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Exam distinction 219 · Practice of Real Estate

Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification

A reasonable accommodation changes a rule, policy, practice, or service so a person with a disability can use and enjoy housing equally. A reasonable modification changes the physical premises. Under the Fair Housing Act's usual private-housing framework, the provider bears accommodation costs while the requester generally pays for a modification, but federally assisted housing can follow additional rules.

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2, 2026. Editorial standards.

What is the exam-ready distinction?

A reasonable accommodation changes a rule, policy, practice, or service so a person with a disability can use and enjoy housing equally. A reasonable modification changes the physical premises. Under the Fair Housing Act's usual private-housing framework, the provider bears accommodation costs while the requester generally pays for a modification, but federally assisted housing can follow additional rules.
Official syllabus mapping for Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification
Roadmap post219 of 500
Official syllabus topicPractice of Real Estate: Fair Housing Disability Protections
Official PSI areaPractice of Real Estate
Published weight12% of the 100-question national portion
Source editionPSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026
Content checked throughAugust 2, 2026

The Rule

PSI publishes a weight for the complete official area, not a guaranteed count for this individual comparison. Use the source, document, actor, event, and timing stated in the question before applying a memorized definition.

Side-by-side comparison

Read across each row. The terms are deliberately compared on identical dimensions so the difference remains clear when the exam hides the vocabulary inside a scenario.

Comparison of Reasonable accommodation, Reasonable modification
Decision dimensionReasonable accommodationReasonable modification
ChangeRule, policy, practice, or servicePhysical change to a dwelling or common-use area
ExampleException to a no-pets rule for an assistance animalRamp, grab bar, or altered doorway
Usual private-housing costHousing provider generally bears the administrative or service costRequester generally pays, subject to other laws and housing-program rules
NexusChange must be needed because of disability to afford equal use or enjoymentPhysical change must be needed because of disability to afford equal use or enjoyment

Decision rule

Classify whether the request changes a rule or the physical property, then test disability nexus, necessity, reasonableness, alternatives, cost allocation, and any overlapping program law.

Georgia-specific distinction

The federal Fair Housing Act applies in Georgia, with GREC fair-housing duties for licensees. Do not use the private-housing cost shortcut when the question identifies HUD-assisted housing or another law with different obligations.

Worked example

Scenario. A tenant with a mobility disability asks for an assigned accessible parking space near the entrance even though the property uses unassigned parking.

Reason it through. The request changes a parking policy rather than physically altering the premises, and it is tied to equal use because of disability.

Answer. Analyze it as a reasonable accommodation request.

Common exam traps

  • Using accommodation and modification interchangeably
  • Assuming equal treatment means never changing a rule
  • Applying one cost rule to every assisted-housing program
  • Demanding unnecessary medical details when disability and need are apparent

Original practice questions with detailed explanations

These are original instructional questions mapped to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or any live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.

Question 1

A disability-related exception to a no-pets rule is usually what?

  1. A. A reasonable modification
  2. B. Blockbusting
  3. C. An architectural variance
  4. D. A reasonable accommodation
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: D. A reasonable accommodation

A reasonable accommodation is correct. A reasonable accommodation changes a rule, policy, practice, or service so a person with a disability can use and enjoy housing equally. A reasonable modification changes the physical premises. Under the Fair Housing Act's usual private-housing framework, the provider bears accommodation costs while the requester generally pays for a modification, but federally assisted housing can follow additional rules. The remaining options, A reasonable modification; Blockbusting; An architectural variance, do not match the controlling category or fact.

Question 2

A tenant with a mobility disability asks for an assigned accessible parking space near the entrance even though the property uses unassigned parking.

  1. A. Analyze it as a reasonable accommodation request.
  2. B. It is a modification only because parking is physical space.
  3. C. It may be denied automatically because the rule applies to everyone.
  4. D. The tenant must always construct a new parking area.
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: A. Analyze it as a reasonable accommodation request.

The request changes a parking policy rather than physically altering the premises, and it is tied to equal use because of disability. The supported conclusion is: Analyze it as a reasonable accommodation request. The other choices replace those controlling facts with a neighboring concept or an unsupported absolute rule.

Question 3

What should a candidate identify first when comparing Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification?

  1. A. The option with the longest definition, without classifying the facts.
  2. B. Classify whether the request changes a rule or the physical property, then test disability nexus, necessity, reasonableness, alternatives, cost allocation, and any overlapping program law.
  3. C. A memorized Georgia rule, even when the question asks for a national concept.
  4. D. The answer that sounds most favorable to one party, regardless of the document or event.
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: B. Classify whether the request changes a rule or the physical property, then test disability nexus, necessity, reasonableness, alternatives, cost allocation, and any overlapping program law.

Classify whether the request changes a rule or the physical property, then test disability nexus, necessity, reasonableness, alternatives, cost allocation, and any overlapping program law. That sequence identifies the legal category before the label. Definition length ignores the facts, jurisdiction confusion answers a different question, and sympathy cannot replace the document, event, calculation, or governing rule.

Mastery tracking

Mark this distinction mastered only when every statement is true.

  • Define every compared term without using the other term as the definition.
  • Rebuild the comparison table from memory.
  • State the decision rule and Georgia distinction without notes.
  • Solve the worked example after changing one controlling fact.
  • Explain why every trap and distractor is tempting but wrong.
  • Answer all three original questions correctly in mixed practice on a later day.

Recommended next lesson

Continue with Price Fixing Versus Market Allocation Versus Group Boycott. Continue to roadmap comparison 220.

Return to the complete exam-concept library or the Practice of Real Estate hub.

Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification questions

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2, 2026. Editorial standards.

Is Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification on the Georgia real estate exam?

Yes. It maps to the official Practice of Real Estate area, which represents 12% of the 100-question national portion. PSI does not publish a guaranteed question count for this individual distinction.

What is the fastest way to distinguish Reasonable Accommodation Versus Reasonable Modification?

Classify whether the request changes a rule or the physical property, then test disability nexus, necessity, reasonableness, alternatives, cost allocation, and any overlapping program law.

What Georgia-specific point should I remember?

The federal Fair Housing Act applies in Georgia, with GREC fair-housing duties for licensees. Do not use the private-housing cost shortcut when the question identifies HUD-assisted housing or another law with different obligations.

How should I study similar-looking real estate terms?

Compare the terms across the same dimensions, classify the controlling fact before reading the choices, explain why each distractor belongs to a different concept, and retest the distinction later in mixed practice.