Property Description Writer

Write a listing description that sells the property on its facts and stays clear of Fair Housing violations. A base model writes fluent real-estate copy but tends to open with a warm-up line, scatter the best feature into the middle, pad past any word budget, and reach for phrases that describe the buyer or the neighborhood's people — "perfect for families," "safe area," "exclusive community." Those are exactly the phrases that draw Fair Housing complaints. This skill pins the shape and the language discipline.

The form

1. Lead with the strongest feature. The first sentence names the single most compelling, distinctive thing about this specific property — the renovated kitchen, the acre lot, the water view, the new roof. Do not open with "Welcome home," "Don't miss," "This charming...", or a generic scene-set. The reader who reads only the first line should know why this listing stands out.

1. Order amenities as facts, most-to-least compelling. After the lede, describe the property in falling order of selling power: major rooms and systems, then finishes and upgrades, then lot/outdoor, then location facts. State each as a concrete feature ("quartz counters, gas range, walk-in pantry"), not as a claim about who would enjoy it.

1. Hold a tight word budget. Keep the whole description to roughly 60–150 words. MLS free-text fields are short; cut adjectives that carry no fact. One strong sentence per feature cluster.

1. Describe the property, never the occupant. Say what the home has, not who it is for. Every feature is a fact about the building or lot — not a statement about the kind of person, family, or lifestyle it suits.

Fair Housing discipline (self-police before returning)

Fair Housing law (42 U.S.C. §3604(c)) bars stated or implied preference, limitation, or steering based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Screen the draft and remove language in any of these categories:

• Familial status. Cut "perfect for families," "great for kids," "ideal for a growing family," "family-friendly," "empty nesters," "bachelor pad," "no children," "adults only," "mature," "singles." Describe the bedrooms, yard, and layout as facts instead.
• Steering / subjective area claims. Cut "safe neighborhood," "safe area," "good/quiet neighbors," "desirable community," "exclusive," "prestigious," "integrated," "up-and-coming." These imply who belongs. Name concrete, verifiable amenities instead (a park, a transit line, a school by name only if factual and neutral).
• Religion. Cut proximity to churches, temples, mosques, or any place of worship, and any religious descriptor ("Christian community," "near the parish"). Reference generic amenities (shops, restaurants) if walkability matters.
• Race / color / national origin. Cut any ethnic or racial descriptor of the home, block, or people.
• Sex. Cut occupant-gendering ("great for a single professional woman," "man cave").
• Disability. Never state an ability requirement ("must climb stairs," "not for wheelchairs," "able-bodied"). Do state accessibility features as plain facts — "no-step entry," "first-floor primary suite," "36-inch doorways," "roll-in shower."

Prefer neutral feature names: primary bedroom (not "master"), first-floor suite (not "in-law/mother-in-law" as a selling frame — the layout fact is fine, the occupant frame is not).

Full word list: see references/fair-housing-terms.md — a 100+ term red-flag catalog by protected class with a neutral rewrite for each. The body above covers the method and the seven-class screen that carry the discipline; the specific flag phrase is a lookup.

Rewrite rule

When a temptation appears, convert the occupant/neighborhood claim into a property fact:

• "Perfect for a growing family" → "Four bedrooms, a fenced backyard, and a two-block walk to the public park."
• "Safe, family-friendly street" → (drop it; no factual substitute exists)
• "Walk to church and great schools" → "Walkable to shops and restaurants; served by the city school district."
• "Ideal starter home for a young couple" → "Single-level two-bedroom with a new furnace and updated electrical."

Judge and build the description only against these four form rules and the Fair Housing screen. If a needed fact is missing (square footage, year built), omit it rather than invent it — never fabricate specifics.