer's emotional state from the photos doesn't get reinforced by the words, and the momentum breaks.

Conversely, if your photos are dark and moody and your description says "bright and airy open floor plan," you've created distrust. Buyers notice when copy doesn't match what they can see.

Your copy should amplify what the photos show, not contradict or ignore it.

A Real Rewrite Example

Here's a real (anonymized) listing description for a house with excellent photos that was sitting:

Before: "Gorgeous 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in the heart of [neighborhood]. Features include hardwood floors, open kitchen with granite countertops, updated bathrooms, and a lovely backyard. Vaulted ceilings in the main living area. Attached 2-car garage. Pride of ownership throughout. Don't miss this one!"

After: "Walk in and the ceilings stop you — 14 feet in the main living area, which is rarer in this neighborhood than you'd think. The kitchen was recently updated with granite counters and custom cabinetry that runs all the way to the ceiling. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, hardwood throughout, and a backyard that gets enough afternoon shade to actually be comfortable in July. 2-car garage. On a quiet street 4 blocks from [landmark]. The neighbors are the kind who introduce themselves. Priced at $425,000 and ready to show."

Same house. Same features. One of these creates desire. The other just states facts.

The rewrite added: a sensory detail (the ceiling height stopping you), specificity (14 feet, not "vaulted"), a practical benefit (the shade in July for Austin buyers), and a neighborhood note. Removed: "gorgeous," "lovely," "pride of ownership," "don't miss this one."

What to Do Right Now

If your listing has been sitting and you haven't touched the description, here's the action plan:

1. Pull the current description — read it out loud
2. Identify the 2–3 things that make this house genuinely better than the alternatives — not what it has, but why it's better
3. Rewrite the opening sentence to lead with one of those things
4. Replace every cliché with the specific truth behind it
5. Add one thing the photos can't show — a sound, a feeling, a neighborhood fact
6. End with a clear next step: when can buyers see it?

Then re-publish. On many MLS platforms, a re-published listing triggers a "back on market" notification to saved buyers — which can reset interest almost immediately.

The Price Drop You Don't Need

Every time a listing sits, the temptation is to drop the price. Sometimes that's right. But if the copy hasn't been fixed, you're solving the wrong problem.

A price drop with bad copy gets you more views at a lower price. A copy rewrite with the right price gets you more showings at the price you want.

Check the copy first.

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