No. That's the outward symbol, but they really want what that house will do for them and how it will allow them to live and/or to feel about themselves and their lives.

The "homebuyers" want a place where they'll feel secure - an anchor in an uncertain world. They may want certain amenities, a set amount of space, or a specific location, but what they really want is the feeling they'll get by owning that home.

For some it's the freedom and solitude of a home in the middle of 100 acres. For others it's the security of many neighbors close by. For yet others it's the prestige of living in a certain neighborhood in a certain kind of house. Some just want the freedom of saying "This is mine and I'll do as I please."

Before you write your next ad, think carefully about the person who will want to own that particular house. Then write the ad to appeal to that person's base emotions.

If you can think of a friend or family member who would love it, put a firm picture of them in your mind and write your ad directly to them. Stress the features and benefits that would send them flying to the phone to call you for an appointment.

Otherwise, take the time to dream up the person or family for that house - then write to them.

I've listed many houses that I would not personally want to live in. In those cases I had to stretch my imagination, or talk to someone who would like to live there. But it really is worth the effort.

Remember, you can't use nasty words like "family," so you have to be creative. You can do it!
The investors want a return on their money and their time. They're looking for houses they can rent for a positive cash flow or houses they can fix up and re-sell at a profit.
They want to feel like astute investors. When all is said and done, they want to feel like they earned a good return on both their money and their time - and that they were smart to buy that house.

Don't insult this group by proclaiming "Investment property" about a rental priced at $125,000 and earning $400 a month in rent. Don't try to tell them that a major fixer priced the same as a remodeled house is a good investment. Either would be a bad advertisement for you as a Realtor and would do nothing to sell the houses.

Instead, keep a list of investors and call them the minute a "real" opportunity comes along. If it's a good value, and if you've maintained your list, you probably won't have to spend a dime on advertising.

Next time you sit down to write an ad, remember: You're not selling a house, you're selling it's benefits.

And remember what Zig Ziglar said:
"You can get anything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want."
Your job as a real estate agent is to get out there and help a lot of people get exactly what they want!

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Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter and former real estate broker who specializes in writing for real estate and related industries. Sign up for her complimentary real estate help ezine by sending a blank e-mail to realestatehelp@getresponse.com. Visit her on the web at http://www.marte-cliff.com or contact her by writing: writer@marte-cliff.com