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ComplianceApril 30, 2026·4 min read

The fair-housing words your listing description should never contain

A pragmatic list of trigger phrases that get complaints filed, plus safer alternatives for the point you were trying to make.

By The airealtydesk team

Fair housing complaints against agents are almost never about intent. They're about language. The good news: the risky phrases are predictable, and the safer alternatives usually say the thing you meant to say better.

The phrases to cut

  • "Perfect for a family" → say what you actually mean: "four bedrooms and a fenced yard."
  • "Great school district" → school info goes in the data block, not the pitch.
  • "Walking distance" → say the distance: "a 12-minute walk to..."
  • "Master bedroom" → "primary bedroom." Standard MLS language now.
  • "Executive home" → too easy to read as class-coded. Describe the actual features.

The rule of thumb

Describe the property. Not the buyer. Every time you're tempted to describe who the home is "perfect for," describe what the home actually has instead. It's more useful anyway.

Run new listings through the [Listing Description Writer](/listing-description) — it flags this class of phrase automatically.

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