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Creating Property Listings

Learn how to create effective property listings that attract quality leads and drive conversions.

Overview

A well-crafted property listing is your most important marketing tool. This guide covers best practices for creating listings that stand out and generate inquiries.

Creating Your First Listing

Step 1: Access the Add Property Form

  1. Log in to your Genesis Fortune account
  2. Navigate to DashboardAdd Property
  3. Or click "+ New Listing" from the properties page

Step 2: Choose Property Type

Select the appropriate property type:

  • Apartment - Multi-unit buildings, condos, flats
  • House - Single-family homes, villas, townhouses
  • Commercial - Offices, retail spaces, warehouses
  • Land - Plots, acreage, development land
  • Room/Bedsitter - Single rooms, studio apartments

Step 3: Select Listing Type

Choose how the property will be marketed:

  • For Rent - Monthly or annual rental
  • For Sale - Purchase only
  • Both - Available for either rent or sale

Property Details

Basic Information

Property Title (Required)

  • Keep it concise but descriptive (50-80 characters ideal)
  • Include key selling points
  • Use location as a differentiator

Good Examples:

  • "Modern 3BR Apartment with Ocean View - Westlands"
  • "Luxury 4-Bedroom Villa with Pool - Karen"
  • "Commercial Office Space in CBD - 200sqm"

Bad Examples:

  • "Apartment for rent" (too generic)
  • "Amazing property you won't believe" (no specifics)
  • "3br apt" (too abbreviated)

Description (Required) Write a compelling 500-2000 character description including:

  • Property highlights and unique features
  • Room descriptions and sizes
  • Amenities and upgrades
  • Neighborhood information
  • Nearby facilities (schools, hospitals, shopping)
  • Transportation access
  • Security features

Template Structure:

[Opening hook - best feature]

Property Features:
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Feature 3]

Location Benefits:
- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]

[Call to action]

Price (Required)

  • Enter monthly rent OR sale price
  • Use Kenyan Shillings (KSh)
  • Price competitively based on market research
  • Consider including utilities in rent (state clearly)

Property Size

  • Square footage or square meters
  • Be accurate - measurements matter
  • Include land size for houses/land plots

Room Configuration

Bedrooms (Required)

  • Total number of bedrooms
  • For studios/bedsitters, enter 0 or 1
  • Include master bedroom details in description

Bathrooms (Required)

  • Include half-baths in count (e.g., 2.5 for two full, one half)
  • Mention en-suite bathrooms in description
  • Highlight bathroom features (modern fixtures, bathtub, etc.)

Location Information

Address & Location

Full Address (Required)

  • Street name and number
  • Building name (if applicable)
  • Floor/unit number (for apartments)

City/Town (Required)

  • Primary city or town
  • Use official names

County/State (Required)

  • Kenyan county
  • Important for search filtering

Neighborhood (Required)

  • Specific area or estate name
  • Helps buyers understand exact location
  • Examples: Westlands, Karen, Kileleshwa

Nearby Landmarks Add 3-5 recognizable landmarks:

  • Schools (e.g., "International School Kenya - 1km")
  • Shopping centers (e.g., "Westgate Mall - 500m")
  • Hospitals (e.g., "Nairobi Hospital - 2km")
  • Public transport (e.g., "Matatu stage - 200m")
  • Major roads (e.g., "Waiyaki Way - 100m")

Map Integration

  • Pin exact location on the map
  • Verify the marker is accurate
  • Buyers use this for location decisions

Amenities & Features

Security Features

  • ☑ 24/7 Security guards
  • ☑ CCTV surveillance
  • ☑ Gated community
  • ☑ Electric fence
  • ☑ Alarm system
  • ☑ Secure parking

Utilities Included

  • ☑ Water (specify if borehole/county)
  • ☑ Electricity
  • ☑ Internet/WiFi
  • ☑ Garbage collection
  • ☑ Backup generator

Parking

  • Number of parking spaces
  • Covered/uncovered
  • Visitor parking available
  • Electric vehicle charging (if available)

Furnishing

Choose one:

  • Furnished - Fully equipped, move-in ready
  • Semi-furnished - Some furniture/appliances included
  • Unfurnished - Empty property

List included items in description.

Building Amenities

  • ☑ Elevator/Lift
  • ☑ Backup generator
  • ☑ Borehole water
  • ☑ Swimming pool
  • ☑ Gym/Fitness center
  • ☑ Children's play area
  • ☑ Rooftop terrace
  • ☑ Concierge service

Outdoor Features

  • ☑ Garden/Lawn
  • ☑ Balcony
  • ☑ Terrace/Patio
  • ☑ BBQ area
  • ☑ Servant quarters (SQ)
  • ☑ Pet-friendly

Photo Guidelines

Photo Requirements

Minimum Photos: 10 (recommended 15-20) Maximum File Size: 5MB per photo Supported Formats: JPG, PNG, WEBP Recommended Resolution: 1920x1080 pixels

Photo Checklist

Exterior Shots (3-5 photos):

  • ☑ Front view of building/house
  • ☑ Side views
  • ☑ Garden/outdoor spaces
  • ☑ Parking area
  • ☑ Building entrance

Interior Shots (10-15 photos):

  • ☑ Living room (2-3 angles)
  • ☑ Each bedroom
  • ☑ Kitchen (2-3 angles)
  • ☑ All bathrooms
  • ☑ Dining area
  • ☑ Balcony/terrace views
  • ☑ Storage/closets
  • ☑ Special features (fireplace, office, etc.)

