An accurate home description is not a creative-writing contest. It is a concise, supportable account of the property a buyer will actually see, inspect, and evaluate.
For Bend and Central Oregon sellers, that means checking the facts behind every claim before a listing goes live. Square footage, permitted improvements, utilities, access, views, short-term-rental status, and included features should never be filled in from memory or assumption. The goal is simple: make the marketing useful without asking the copy to do work that belongs to permits, disclosures, inspections, or the purchase agreement.
Start With Records, Then Resolve the Gaps
Build the first draft from documents that can be reviewed: county property information, building permits, approved plans when available, the seller’s records, HOA documents, utility information, and prior transaction files. Public records are a starting point, not a guarantee that every field is current or complete. If two sources disagree, flag the conflict and verify it before publishing a precise number or legal-use claim.
The Oregon Real Estate Agency’s advertising guidance gives a useful example: promoting RV parking without first checking restrictions can become materially misleading advertising. That principle applies beyond RVs. If a feature depends on zoning, permits, CC&Rs, a license, or another legal restriction, confirm the supporting record instead of relying on how the property has been used.
Facts That Deserve a Second Check
Square footage, rooms, and finished space
State the source for square footage when that context matters, and do not quietly combine measurements produced by different methods. Confirm whether bedrooms and bathrooms are recognized in the available records. A finished-looking room, converted garage, loft, or basement area should not be described as permitted living space unless the records support that claim.
Additions, remodels, and accessory units
Describe what changed and when, using invoices, permits, plans, or other reliable documentation. “Updated kitchen” is different from “fully remodeled,” and new finishes do not prove that plumbing, electrical, or structural work was completed. The City of Bend Building Safety Division notes that most construction projects—including many additions and structural, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical alterations—require permits. The City also provides a public-records request portal for property and permit history when the online record does not answer the question.
Utilities, water, septic, and access
Confirm whether the property is served by municipal water and sewer, a well, a septic system, or a combination. For rural properties, verify road maintenance arrangements, shared access, irrigation rights, and utility details with the relevant documents or providers. Avoid broad labels such as “low-maintenance” unless the description explains the observable feature behind them.
Views, proximity, and neighborhood features
Use objective language. If a trailhead, park, school, or shopping area is nearby, verify the route or distance rather than calling it “steps away.” A seasonal or partially screened view should not be presented as an unobstructed year-round view. Neighborhood names should match established local usage and the property’s actual location.
HOA rules, rentals, and special uses
Do not advertise short-term-rental potential, RV parking, an accessory dwelling unit, or another special use until the applicable approvals and restrictions have been reviewed. A prior owner’s use does not establish that a future buyer can continue it. When the answer depends on a public agency, HOA, or legal document, point the buyer to that source and avoid a guarantee.
Fixtures and included personal property
Public remarks, photo captions, showing notes, and the purchase agreement should not tell different stories. If a hot tub, television, appliance, workshop equipment, or other item may be excluded, resolve that before marketing it as part of the home.
Write About the Property, Not the Preferred Buyer
Good copy describes the home’s physical features and verified location facts. It does not suggest who should—or should not—live there. Federal fair-housing rules prohibit housing advertising that indicates a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a protected characteristic. HUD’s Fair Housing Act overview identifies the federally protected characteristics, and its advertising guidance explains that words, images, targeting, and delivery methods can all matter.
Replace phrases about the “ideal” resident with objective property details. Describe the fenced yard, main-level bedroom, nearby public park, or flexible bonus room. Avoid claims about neighborhood safety, religious or demographic composition, school quality, or who would be a “perfect fit.” Buyers can then evaluate the facts according to their own priorities.
Keep Marketing and Disclosure in Their Proper Roles
A listing description is not a substitute for the seller’s statutory disclosure, a buyer’s inspection, title review, land-use research, or professional advice. Oregon’s seller property disclosure statutes include a prescribed disclosure statement and rules about when it applies. The form itself states that it is not a warranty. Sellers should answer required disclosures carefully and direct legal questions to a qualified attorney.
The practical test is consistency. The description, photos, captions, MLS fields, seller disclosures, and known records should not contradict one another. If new information arrives—or a feature, condition, or included item changes—update the public marketing promptly.
A Pre-Publish Description Checklist
- Identity: Confirm the address, tax lot or unit, and property type.
- Measurements: Verify square footage, lot size, room count, and the source of each figure.
- Legal status: Check permits, approved uses, HOA restrictions, and licenses behind any special-use claim.
- Improvements: Distinguish cosmetic updates from permitted structural or systems work.
- Services: Confirm water, sewer or septic, utilities, access, and maintenance arrangements.
- Media: Make sure photos and captions show the current property and do not overstate condition or views.
- Inclusions: Align advertised fixtures and personal property with the intended transaction terms.
- Fair housing: Remove language or imagery that signals a preferred type of buyer or resident.
- Claims: Delete rankings, guarantees, superlatives, and precise assertions that cannot be supported.
- Final read: Have the seller and listing team review the same draft before publication.
Accuracy Supports the Rest of the Selling Strategy
A truthful description cannot fix an unrealistic asking price, poor preparation, or weak photography. It works alongside them. Sellers planning a launch can use Bend Relo’s guide to pricing a home correctly, and owners relaunching a listing can review what to assess when a home did not sell.
If you are preparing a Bend or Central Oregon property for market, the Bend Relo team can help organize the facts, identify questions that need outside verification, and build a listing plan around what the home genuinely offers. Start with the Sell My Home page or contact Bend Relo.
Talk with David & the Bend Relo team
Buying, selling, relocating, or evaluating a specific property? Tell us what you are working through. We are happy to help.
