Updated October 1, 2026 · My Single Property Websites
Every row quotes one of two HUD documents: its January 9, 1995 memorandum on advertising under §804(c) of the Fair Housing Act, and its advertising guidelines, formerly 24 CFR 109.20. The "write instead" column is ours. It applies HUD's own distinction: say what the home has, not who it suits.
| Phrase | What HUD's guidance says | Write instead |
|---|---|---|
| "No children", "no kids under 12", "adults only" | Ads "may not contain limitations on the number or ages of children, or state a preference for adults, couples or singles."HUD memorandum, Jan. 9, 1995, §5 | Leave it out. If the community qualifies as housing for older persons, say that accurately (see the 55+ row). |
| "Perfect for a young couple", "ideal for singles", "great for a single professional" | Same passage: no "preference for adults, couples or singles."HUD memorandum, §5 | Say what makes it suit anyone: "two bedrooms, low-maintenance yard, 15 minutes to downtown." |
| "Adult building", "adult community", "mature persons" | "Adult building" is on HUD's list of words describing the dwelling or tenants; "adults" and "mature persons" are on its familial status list.Former 24 CFR 109.20(a), (b)(7) | Describe the building: "quiet, low-rise building with an elevator and on-site management." |
| "55+", "senior community", "active adult" | Allowed for housing that actually meets the "housing for older persons" exemption. An owner "may be held responsible" for an ad excluding families with children if the property doesn't.HUD memorandum; former 24 CFR 109.20(b)(7) | Use it only after the association or your broker confirms the community qualifies. Otherwise describe the amenities. |
| "Christian home", "no Jews", or any religion as a description of the home or neighbors | "Advertisements should not contain an explicit preference, limitation or discrimination on account of religion (i.e., no Jews, Christian home)."HUD memorandum, §2 | Leave it out. Describe the house. |
| "Steps from St. Mark's Church", "near the synagogue" | "References to a synagogue, congregation or parish may also indicate a religious preference."Former 24 CFR 109.20(e) | Locate it by streets, parks, shops or transit: "two blocks from Main Street and the Route 9 bus." |
| "White family home", "no Irish", or a race, color or nationality describing the residents or the neighborhood | Words "describing the housing, the current or potential residents, or the neighbors or neighborhood in racial or ethnic terms (i.e., white family home, no Irish) will create liability."HUD memorandum, §1 | Describe the neighborhood's physical features: "tree-lined street with sidewalks, a park at the corner." |
| "Exclusive", "restricted", "private", "integrated", "traditional" (neighborhood, community) | Catch words to avoid when "used in a discriminatory context." The memorandum adds that "facially neutral" ads "will not create liability."Former 24 CFR 109.20(b)(8); HUD memorandum, §1 | Name what makes it exclusive: "gated entrance, one-acre lots, private boat launch for residents." |
| "Board approval", "membership approval" | Listed with the catch words above, to avoid "in a discriminatory context."Former 24 CFR 109.20(b)(8) | If a co-op board or HOA really does approve buyers, ask your broker for the standard wording rather than writing your own. |
| "No wheelchairs", "not suitable for the handicapped", "must be physically fit" | Ads "should not contain explicit exclusions, limitations, or other indications of discrimination based on handicap (i.e., no wheelchairs)."HUD memorandum, §4 | Describe the building: "fourth-floor walk-up, no elevator." HUD names that phrase as fine. |
| "Handicapped", "crippled", "blind", "deaf", "mentally ill" (describing who may live there) | On HUD's handicap list. The same passage says it doesn't restrict "information about the availability of accessible housing."Former 24 CFR 109.20(b)(6) | Describe accessibility features directly: "wheelchair ramp, roll-in shower, no-step entry." |
| "Female roommate wanted", "male tenants only" | No "explicit preference, limitation or discrimination based on sex" for a single-family home or separate unit. Stating a sex can be allowed where living space is actually shared.HUD memorandum, §3 | For a whole home or separate unit, leave it out and describe the space. |
Agents get told to avoid plenty of words that HUD's 1995 memorandum specifically names as acceptable. MLS or brokerage style rules may still prefer other wording (many now use "primary bedroom"), but that's a style choice, not HUD's guidance.
| Phrase | What the memorandum says |
|---|---|
| "Master bedroom" | "does not constitute a violation of either the sex discrimination provisions or the race discrimination provisions."§3; also §1 |
| "Mother-in-law suite", "bachelor apartment" | "commonly used as physical descriptions of housing units and do not violate the Act."§3 |
| "Family room", "two bedroom", "cozy" | Descriptions of the property that "are not facially discriminatory and do not violate the Act."§5 |
| "Quiet streets" | A description of the neighborhood, named in the same passage as not facially discriminatory.§5 |
| "Walk-in closets", "great view", "fourth-floor walk-up", "jogging trails", "walk to bus-stop" | Descriptions of properties, facilities or neighborhoods that "do not violate the Act."§4 |
| "Wheelchair ramp" | "Advertisements containing descriptions of accessibility features are lawful."§4 |
| "Non-smoking", "sober", "no bicycles allowed" | Rules about residents' conduct or the facilities, which "do not violate the Act" and are "not facially discriminatory."§4, §5 |
| "Rare find", "desirable neighborhood" | Named with "master bedroom" as phrases complaints "should not be filed" over.§1 |
| "Apartment complex with chapel", "kosher meals available" | Descriptions of the property or services that "do not on their face state a preference."§2 |
A description written the way many are, and the same home described by what it has. Highlighted red: phrases from the first table. Underlined green: phrases HUD names as fine, which stay.
Charming three-bedroom home in an exclusive neighborhood, perfect for a young couple. Master bedroom with walk-in closet, cozy family room, and quiet streets. Steps from St. Mark's Church. No children under 12.
Charming three-bedroom home in a gated neighborhood of one-acre lots, with a low-maintenance yard. Master bedroom with walk-in closet, cozy family room, and quiet streets. Two blocks from the Main Street shops and the Route 9 bus.
What changed: "exclusive" became the facts behind it; "perfect for a young couple" became a feature anyone might want; the church became streets and transit; the limit on children came out entirely. Nothing about the house was lost, and the after version tells a buyer more.
It covers the words HUD's two advertising documents name. HUD's guidelines say it will also treat "comparable words, phrases, symbols, and forms" as a possible violation, so a word missing from this page isn't automatically fine. Many states and cities protect more classes than federal law does (source of income, marital status, age or sexual orientation, for example), and your MLS may have its own wording rules. The memorandum also says it doesn't address ads with human models, and the regulation separately covers where an ad is placed. This page is a reference, not legal advice. Ask your broker or a fair housing attorney about anything you're unsure of.
HUD's guidelines say "references to a synagogue, congregation or parish may also indicate a religious preference" when describing a location. Locating the home by streets, parks, shops or transit avoids the question. The 1995 memorandum separately says describing a property's own facilities, such as "apartment complex with chapel", is not a violation.
HUD's guidelines list exclusive, restricted, private, integrated and traditional as catch words to avoid "in a discriminatory context". The memorandum adds that facially neutral ads don't create liability. Describing what makes the property exclusive (a gated entrance, one-acre lots) says more and leaves no room for the other reading.
Yes, according to the memorandum: ads "describing the conduct required of residents ('non-smoking', 'sober') do not violate the Act", and it names "no bicycles allowed" as a description of facilities that isn't facially discriminatory. The difference from "no children" is that the rule is about conduct or the property, not about who may live there.
No. See what this list doesn't cover above: comparable words, state and local law, and MLS rules all reach further.
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