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This article was last updated Oct. 3, 2022.
Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia. Just the names are probably enough to get “Thank you for being a friend” playing on a loop in your head. The adventures of The Golden Girls never seem to get old, and the show is still a ratings winner 37 years after its debut.
But there’s a fifth character you might not remember — the spectacular home that is the backdrop for the Girls’ dates, gossip and family dramas. This perfectly ’80s house — decorated in the era’s apricot, seafoam and mauve shades — is delightfully dated and wonderfully wicker-filled.
If you struggle with writing property descriptions, take a tip from the girls and from some of the standout features of Blanche’s home at 6151 Richmond Street, Miami. Whether you’re listing a tiny condo or a luxury estate, some elements are always worth mentioning.
1. Location, location, location
The Golden Girls house serves as the perfect representation of its Miami setting. That home just couldn’t exist anywhere else.
Remember, a good property description should give a nod to its specific market or neighborhood. Whether it’s in a desirable community or subdivision, located close to an exciting entertainment or shopping district, or conveniently near to the local elementary school, a good description provides geographic context for the home.
Make your language more inclusive by avoiding phrases like “walking distance to” or “just steps away from.” Grab the actual mileage from Google Maps and include it in the descriptions, e.g.: Conveniently close to Shady Pines (0.5 mi), Sunny Pastures (0.1 mi) and shopping at Palm Tree Mall (0.25 mi).
2. Find the WOW! factor
What was your favorite part of the Girls’ house? The curb appeal evident at the top of every show’s exterior establishing shot? What about Blanche’s over-the-top boudoir? Maybe it was the home’s fabulous and fascinating layout.
When you’re walking around a new listing, there’s usually a moment where you say “Wow” to yourself. Maybe it’s the view from the balcony. Maybe it’s when you first drive up or when you first walk in the door. Maybe it’s just the size of the closets that makes an impression. Be sure to note that Wow factor and use it to make your description more vivid.
Who knows? Your favorite feature might be just the thing a potential buyer has been searching for — and it may be just the thing to get them through the door. Not sure what to say? Ask the sellers for their favorite feature, then highlight it early on in the description.
3. Outdoor space sells
The Golden Girls saw a UFO, held a Festival of the Virgins and romanced a lot of Miami bachelors, all from the comfort of their home’s expansive lanai.
You don’t have to live in a tropical setting to highlight the importance of outdoor living with your listing. Whether it’s a sheltered screened porch, vine-covered pergola or a fabulous and functional summer kitchen and dining space, be sure to spend some time talking about the great outdoors.
For buyers with children and pets, a fenced-in yard, extra storage or a large lot can be serious selling points. If the outdoor spaces are particularly impressive, or if the home is located in a market with more or less great weather year-round, move them further up and highlight them early in the listing description.
4. The kitchen is the heart of the home
If there’s one standout feature of The Golden Girls’ home, it’s the spacious eat-in kitchen with ample cabinet space, a separate island and updated appliances.
Every episode seems to turn on a late-night cheesecake or Italian feast prepared in this fabulous room. You might be tempted to skip over the kitchen in your listing if it’s not a gourmet wonderland of quartz and stainless, but every kitchen can be a good one.
Highlight ample pantries, a sunny breakfast nook or even the over-the-sink view from a light, bright window. The kitchen is one of the most important selling points for most buyers, so leaving it out can suggest that there’s something wrong with it. Always include it in some way.
5. Lifestyle matters
It’s not enough to talk about space and finishes in your listing; you need to describe how the home works for the people who live there.
Talk about the activities that take place in the space — dining, relaxing, entertaining, playing — to give people a sense of the way the property works. Set the scene for an ideal day in that house and that location to help potential buyers imagine themselves there.
Sell something more than bricks and sticks — sell life.
Find the magic in your listing, and use your property description to convey that magic to potential buyers. Think about what makes the home special — the quality of light, the view from the master bedroom, the cross-breeze from the lanai — and write about it. Find something to love, then share it.
Instead of making your next description a list of bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage, take a tip from The Golden Girls and make your next property description a little more fun, a little more glam and a little bit brighter.
Christy Murdock is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant and the owner of Writing Real Estate. She is also the creator of the online course Crafting the Property Description: The Step-by-Step Formula for Reluctant Real Estate Writers. Follow Writing Real Estate on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
