Rental listing description examples (+ a free template and AI prompts)

You've got the photos, the rent amount, and a move-in date. Then you reach the description box, and find yourself staring at the blank screen. What's worth mentioning, and how much is too much?

Less than you'd think. Start from a template or an AI prompt, swap in your own details, and you're most of the way there.

What to include in a rental listing description

Start with what renters care about most, not just what you love about the place. Your vintage woodwork may be charming, but renters are often choosing based on their practical needs, so make sure your description covers each of these:

• Price and total monthly cost. 93% of renters say staying within their budget is essential. List the rent, deposit, and every recurring fee so renters can see the real monthly number.
• Location, commute, and walkability. 81% of renters say location is essential, and more than half of recent renters rate their commute and walkability as very important. Name nearby transit, how long it takes to get downtown, and what's within walking distance.
• Bedrooms, bathrooms, and layout. 81% say the number of bedrooms is essential, and 66% say the same about the floor plan. Describe how the space works: where the bedrooms are located, whether the kitchen is open, and what furniture fits.
• Pets. 65% of renters say allowing pets is essential. State your policy and any pet fees, even if the answer is "no pets."
• Parking and laundry. Listings that mention off-street parking get 85% more saves per day, and listings that mention in-unit laundry get 76% more. If you have either, say so in the description, not only in the features list.
• Internet. 64% of renters say broadband internet is essential. If fast internet is available or included, mention it.

Then cover the terms renters need before they apply: move-in date, lease length, which utilities are included, your income and credit score requirements, and how to apply or request a showing. Stating your rental criteria up front lets renters check whether they're likely to qualify before they apply, and listings that include income requirements get about 10% more leads.

Before you set either requirement, check your state and local rules. Some places limit how you can use credit scores or income minimums, especially for applicants who use housing vouchers.

Once those are covered, add the one feature that makes your place stand out, whether that's a renovated kitchen, a fenced yard, or yes, the woodwork.

How long should a rental listing description be?

For most rentals, three short paragraphs is plenty: one for the highlights, one for the details, and one for the terms. Just don't go too short: listings with descriptions of 300 characters or more get about 60% more shares, and that's only a handful of sentences.

Renters mostly read on their phones, with 81% of recent renters searching on a mobile website. Put your best feature in the first two sentences, where they'll see it without scrolling.

How to write your rental listing description

There are a few easy ways to get a first draft: fill in a template by hand, hand the details to an AI tool, or let RentSpree write it for you. Whichever you pick, you'll want to fact check the listing description before you post.

Option 1: Fill in a template

Copy this template, fill in the brackets, and delete anything that doesn't apply to your rental.

Read it out loud once before you post it. If a sentence sounds like an ad instead of something you'd say to a renter on a showing, simplify it.

Option 2: Start with an AI prompt

If you're planning to let ChatGPT or another AI tool take the first pass, you're in good company: 46% of real estate agents use AI-generated content for things like listing descriptions. AI is a fast way past the blank page, as long as you give it real facts and double check what comes back.

Paste this prompt into your AI tool, fill in the brackets, and delete any line that doesn't apply.

If you're an agent, the following prompt shortens a description for MLS public remarks:

Before you post an AI draft, check three things:

• Every detail is true. AI fills gaps with things that sound right, like a dishwasher you don't have or "close to shopping." Delete anything that isn't accurate.
• It describes the home, not the renter. If the draft says who the rental is "perfect for," rewrite that line to describe the home instead.
• It sounds like you. Cut anything you wouldn't say to a renter on a showing.

Option 3: Let RentSpree write the first draft

If you'd rather skip both, RentSpree writes the first draft for you. Upload your listing photos when you create a listing, add the rent, move-in date, and pet policy, and RentSpree drafts the description. Read it over, change anything that isn't right, and publish.

Rental listing description examples

Each example follows the same pattern: one or two highlights, then the details, then the terms. Swap in your own facts and keep the parts that fit.

One-bedroom apartment

This second-floor one-bedroom has its own washer and dryer, so there's no hauling laundry down the street. The kitchen was updated last year with new cabinets and a gas range, and the bedroom fits a queen bed plus a large dresser.

