Race and color words in real estate listings

Check race / color wording in your listing

Paste a sentence or your whole listing. It runs ListingLint's real rule engine in your browser; nothing is uploaded. white families, caucasians, minority neighborhoods

Turn on JavaScript to run the check here, or use the free checker.

A word check, not a legal review. Open the full checker for fixes, the fact lock and the MLS character count.

Avoid

Avoid means an explicit preference or limitation, or a phrase on the avoid side of the cited word lists. This is the risk end of the scale, not a style choice.

• white families Avoid

  Describing the neighbors, residents or buyers by race or color states a racial preference. HUD's 1995 memo gives "white family home" as an example that creates liability. Colors of finishes (white cabinets, black hardware) are fine; this only fires when the color describes people or a neighborhood.

• caucasians Avoid

  Racial terms have no place in a property description. Every cited word list puts them on the avoid side.

• minority neighborhoods Avoid

  Describing an area by its minority population is a description of people by race or national origin, which can read as steering.

• integrated area Avoid

  "Integrated" describing a neighborhood or building is on the avoid side of every cited list, because it comments on who lives there. Integrated appliances, sound or lighting are fine and aren't flagged.

• racially diverse Avoid

  Any racial description of the area or its residents can state a preference or limitation.

• ethnic neighborhood Avoid

  "Ethnic neighborhood" describes residents by ethnicity, a classic steering phrase.

• ghetto Avoid

  Describes a neighborhood in racial or ethnic terms, which HUD's memo says creates liability.

Depends

Depends means it's fine or not depending on how it's used. Read the reason, then decide for your sentence.

• diverse community Depends

  Commenting on who lives in an area (even positively) describes people, not the property. Lists advise avoiding ethnic references. Usually safer to describe what's there (parks, transit, shops).

• ethnic restaurants Depends

  Probably meant as a description of amenities, but "ethnic" is on the avoid lists as a reference to people. Saying the variety plainly is safer.

Minor

Minor means usually fine and worth a second look. Treat it as a style question more than a legal one.

• inner city neighborhood Minor

  "Inner-city" paired with people or neighborhoods is often read as a racial code phrase. Name the neighborhood instead.

Sources

• HUD "Achtenberg memo": Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under §804(c), Jan. 9, 1995
• HUD advertising regulation, 24 CFR § 100.75
• Long Island Board of REALTORS®: Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase Guidelines (Mar. 2025)
• Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase List (New York Press Assn.; source: Oklahoma Press Assn.)
• CRMLS Fair Housing Word & Phrase List (Apr. 2021)

The law behind the lists

The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to publish a housing ad that indicates a preference, limitation or discrimination based on a protected class, and HUD's advertising regulation spells out how that applies to ads. The word lists above are how boards and MLSs put that into practice.

• Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c)
• HUD advertising regulation, 24 CFR § 100.75

Not legal advice. Word lists can't judge context, and laws differ by state and city; some states and cities protect more classes than federal law. When a listing matters, ask your broker or a fair housing attorney. ListingLint rules v2026.10.2.