Detail Shots (2-3 photos):

  • ☑ Kitchen appliances
  • ☑ Bathroom fixtures
  • ☑ Flooring
  • ☑ Built-in features
  • ☑ View from windows

Photography Tips

  1. Lighting: Shoot during daytime with natural light
  2. Cleanliness: Ensure property is clean and staged
  3. Wide Angles: Show room size and layout
  4. Straight Shots: Avoid tilted or skewed angles
  5. High Quality: Use a good camera or smartphone in good lighting
  6. Order Matters: First photo is the thumbnail - make it count!

What NOT to Include

  • ❌ Blurry or dark photos
  • ❌ Photos with people visible
  • ❌ Cluttered or messy spaces
  • ❌ Low-resolution images
  • ❌ Watermarked images (except your branding)

Viewing Arrangements

Availability

Days Available for Viewing:

  • Select all applicable days
  • Consider weekend availability for working buyers

Viewing Times:

  • Morning (9 AM - 12 PM)
  • Afternoon (12 PM - 5 PM)
  • Evening (5 PM - 8 PM)

Notice Required:

  • Same day (for readily available properties)
  • 24 hours notice
  • 48 hours notice
  • By appointment only

Contact Preferences

How should buyers request viewings:

  • ☑ Phone call
  • ☑ WhatsApp message
  • ☑ Contact form
  • ☑ Email

Property Status

Set the current availability:

  • Available - Ready for immediate occupancy/viewing
  • Pending - Offer accepted, awaiting completion
  • Rented/Sold - No longer available (auto-hides from search)
  • Under Renovation - Not ready for viewing

Update status promptly to avoid wasting buyers' time.

Advanced Options

Property Boosting

Increase visibility of your listing (MyGF 1.3 and higher):

  • Featured placement in search results
  • Highlighted listing badge
  • Priority in AI recommendations
  • Social media promotion

Cost: Contact for pricing or see subscription benefits

Lease Terms (For Rentals)

Lease Duration:

  • Month-to-month
  • 6 months
  • 12 months (most common)
  • 24 months+

Deposit Required:

  • Typically 1-2 months rent
  • Clearly state deposit amount
  • Mention refund terms

Rent Payment Schedule:

  • Monthly (1st of month typical)
  • Quarterly
  • Annually (with discount)

Publishing Your Listing

Before You Publish - Final Checklist

  • Title is clear and descriptive
  • Description is complete (500+ characters)
  • Price is accurate and competitive
  • Location details are correct
  • All relevant amenities are checked
  • Minimum 10 high-quality photos uploaded
  • Photos are in logical order
  • Viewing arrangements are set
  • Contact information is correct
  • Property status is accurate

Preview Your Listing

  1. Click "Preview" to see how buyers will view your listing
  2. Check for typos and errors
  3. Verify photos display correctly
  4. Ensure all information is accurate

Publish

  1. Click "Publish Listing"
  2. Listing goes live immediately
  3. Appears in search results within minutes
  4. AI system indexes for smart search

Confirmation: You'll receive email confirmation with listing link.

After Publishing

Share Your Listing

  • Copy listing URL to share directly
  • Share on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
  • Send to your contact list
  • Add to your website (if applicable)

Monitor Performance

Check your analytics dashboard for:

  • Number of views
  • Inquiry count
  • Lead quality scores
  • Response rate

Update as Needed

Keep your listing current:

  • Update photos if property improves
  • Adjust price if needed
  • Mark as "Pending" when offer accepted
  • Archive or delete when rented/sold

Best Practices

Our AI search understands natural language. Help it match your property:

  • Use descriptive language
  • Mention neighborhood characteristics
  • List nearby amenities
  • Describe the ideal tenant/buyer
  • Include lifestyle keywords

Example: Instead of just "2BR apartment", write "Spacious 2-bedroom family apartment near excellent schools, perfect for professionals with children"

Competitive Pricing

Research similar properties:

  1. Search for comparable listings
  2. Note their prices and features
  3. Price competitively
  4. Consider market conditions
  5. Adjust based on unique features

Quick Response

  • Respond to inquiries within 2 hours
  • High-scoring leads (60+) deserve immediate attention
  • Set up automated follow-ups (MyGF 1.3+)
  • Enable WhatsApp notifications for instant alerts

Regular Updates

  • Review listing weekly
  • Update photos seasonally
  • Refresh description every 2-3 months
  • Keep status current

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Inadequate Photos - Less than 10 photos reduces inquiries by 60%
  2. Vague Descriptions - Generic text doesn't attract serious buyers
  3. Wrong Category - Misclassifying property type hurts search visibility
  4. Outdated Status - Showing "Available" when rented frustrates buyers
  5. Overpricing - Unrealistic pricing leads to few inquiries
  6. Poor Photo Quality - Dark, blurry photos suggest poor property condition
  7. Missing Amenities - Unchecked features won't appear in filtered searches
  8. Inaccurate Location - Wrong neighborhood or pin location wastes everyone's time

Editing Existing Listings

How to Edit

  1. Go to My Listings
  2. Find the property
  3. Click "Edit"
  4. Make changes
  5. Click "Update"

Changes take effect immediately.

When to Edit vs Create New

Edit existing listing:

  • Price change
  • Photo updates
  • Description improvements
  • Amenity changes
  • Status updates

Create new listing:

  • Different property
  • Major renovation (consider it a new property)
  • Change from rent to sale (or vice versa)

Next Steps

Need Help?