What You Should Say
You can be as descriptive as you want in your classified ad when you are describing the apartment, the rent, and the amenities that are included. You can legally restrict or welcome pets or specify nonsmokers only. You can talk about the location — without referring to a church — and give an address.
You can say when the unit will be available for move-in and whether references and/or a credit check are required. And don't forget to include a phone number where you can be reached. If you want to restrict viewing and calling, say so in your ad or let after-hours calls go to an answering machine. If you're out of town frequently, you might want to list an alternative number and have someone take calls for you.
To make your unit stand apart from other advertisements, describe special features. You can say the apartment is:
Affordable
Deluxe
Quiet
Cozy
Desirable
Peaceful
Spacious
Newly remodeled
Historic
Convenient to public transit
Rustic setting
Adjacent to shopping
Established neighborhood
In other words, think in terms of what you are offering, not the tenant you'd like to offer it to. If you can make your apartment sound attractive, prospects will call.
Don't say that your unit has amenities that aren't available. Whether you describe it verbally or in print, your tenant then can demand that you provide that feature, even if you subsequently decided it was too expensive or not feasible to put in.
