Fixer-uppers and oozing locations...

I stumbled on this article a couple of days ago:

'Oozes location': why property ads are so oddly written -https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0117/1274087-property-ads-language-copywriting/

Having written some copy for the property market - luxury property, in fact - I too am guilty of using phrases like “excellent proximity to amenities” (translation: flat above a Tesco) and “cosy” (read: can’t open a window if you want to turn around).

Copywriting for the property market is something else entirely, and it’s fascinating to see estate agent parlance still in common use when what most of us want from a property listing is honesty about how damp it is and how many days we’ll have to eat beans to afford it.

Value beans, of course, not Branston.

Legume-based dry-witted grumblings aside, the price of houses is now through the character-oozing roof - why, when houses are such a valuable luxury, do they still need to be sold like a 3am infomercial and not a minimalist-copy ad for Rolls Royce?

The impact copywriting has on the housing market has to be negligible, surely. I’m struggling to justify giving up my four-avocado-toast-a-day habit for a box described as “a handyman’s dream”.