For real estate agents

A ChatGPT listing description prompt that does not invent facts

By Plain English Library · Updated September 26, 2026

Most listing prompts ask the AI to "write a compelling description." That is how you end up with a walk-in pantry the house does not have. The fix is to lock the facts before you ask for a single word of copy.

Why AI invents square footage

AI chat tools are built to produce fluent, plausible text. When your notes are thin, the tool fills gaps with whatever a typical listing would say: granite counters, a "chef's kitchen," a school name. It is not lying on purpose; it is predicting. The only reliable defense is to tell it, in writing, that it may not state anything you did not give it.

Step 1: The fact lock

Paste your walkthrough notes, the seller disclosure highlights and the basic MLS fields, then send this before anything else:

For this entire conversation, you may only state facts that appear in this material. If something would be useful but is missing, write [CONFIRM: what is needed] instead of guessing. Do not invent measurements, brands, school names, distances or features.

Reply only with "Facts locked" and a numbered list of any obvious gaps I should fill before we write.

The gap list is the underrated part. It often catches things you meant to check, like the year the roof was replaced or whether the basement is finished to code.

Step 2: The listing prompt

Using only the locked facts, write:
1. MLS public remarks, under [character limit] characters.
2. A full listing description of 150 to 200 words.

Style: [your tone, for example "warm, plain, confident, short sentences, no exclamation points"].
Lead with the single strongest feature. Describe the property, never the people who might live there. Do not use the words "dream," "stunning," "gem," "won't last" or "perfect for."
Where a fact is missing, keep the [CONFIRM] marker rather than filling it in.

Step 3: The check

Before you copy anything into the MLS, ask for a self-review:

Now review both drafts. List every factual claim and mark it VERIFIED (appears in my material) or UNVERIFIED. Then flag any phrase that describes people rather than the property, or makes claims about safety or schools, and suggest a factual rewrite.

Then read it yourself. You are the licensee; the tool is a fast junior assistant.

Before and after

Typical AI draft	After the fact lock
"Welcome to your dream home! Perfect for growing families, this stunning gem sits in a safe neighborhood close to top-rated schools."	"Sunlight fills the updated kitchen, with quartz counters and a walk-in pantry added in 2023. Three bedrooms upstairs, a fenced yard, and a 0.4-mile walk to Glenmont Park."

The rewrite is shorter, specific, verifiable and says nothing about who should live there. For the words to avoid, see Fair Housing words to avoid in real estate listings.

Make it sound like you

Generic tone is the other common complaint. Write a short "Agent Profile" once: your market, who you serve, your tone, words you never use, your sign-off and any required brokerage disclaimer. Paste it at the top of each new conversation, or save it in your tool's custom instructions. The free 3-prompt starter guide includes the interview prompt that builds this profile for you.

Privacy reminder

Do not paste seller names, contact details, loan documents or anything from a disclosure you would not post publicly. Use placeholders like [Seller] and fill them in yourself. Check your brokerage's technology policy first.

Sources

• HUD, Guidance Regarding Advertisements Under Section 804(c) of the Fair Housing Act, January 9, 1995
• 24 CFR 100.75 (Cornell LII)

This article is educational and is not legal advice. Your broker, your MLS rules and your federal, state and local laws take priority.