This page is different from the others on this site. In every other context an AI tell costs you attention. In a property listing it can also draw a Fair Housing complaint, because a model will happily write "perfect for a young family" without knowing that familial status is a protected class.
The phrases, and what to write instead
| Avoid | Write instead |
|---|---|
| family-friendly / perfect for families | Describe the property. "Four bedrooms, fenced garden, 0.3 miles to the park." |
| great schools / good school district | Give the district name and let the reader look it up. |
| safe neighbourhood / low crime | Name the actual feature: gated entry, alarm, lighting. |
| quiet building, no children | Cut. Familial status is a protected class. |
| bachelor pad | Describe the layout. |
| empty nesters / mature buyers | Describe the property, not the buyer. |
| walk-in condition / must be able to climb stairs | State the facts: "Third floor, no lift." Describe the property, never the occupant. |
| exclusive / private community | Both read as coded. Name the actual amenity. |
| integrated neighbourhood | Cut. Describing the neighbours is the risk itself. |
| stunning / breathtaking / must-see | Name the feature that is stunning. |
| cozy / charming | Give the square footage. |
| boasts four bedrooms | "Has four bedrooms." |
| nestled in the heart of | Give the street and the nearest junction. |
| a rare opportunity you won't want to miss | Cut. Say what is rare about it. |
| In today's competitive market… | Delete and start with the address. |
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Check my draft →The rule underneath all of them
Every replacement above does the same thing: it swaps a claim for evidence. That is the whole method, and it is why no tool can finish the job for you. A model can delete results-driven. Only you know the number that belongs there.
Density is what readers notice, not any single word. One phrase from this table is a coincidence. Four in a short piece is a pattern, and people now recognise the pattern quickly. The full 200+ tell list covers the vocabulary, sentence patterns and machine artifacts that apply everywhere, whatever you are writing.
Questions
Can an AI-written listing violate the Fair Housing Act?
It can. The Act prohibits advertising that indicates a preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. A model writing "perfect for a young family" has no knowledge that familial status is protected, so it produces that phrasing readily. The liability stays with the person who publishes the listing.
Is there an official list of banned words?
No, and this is the part most word lists get wrong. As MLS compliance guidance puts it, the Act does not regulate a vocabulary — it regulates a message. Context decides: "walking distance" is not prohibited, but it is commonly flagged because it can read as excluding buyers with mobility disabilities. Treat any list, including this one, as a prompt to check with your broker rather than a rule.
How do I write listing copy that is compliant and does not sound generic?
Describe the property and never the buyer. That single rule removes most compliance risk and most AI slop at the same time, because both come from writing about who a home suits instead of what it is.