Fair Housing phrase guide / State / local classes
Can you say “verifiable income” in an MLS listing? It depends
Depends Fine in some uses and a problem in others. Both sides are explained below.
Why
NYPA and CRMLS list "verifiable income" as acceptable, but LIBOR lists it as prohibited in New York because of source-of-income protections. Check your state.
Safer wording
There's no one-click rewrite for this one. Describe the property, not the people, and rewrite this part by hand.
What the tag means
Depends means it's fine or not depending on how it's used. Read the reason, then decide for your sentence.
What the law covers here
Federal law names seven classes. Many states and cities add more, such as source of income or marital status, and some add military status or criminal history. A phrase that's fine under federal law can still break a local ordinance, so check the rules where the property is.
Sources
- Long Island Board of REALTORS®: Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase Guidelines (Mar. 2025)
- Fair Housing Advertising Word and Phrase List (New York Press Assn.; source: Oklahoma Press Assn.)
- CRMLS Fair Housing Word & Phrase List (Apr. 2021)
Related phrases
All state / local classes phrases on one page · The 12-check listing checklist
Not legal advice. Word lists can't judge context, and laws differ by state and city, with some protecting more classes than federal law does. If you're unsure about a listing, ask your broker or a fair housing attorney. Rule st-verifiable-income, ListingLint rules v2026.10.2.