“near country club” in listing copy is a minor Fair Housing flag

Why

"Country club, near" is on the caution lists. Membership clubs have a history of exclusion. "Golf course, near" is on the NYPA acceptable list if that's what's there.

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

Minor means it's usually fine and worth a second look. Treat it as a style question more than a legal one.

Check your own wording

Paste a sentence or your whole listing. It runs ListingLint's real rule engine in your browser, and nothing is uploaded. near country club

1 phrase to look at

• Minor “near country club”

  "Country club, near" is on the caution lists. Membership clubs have a history of exclusion. "Golf course, near" is on the NYPA acceptable list if that's what's there.

A word check, not a legal review. Open the full checker for fixes, the fact lock and the MLS character count.

What the law covers here

Steering means guiding buyers or renters toward or away from an area because of a protected class. HUD's rule bans restricting someone's choices by word or conduct. One of its examples is telling a buyer they wouldn't be comfortable or compatible with the people who live there. These code words get flagged because of how an ordinary reader may take them. The words aren't banned on their own.

• HUD rule on steering and other prohibited conduct, 24 CFR § 100.70
• Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c)

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

• exclusive neighborhoods Depends
• private community Depends
• restricted Caution
• board approval required Avoid
• preferred community Avoid
• safe neighborhood Caution
• prestigious neighborhood Minor
• traditional neighborhood Depends

All steering code words 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 steer-country-club, ListingLint rules v2026.10.2.