The apartment is 650 square feet, with one assigned parking space behind the building. The bus stop is half a block away, and a grocery store is a five-minute walk.

Rent is $2,050 per month with a $2,050 security deposit and a 12-month lease. Water and trash are included. You pay electric and gas. Cats are welcome with $25 monthly pet rent. Available March 1. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620. Apply online or send a message to schedule a showing.

Why it works: It opens with in-unit laundry, one of the features renters respond to most, then answers the next questions in order: space, parking, getting around, and cost.

Single-family house

This three-bedroom house has a fully fenced backyard and an attached two-car garage. The kitchen opens to the living room, and the primary bedroom has its own bathroom.

The house is 1,600 square feet on a quiet cul-de-sac, with central air and a roof replaced in 2024. There are washer and dryer hookups in the garage (machines not included). Wilson Park and the public library are both within a mile.

Rent is $3,200 per month with a $3,200 security deposit and a 12-month lease. You pay all utilities; lawn care is included. Up to two dogs are allowed with a $300 refundable pet deposit. Available April 15. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 670. Apply online to request a showing.

Why it works: The yard and garage are what usually draw someone to a house over an apartment, so they lead. It also spells out who handles utilities and yard work, a common question with house rentals.

Townhome or duplex

This two-story townhome has a private back patio and two off-street parking spaces. Both bedrooms are upstairs, privately tucked away from the living area, and the home shares just one wall with the neighbor.

Downstairs has a half bath, a dishwasher, and a stackable washer and dryer. The I-40 highway on-ramp is five minutes away.

Rent is $2,500 per month with a $2,500 security deposit and a 12-month lease. You pay electric and internet. Water, sewer, and trash are included. No pets. Available May 1. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 670. Message to schedule a showing.

Why it works: Parking is one of the details renters save listings for, and naming the shared wall answers the privacy question most people have about attached homes.

Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

This studio cottage sits behind the main house on the same lot and has its own entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. A wall-mounted heating and cooling system keeps it comfortable year-round.

The kitchen has a two-burner cooktop, a full-size refrigerator, and a microwave. Street parking is easy, and the bus line is two blocks away. The owner lives in the main house, and the backyard is shared.

Rent is $1,800 per month and includes electric, water, trash, and internet. There's a $1,800 security deposit and a 12-month lease. No pets. Available now. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620. Message to schedule a showing.

Why it works: It answers the privacy question first, then includes utilities and internet in the rent, so renters see one all-in monthly price. That's what most renters want: 76% say rental fees should be included in the total rent.

Pet-friendly rental

Dogs and cats are welcome here, and the fenced side yard is yours alone. The floors are vinyl plank throughout, so there's no carpet to worry about.

The home has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a shared washer and dryer in the laundry room. There's a dog park half a mile away and one off-street parking space.

Rent is $1,950 per month with a $1,950 security deposit and a 12-month lease. Up to two pets are allowed, with a $300 refundable pet deposit and $35 monthly pet rent per pet. You pay all utilities. Available March 15. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620. Apply online to request a showing.

Why it works: Pet owners skip listings that are vague about pets. This one puts the policy in the first sentence and lists every pet cost, so they can compare without sending a message.

Budget-friendly rental

This one-bedroom keeps monthly costs simple: heat, water, and trash are included in the rent. The building is older and the kitchen hasn't been updated, but the apartment is clean, freshly painted, and gets good afternoon light.

There's coin-operated laundry in the basement and plenty of street parking. The bus line stops at the corner.

Rent is $975 per month with a $975 security deposit and a 12-month lease. You pay electric. No pets. Available now. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620. Message to schedule a showing.

Why it works: It sells the value honestly. Leading with what saves renters money and being upfront about what's dated sets accurate expectations before anyone tours.

Before and after: two rewrites

Most weak descriptions fall into one of two traps: too bare to be appealing, or too hyped to be believable. Here's what fixing each one looks like.

A bare-minimum listing

Before:

2BR/1BA. $1,500/mo. W/D. Parking. No pets. Avail 6/1. Call for info.

