Write real estate listing descriptions that avoid fair housing trouble

What does this setup do?

Draft listing descriptions that sell the property's features while steering clear of language that could read as a fair-housing preference, with you and your broker approving the final copy.

Who is it for?

Agents and landlords who want AI help writing listings without risking a fair housing violation.

How do you set it up?

Tools

• A ChatGPT or Claude account (free tier works)
• The property facts: beds, baths, square footage, features, amenities, availability
• Your brokerage's advertising compliance checklist, if it has one
• A broker or attorney for final review of anything you are unsure about

Steps

1. Feed the AI only property facts: unit type, size, layout, features, amenities, rent, fees, availability date, and how to tour.
2. Instruct the AI to describe the property throughout and never describe an ideal tenant or resident.
3. Have the AI flag any phrase that references people rather than the property, and rewrite those lines.
4. Check the draft against the protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin; no preference or limitation on any of them.
5. Add the Equal Housing Opportunity logo or slogan as your brokerage requires.
6. Have your broker review the copy before it goes live, especially photos and virtual staging, which carry the same rules as words.

Write a real estate listing description that is convincing and fair-housing safe.

Property facts:
[beds, baths, square footage, layout, features, finishes, amenities, rent, fees, availability date, tour info]

Rules:
- Describe the PROPERTY only: what it is, what it has, where it is. Never describe the kind of person who should live here.
- Do not use any language indicating a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.
- Avoid phrases like "perfect for [type of person]", "ideal for couples", "no children", or anything describing residents instead of the home.
- Factual accessibility features are fine to state plainly.
- After the draft, list any phrase you are even slightly unsure about under a heading called [REVIEW WITH BROKER].

Show me the draft first. My broker reviews before anything is published. This is a writing aid, not legal advice.

Which chat tools work with this prompt?

Paste the prompt into any of these assistants (free or paid tiers).

• ChatGPT
• Claude

What tips make it smoother?

• When a phrase describes who the neighborhood suits, rewrite it to describe the neighborhood itself: parks, sidewalks, transit, verified amenities.
• "Master bedroom" and "walk-in closet" describe the property and have long been treated as acceptable; the risk is language describing a preferred resident.
• Apply the same care to photos and virtual staging as to words; imagery can indicate exclusiveness too.

Where do the claims come from?

Summaries use public sources linked below, not independent verification. How setups are picked.

• Read National Fair Housing Alliance’s write-up (nationalfairhousing.org)

  National Fair Housing Alliance: Advertising guidelines: focus on the property and amenities, not the ideal renter; no statements excluding protected classes; include Equal Housing Opportunity.

• Read DoorLoop’s write-up (www.doorloop.com)

  DoorLoop: The Fair Housing Act bars ads showing preference, limitation, or discrimination on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.