Can you say "near a church" in a real estate listing?
Moderate risk. Referencing a place of worship can signal a religious preference.
Why it gets flagged
Religion is a protected class. Advertising that a home is near a particular church, synagogue or mosque, or that suits a particular faith community, can read as a preference. It also tends to attract the wrong kind of attention to the listing.
If a place of worship is relevant to a buyer, they can find it on a map. Describe the property and the general area without naming religious institutions.
Instead of
Just two blocks from the church and the community center.
Try wording like
Two blocks from the community center.
Flag-only: a person must decide the replacement. Proper names that merely contain a religious word (a street, a school) may be flagged and are fine to keep.
What to say instead
- Two blocks from the community center.
- Close to parks, shops and public transit.
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Open the Fair Housing checkerRelated phrases
7 phrases to stop using in listings
A one-page guide with the neutral wording to use instead.
General information, not legal advice. Fair Housing rules, MLS rules and local law vary; your broker and an attorney are the authorities. The phrase check is rule-based and cannot catch everything.