After:

This two-bedroom apartment has its own washer and dryer and an assigned parking space. Both bedrooms fit a queen bed, and the living room gets morning sun.

Rent is $1,500 per month with a $1,500 security deposit and a 12-month lease. Water and trash are included. No pets. Available June 1. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620. Message to schedule a showing.

What changed: The same facts, written as sentences, with the abbreviations spelled out. The deposit, lease length, utilities, and rental criteria were added, so renters don't have to call to find out.

An overhyped listing

Before:

STUNNING luxury home in the BEST neighborhood!!! Gorgeous finishes throughout, a true must-see. Perfect for a young professional couple. This one won't last, call today!!!

After:

This two-bedroom condo has quartz counters, new stainless steel appliances, and hardwood floors throughout. It's on the fourth floor with an elevator and a balcony overlooking the courtyard. It's in the Four Corners neighborhood, a five-minute walk from the light rail, with a grocery store and several restaurants on the same block.

Rent is $2,800 per month with a $2,800 security deposit and a 12-month lease. One garage parking space is included. Cats are welcome. Available July 1. Apply online to request a showing.

What changed: "Gorgeous finishes" became the actual finishes, "BEST neighborhood" became what's actually nearby, and the all-caps urgency came out. So did "perfect for a young professional couple." Describing the renter you want, rather than the home, can run afoul of Fair Housing rules.

Phrases to avoid in a rental listing

Describe the home, not the person you hope will rent it. The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to publish a rental ad that shows a preference or limitation based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. That applies to listing descriptions, even when the wording is unintentional.

A first violation can carry a civil penalty of up to $26,262 in a HUD administrative case, on top of damages owed to the renter.

One more phrase to check before you use it: "No Section 8." Federal law doesn't list income sources as protected, but many states and cities do. Check your local rules before you include it.

It's also worth cutting hype words like "stunning," "must see," and "won't last." They aren't illegal, but renters skim past them, and they take up the space where a real feature could go.

Writing a rental listing for a client

If you're an agent listing a rental through the MLS, the same approach works, with one extra step: keep what renters see separate from what other agents need. Many MLSs have separate fields for public remarks and agent-only remarks. Public remarks are what renters read on consumer sites, so write them for renters: highlights, details, and terms.

Agent-only remarks are the place for showing instructions, lockbox details, and contact preferences. Keep those out of the public field, and remember that public remarks are held to the same Fair Housing standards as any rental ad.

Here's what MLS-ready public remarks can look like:

Updated 2-bed, 1-bath condo with in-unit laundry and one covered parking space. The kitchen has new quartz counters and stainless steel appliances, and both bedrooms have double closets. Second floor with elevator access. Rent $2,000 per month, $2,000 security deposit, 12-month lease. Water and trash included. Cats allowed with $25 monthly pet rent. Available June 1. Applicants should have a monthly income of at least 3 times the rent and a credit score of at least 620.

RentSpree is partnered with more than 300 MLS systems, REALTOR® associations, and brokerages, and it gives you a custom application link to share through your MLS listing. Renters who find your client's rental can apply and complete screening in one place, and you can share the reports with your client, who views them in their own free RentSpree account.

From listing to lease with RentSpree

RentSpree lets you create one free listing that can appear on top listing sites like Zillow, Apartments.com, Rent.com, Zumper, Redfin, and a dozen others. That matters because renters rarely stick to one site: the typical recent renter uses five sites or apps during a search.

RentSpree also takes the blank page off your plate: upload your photos, add the rent, move-in date, and pet policy, and RentSpree writes a first draft of your listing description and fills in the details for you. From there, you simply edit and publish. Your listing goes out to partner sites and you get your own application link to share by text or email, so renters can easily apply online.

Once applications come in, RentSpree screening covers credit, criminal background, and eviction history, with the application fee starting at $39.99 and typically paid by the applicant. For an additional $10, you can add bank-verified income verification through Finicity, a Mastercard® company. It pulls deposit data straight from the applicant's bank instead of relying on pay stubs, which are increasingly easy to fake with AI tools.

Rental listing description FAQs