ListingLint / Listing checklist
Fair Housing checklist for listing descriptions
Run these on every draft before it goes on the MLS or a flyer, whether you wrote it or an AI did. Each check says where it comes from, and the free checker does the word part for you.
The rule in one paragraph
The federal rule is short. You can't publish a housing ad that shows a "preference, limitation, or discrimination" based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. It covers flyers, signs and any document used to sell or rent the home, not only the MLS remarks. Courts read an ad the way an ordinary reader would, whatever you meant.
- HUD advertising regulation, 24 CFR § 100.75
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c)
- HUD FHEO guidance on advertising through digital platforms, Apr. 29, 2024 (withdrawn Sept. 17, 2025)
1. Describe the home, not who should live in it
Every sentence should be about the home itself: the rooms, the lot, where it is. If a sentence names a kind of buyer, rewrite it around the feature that made you think of them.
"Perfect for young families" becomes "three bedrooms on one floor and a fenced yard".
Source: HUD advertising regulation, 24 CFR § 100.75; HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995
2. Cut "ideal for" and "perfect for" a type of person
These lines are on the caution side of the board word lists, and AI writers add them often. "Perfect for entertaining" describes a use of the space. "Perfect for retirees" describes a person.
Search the draft for "ideal for", "perfect for" and "great for" and read what follows each one.
Source: Long Island Board of REALTORS®: Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase Guidelines (Mar. 2025)
3. Don't describe the neighborhood by who lives there
Words about the people in an area (their race, religion, national origin, or whether they have kids) are what the lists flag hardest. Describe the place instead: the park, the transit stop, the shops.
"A quiet street two blocks from the Main Street shops" says the same thing without describing anyone.
Source: Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c); HUD rule on steering and other prohibited conduct, 24 CFR § 100.70
4. Read the code words the way a stranger would
Exclusive, private, safe, secure, traditional, prestigious: some lists flag these because of how an ordinary reader may take them, even when you meant the gate or the privacy hedge. Name the actual feature.
"Exclusive neighborhood" can become "desirable neighborhood", which HUD's 1995 memo allows, or name the gated entry.
Source: HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995; Long Island Board of REALTORS®: Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase Guidelines (Mar. 2025); CRMLS Fair Housing Word & Phrase List (Apr. 2021)
5. Describe accessibility features, never limits on people
Accessible features of the property are fine to list. A statement about which people can or can't live there is not.
"Wheelchair ramp" and "walk-in shower" are fine. "No wheelchairs" is an example HUD's memo gives of an unlawful limitation.
Source: HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995
6. Keep "no kids" and "adults only" out unless the exemption really applies
Statements against children are a familial status limitation. Housing for older persons has a separate exemption, and it comes with its own requirements, so confirm the community qualifies before the listing says anything about age.
If you're not sure the community qualifies, describe the amenities and leave age out.
Source: Housing for older persons exemption, 42 U.S.C. § 3607(b); HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995
7. Name places of worship and schools neutrally
A nearby church or school is a location. The problem is presenting a congregation, or a faith, as a reason to buy.
"Near places of worship" is on the acceptable side of the CRMLS and NYPA lists. "Walking distance to St. Mary's" gets a caution.
Source: CRMLS Fair Housing Word & Phrase List (Apr. 2021); Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase List (New York Press Assn.; source: Oklahoma Press Assn.)
8. Check your state and city classes
Many states and cities protect more classes than federal law, such as source of income, marital status, age or military status. "No vouchers" can be fine under federal law and illegal where the property is.
Look up the fair housing agency for the property's state and city before you post a rental.
9. Watch the words for rooms and roles
"Master bedroom" is not a violation under HUD's 1995 memo, but some boards and MLSs, including the Houston Association of Realtors, now use "primary bedroom". That's a style choice. Room names pitched at one sex, like "bachelor pad" or "man cave", are on the caution side of the CRMLS and NYPA lists.
Follow your MLS's house style. It's a preference, not the law.
Source: HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995; HousingWire: Houston Association of Realtors replaces "master" (2020); CRMLS Fair Housing Word & Phrase List (Apr. 2021); Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase List (New York Press Assn.; source: Oklahoma Press Assn.)
10. Check every fact against the listing sheet
This one isn't Fair Housing. It's accuracy. AI drafts add features the home doesn't have: a fourth bedroom, a pool, a renovated kitchen. Compare each claim to the facts you gave it.
ListingLint's fact lock flags "4-bedroom" when your facts say 3 bedrooms.
11. Run the same check on every channel
The rule covers flyers, signs, brochures and any document used to sell or rent the home. A line you cut from the MLS remarks can still be on the Instagram caption or the feature sheet.
Paste each version into the checker, not just the MLS copy.
12. When you're unsure, ask before you post
Word lists can't judge context, and they disagree on some terms. If a line still worries you, ask your broker or a fair housing attorney. A word check is not a legal review.
The free checker shows the reason and the source for every flag, so you can see why a line was raised.
About the 1995 HUD memo
HUD no longer posts the 1995 memo on its website. Oregon REALTORS reported in April 2026 that HUD removed it without notice, and HUD withdrew its April 2024 digital-advertising guidance in September 2025. The Fair Housing Act and HUD's advertising regulation (24 CFR § 100.75) didn't change. Boards and MLS word lists still lean on the memo, which is why it's still cited here, as history and as the clearest explanation of how ads are read.
- Oregon REALTORS: Fair housing compliance after the guidance reset (Apr. 17, 2026)
- LeadingAge: HUD withdraws fair housing guidance documents (Sept. 17, 2025 memo)
Every phrase, by protected class
Check the whole draft
The free checker runs every rule on your listing at once, shows the reason and source for each flag, and counts MLS characters. It runs in your browser, and your text is never uploaded.
Open the free checkerNot legal advice. Word lists can't judge context, and laws differ by state and city, with some protecting more classes than federal law does. If you're unsure about a listing, ask your broker or a fair housing attorney. ListingLint rules v2026.10.2. Last reviewed 2026-10-10.