Selling a home is usually a bittersweet process. It may be time to move on to another abode, but it is hard to say goodbye to a house that has given your family shelter for a long time. If you intend to sell your home, working with a real estate agent for help is always recommended. There are so many small mistakes you can make in a real estate description that can make buyers a little apprehensive. Simple words and phrases have negative connotations that you may see as harmless but can really give off the wrong impression. 

Never refer to the home or its rooms as small. 

You may have a small home, and some of the rooms may be small by your own judgment, but using "small" as a descriptive word in your real estate listing for most parts of the house can be a mistake. There are so many better ways to label something that doesn't come along with those negative connotations. For example: 

• A small house could easily be a quaint home 
• A small living room could be a conservatively sized living room 
• A small breakfast nook can be a petite breakfast nook 

These kinds of descriptions come across as a little less downgrading and a little more attractive. 

Never use the term "outdated" to refer to anything. 

If you live in an old house, you will likely have to use some restraint when creating a listing. There can be a lot of outdated things about an older home; that is normal. However, a potential buyer can see "outdated" as a home that needs a lot of work. You can get creative and call things vintage, retro, or antique, and make sure the listing focuses more on vintage or antiquated things that can be attractive. For instance, an outdated staircase that is labeled as a vintage staircase or an original staircase is going to be much more appealing. 

Never state your listing price is firm. 

You may have a firm price point in mind, and that is OK. However, you should always price your house a little above your ideal price to give buyers room to negotiate. The word "firm" can come across a little harsh in your home listing as well. Buyers don't really like working with a seller that is not willing to do any negotiating or that is going to be too stern in their dealings. 

For more help learning about single-family home listing, reach out to a real estate agent.