How this works — advisory only
This is an automated advisory scan using a built-in word list and your board's published character limit. It is not legal advice and not a guarantee of compliance.
What the Fair Housing Act bars. The FHA prohibits wording that indicates a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a protected class — even when well-intentioned (“perfect for families”). The seven federal protected classes are race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Local and state law may add more — age, marital status, sexual orientation, and source of income are common additions this built-in list does not cover.
It can miss things and it can over-flag. The word list is intentionally conservative: it flags common risky phrases and explains why, but it cannot judge context. Soft / legacy findings (like “master bedroom”) are advisory, not violations. Use your own judgment, and confirm anything you are unsure about with your broker or counsel.
Character caps change. The per-board limits (Bright 1,000, CRMLS 1,500, FMLS 800, Stellar/Matrix 800) are public-remarks caps as of June 2026. Boards update these — confirm yours, or use the Custom limit. Counting uses code points, so an emoji or accented letter counts as one; some boards count differently.
Nothing leaves your device. The scan and the character check run entirely in your browser. Your listing text is never uploaded, there is no signup, and there is no scan limit — ever.
Frequently asked questions
- What words should you avoid in a real estate listing?
- Anything that describes the buyer instead of the property or proxies a protected class: “perfect for families”, “safe neighborhood”, “walking distance to church”, “no kids”, “exclusive”, “great for couples”. The Fair Housing Act bars wording that signals a preference or limitation based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.
- What are the 7 federal protected classes under the Fair Housing Act?
- Race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (children or pregnancy), and disability. Many states and cities add more — age, marital status, sexual orientation, and source of income are common additions.
- Is “master bedroom” a Fair Housing violation?
- No — it is not a protected-class violation. But it is a discouraged legacy term, and many MLS boards and brokerages now ask agents to use “primary bedroom.” This tool flags it as advisory only, and you can turn that check off.
- What is the character limit for MLS public remarks?
- It varies by board: Bright MLS allows 1,000, CRMLS 1,500, FMLS 800, and Stellar/Matrix 800. Boards change these, so pick your board or set a custom limit and the live counter checks your text against it.
- Does this tool send my listing anywhere?
- No. The Fair Housing scan and character check run entirely in your browser using a built-in word list — nothing is uploaded, there is no signup, and there is no scan limit. It is advisory, not legal advice.
- Can I scan multiple listings and keep a compliance record?
- Yes. The single live scan is free and unlimited. An optional one-time $9 unlock adds a batch mode — paste many listings at once and download a formatted, dated Fair Housing compliance log with each listing's findings, protected class, severity, suggested rewrites, character check, and a clear/review/high-risk verdict. It's the pre-publication screening record a brokerage keeps on file (save as PDF).
How to use this checker
- Pick your MLS board Choose your board to load its published public-remarks character cap, or select Custom and enter your own limit.
- Paste your listing's public remarks Drop the listing description into the box. Both checks run live as you type — there is no submit button.
- Read both checks Fix any flagged Fair Housing wording using the suggested rewrites, and click “Trim to fit” if you are over your board's character cap.