The exposé is your calling card on the real estate market: It arouses interest, answers the first questions and often determines whether a prospective buyer comes to view the property. Those selling privately create this document themselves – and can make a convincing impression with the right structure. We show you which components belong in it, which details are legally required and how to formulate a description that sells.
What Is a Sales Exposé – and What Is It Not?
The exposé is the central marketing document when selling a property. It summarizes your property on a few pages in such a way that prospective buyers can see at a glance whether the property suits them: with photos, key details, a description and contact information. Unlike a mere collection of documents – land register extract, declaration of partition, building plans – the exposé is aimed at potential buyers and is intended to persuade, not merely document.
The distinction is important: The exposé does not replace the sales documents that you will later need for the notary and financing. It is the shop window, not the warehouse. Nevertheless, a good exposé remains honest – because the information you provide here is legally binding. More on this below.
The Structure: These Components Belong in Every Exposé
A complete exposé follows a clear structure. These components should be included:
- Meaningful title: a short headline featuring the strongest selling point, such as “Sunny 4-room apartment with south-facing balcony in a quiet location”.
- Key details at a glance: property type, living area, plot size, number of rooms, year built, floor and when the property will be available for occupancy.
- Property description: continuous text describing the layout, condition and special features.
- Features: floor coverings, type of heating, bathroom, kitchen, cellar, parking space and completed modernizations.
- Location description: infrastructure, transport connections, schools, shopping facilities and surroundings.
- Floor plan: to scale and with room labels – for many buyers the most important element.
- High-quality photos: bright, tidy and in landscape format, ideally 10 to 20 pictures.
- Energy details: the legally prescribed key figures from the energy performance certificate (see below).
- Price and contact: purchase price, any service charges, and how interested parties can reach you.
The order is deliberate: It guides from the first impression (title and photos), through the hard facts (key data), to the detailed description – exactly the way an interested party reads the document.
Mandatory information: What legally must be included in your property brochure
A property brochure is not just advertising; it is also subject to legal requirements. Three points are particularly important.
Energy performance certificate values. As soon as you advertise and an energy performance certificate is available, certain values must already appear in the listing. For residential buildings, Section 87 GEG requires five mandatory details:
- the type of energy performance certificate (demand or consumption certificate),
- the final energy demand or final energy consumption,
- the main energy sources used for heating,
- the year the residential building was constructed,
- the energy efficiency class (A+ to H).
You must present the energy performance certificate itself to prospective buyers no later than during the viewing and hand it over to the buyer after the sale (Section 80 GEG). If the mandatory information is missing from the listing, this may be punished as an administrative offense with a fine.
Correct living area. The living area stated in the property brochure should be calculated according to the Living Space Ordinance. Rooms count in full from a clear height of 2 meters, at half between 1 and 2 meters, and not at all below that. Balconies, loggias and terraces are generally counted at 25 percent, up to a maximum of 50 percent (Section 4 WoFlV). An area calculated too generously may later lead to claims for a reduction in the purchase price by the buyer.
No false or concealed information. The buyer may expect what is stated in the property brochure – details may become part of the agreed condition of the property (Section 434 BGB). A customary exclusion of liability for defects in the purchase agreement does not protect you if you fraudulently conceal a defect. Therefore, describe your property attractively but truthfully.
The description: How to formulate it convincingly
The description is the centerpiece – and the part that most often goes wrong in self-created property brochures. A three-part structure has proven effective:
- Opening with a hook: Begin with the strongest argument – the location, the view or the condition of the renovation. The first sentence determines whether readers continue.
- Property and features: Guide the reader mentally walk through the property, room by room. Name specific details instead of clichés: “Oak parquet flooring from 2021” is more convincing than “high-quality fittings”.
- Location and conclusion: Describe the surroundings and finish with a clear call to action, such as “Arrange a viewing appointment now”.
A few rules for the text:
- Write in complete sentences and the present tense, not in bullet points.
- Avoid empty superlatives such as “dreamlike” or “unique” – they seem implausible.
- Also state smaller weaknesses objectively; this builds trust and filters out unsuitable prospective buyers in advance.
- Think about search terms: People searching on portals and metasearch engines such as TraumImmo enter “balcony”, “garage” or “first occupancy”. If these words appear in the text, you will be found more easily.
Advantages and disadvantages of creating the property brochure yourself
Whether you write the property brochure yourself or have it created depends on your time and expectations:
- Advantage – cost savings: You save the costs of an estate agent or professional copywriters.
- Advantage – knowledge of the property: No one knows the advantages of your property better than you do.
- Advantage – full control: You decide on every photo, every wording and the time of publication.
- Disadvantage – time required: Photos, a floor plan and a good text require several hours of work.
- Disadvantage – owner’s bias: As the owner, you can easily overlook what convinces or deters outsiders.
- Disadvantage – risk of errors: Missing mandatory information or embellished figures can have legal consequences.
FAQ about the sales brochure
How long should a property brochure be?
Two to four pages are generally sufficient. Completeness is more important than length: all key details, a meaningful description, floor plan, photos and the mandatory information. Texts that are too long are more likely to deter readers.
Do I have to state the price in the property brochure?
There is no legal obligation, but stating the purchase price saves you many enquiries and attracts serious prospective buyers. Based on experience, listings without a price are opened less often on portals.
Which photos belong in the property brochure?
Show all living rooms, the kitchen, bathroom, outdoor areas and the façade – in daylight, tidy and in landscape format. A title image showing the most attractive view significantly increases the click-through rate. Avoid private items and people in the picture.
May I mention defects in the property brochure omit?
You do not need to list minor, obvious signs of wear. However, you must not conceal significant defects – if you do so fraudulently, you remain liable despite the exclusion of warranty. If in doubt, the rule is: it is better to address them openly.
Do I already need the energy performance certificate for the exposé?
Yes. As soon as an energy performance certificate is available, its key figures must already appear in the advertisement pursuant to Section 87 GEG. Therefore, apply for the certificate in good time before publication.
Conclusion: Structure for a convincing exposé
A good sales exposé combines three things: a clear structure, the information required by law and an honest, specific description. Anyone who takes these elements into account presents their property professionally – even without an estate agent. Take time for good photos and a clean floor plan, check the mandatory information and formulate everything truthfully. This will make your exposé the strongest tool for a fast and smooth sale.