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Real estate glossaryNational exam concept

Fair Housing Act

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in covered housing sales, rentals, advertising, financing, brokerage, and related services because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability.

Exam area: Practice of Real Estate

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What does “Fair Housing Act” mean in real estate?

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in covered housing sales, rentals, advertising, financing, brokerage, and related services because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability.

How is “Fair Housing Act” different from the closest wrong answer?

The Fair Housing Act governs housing discrimination. The ADA primarily governs accessibility and discrimination in public accommodations, commercial facilities, and covered services.

What is the Georgia-specific rule?

The federal Act applies throughout Georgia, and additional state or local protections may also apply. Licensees should use consistent objective service standards and truthful inclusive advertising.

Worked exam example

Scenario

A landlord applies a higher deposit only to families with children even though the property has no lawful exemption.

What is the most common exam trap?

Trap correction

A neutral-sounding policy can still violate fair housing through intentional treatment or unlawful effect, and a client's instruction is no defense.

Original exam check

Apply the definition

The owner of a 40-unit complex tells the leasing agent to charge families with children a deposit $500 higher than other tenants because kids cause more wear. The owner claims no exemption. What should the agent recognize?

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Related terms to learn next

Protected class

A protected class is a group defined by a characteristic that anti-discrimination law prohibits decision-makers from using as a basis for specified housing, credit, employment, or public-accommodation conduct.

Steering

Steering is guiding a housing prospect toward or away from neighborhoods, properties, or communities because of the person's protected-class status or the protected-class composition of an area.

Blockbusting

Blockbusting is inducing or attempting to induce owners to sell or rent by suggesting that people of a protected class are entering or may enter the area and that negative consequences will follow.

Reasonable accommodation

A reasonable accommodation is a necessary change, exception, or adjustment to a housing rule, policy, practice, or service that gives a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling.

Recommended next complete lesson

Continue with Practice of Real Estate complete lesson. It places this term inside the full rule, worked examples, exam traps, and mixed practice required for mastery.
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