Chapter 2

Rental Listing Titles That Work

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The Complete Guide to Rental Listings

rental listing titles that work

The rental listing title is the first thing a tenant sees when searching for their next apartment. Your rental listing will be competing with over 100 other rental properties at any given time, and competition will be even higher during peak rental season (May-September) when the supply of rentals boom.

But knowing exactly how to formulate a rental listing title can be difficult, so that’s why we’ve shared expert tips on how to write a captivating title that secures tenant interest.

The Magic Formula for Rental Listing Titles

As you create your listing with Avail, we provide helpful tips along the way. One of our most helpful features is our Magic Formula for titles:

$$$$$ – ## Bed / ## Bath apartment/house/condo in your neighborhood with great amenities(s)

This formula immediately tells prospective tenants key factors: The rental price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, what type of space it is, the location, and the unit’s best features. Here’s the formula in use:

$2,000 – 2 Bed / 1 Bath Condo in Lakeview Chicago with Updated Floor Plan and City Views

It’s simple and quickly highlights the selling points of the property.

How to Write an Engaging Rental Listing Title

Considering the vast number of listings available, it makes sense that tenants only spend a few seconds looking at your listing before making the critical decision: read it or move on. On average, 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read on. Having a title that grabs attention makes the listing most effective, since your goal is to get clicks.

Here’s how to create an engaging rental listing in four steps:

1. Watch Grammar, Punctuation, and Capitalization in Rental Listing Titles

Paying attention to details like grammar, spelling, and capitalization is important because it helps you make a good first impression. Aim to have a grammatically clean, well-flowing phrase with no outlandish punctuation. As you can see from the image below, exclamation points are too loud and can be construed as pushy or sound like a scam.

rental listing title to avoid using as a landlord

Every word in your title should be capitalized except for small prepositions, like ‘with, it, in, to, and for.’ All nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and subordinating conjunctions should be capitalized. And last, be sure to double-check your spelling.

2. Include Effective Rental Listing Keywords

To help you highlight your unit’s best features, we compiled a great list of features organized by type. Be sure to clearly define the type of property: villa, cabin, apartment, etc., and highlight any special amenities.

3. Highlight Your Rental Property’s Best Features

Features are a great way to make your rental listing title more enticing.

  • City Skyline Views
  • Convenient Location
  • Walk-in Closet
  • Pool
  • Backyard
  • Sunny Windows
  • Tall Ceilings
  • Granite Countertops

It’s best to also include great descriptors since the way you describe your space has the power to persuade tenants that your space should be their next apartment.

  • Luxurious
  • Upscale
  • Landscaped
  • Upgraded
  • Beautiful
  • Charming
  • Warm
  • Urban
  • Private
  • Spacious
  • Traditional
  • Modern
  • Vintage
  • Newly Renovated
  • Great for Entertaining
  • Naturally Well-Lit

4. Mention Nearby Attractions

If your rental property’s location provides convenience or fun, then you should mention it in the title. Here are some examples of nearby attractions worth noting.

  • Parks
  • Train lines
  • Bars
  • Nightlife
  • Coffee shops
  • Universities
  • Highways
  • Shopping
  • Elementary Schools

What Are Things to Avoid in a Rental Listing Title?

To make your title the best it can be, avoid these common mistakes:

  • Avoid including the property address in your title: Advertising the neighborhood is better. Most listing sites provide the address on the listing separately, so it’s visually pronounced for the tenant. Therefore, it’s not necessary to reiterate it in the title. Similarly, it’s not necessary to include your phone number in the title. Your phone number should be in your rental listing description.
  • Avoid misspelled words, all caps, commas, and end punctuation: Call to actions like “rent now” should be avoided because tenants tend to ignore listings that appear too demanding and eager.

You want your listing to be an accurate advertisement for your unit, so avoid using false information.

Write an Impressive Rental Listing Description

When you have a rental property to list, you have the deadline of an upcoming vacancy. You’re competing with other listings for quality tenant attention, and while this can be stressful, having a simple, informative title can make all the difference. The title lets the tenant know they’ve found a rental that matches their needs. If a tenant clicks to see more, your chances of finding a new tenant just increased.

If you’re ready to find quality tenants for your unit, create an account or log in today to publish your rental listing on Avail.