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National curriculum lesson 113 · Practice of Real Estate

Steering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment

Steering directs or discourages housing choices because of a protected characteristic. Blockbusting induces transactions by suggesting protected-class demographic change. Redlining denies or restricts services because of area demographics or protected traits. Disparate treatment applies different rules or service because of a protected characteristic. These acts can occur through words, omissions, search settings, availability, pricing, terms, or service quality.

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

What is the exam-ready answer?

Steering directs or discourages housing choices because of a protected characteristic. Blockbusting induces transactions by suggesting protected-class demographic change. Redlining denies or restricts services because of area demographics or protected traits. Disparate treatment applies different rules or service because of a protected characteristic. These acts can occur through words, omissions, search settings, availability, pricing, terms, or service quality.
Official syllabus mapping for Steering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment
Roadmap lesson113 of 500
Official syllabus topicSteering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment
Official PSI areaPractice of Real Estate
Published area weight12% of the 100-question national portion
Exam portionNational salesperson portion
Source editionPSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026
Last verifiedAugust 2, 2026

The Rule

PSI publishes the weight for the complete content area, not a fixed question count for this lesson. Learn the rule well enough to apply it when PSI changes names, numbers, or parties in a new scenario.

Complete lesson

Read each concept as part of one decision system. The exam often gives one accurate statement and three statements that belong to a nearby concept.

Steering

A housing professional cannot select neighborhoods for a person because of race, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, sex, or other protected status. Use the consumer's stated, lawful property criteria and neutral resources.

Blockbusting

A person cannot generate listings or sales by warning owners that protected-class entry will lower values, increase crime, or change the neighborhood.

Redlining

Lenders, insurers, appraisers, and housing providers cannot draw service boundaries or alter availability and terms based on protected demographics rather than legitimate risk factors.

Disparate treatment and impact

Disparate treatment is intentional different treatment. A facially neutral policy can also create unlawful discriminatory effects under the governing legal standard, even without explicit slurs.

Decision rule

Identify the actor, housing action, protected basis, different treatment or effect, and stated legitimate criterion.

Georgia-specific distinction

The federal Fair Housing Act applies in Georgia. Georgia licensees must give consistent service, document buyer-selected criteria, provide objective source-based information, and avoid describing neighborhood desirability through protected-class proxies.

Worked example

Scenario. An agent removes homes from a buyer's search in neighborhoods where most residents have a different national origin, without asking the buyer.

Reason it through. The agent altered housing choices using a protected characteristic rather than the buyer's neutral criteria.

Answer. This is steering even if the agent claims benevolent intent.

Common exam traps

  • Thinking good intent excuses steering
  • Limiting redlining to literal maps
  • Using school or crime talk as demographic code
  • Applying unequal standards without documentation

Original practice questions with detailed explanations

These questions were written for instruction and mapped to the current outline. They are not copied from PSI or any live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.

Question 1

What is inducing owners to sell by predicting racial change?

  1. A. Blockbusting
  2. B. Steering
  3. C. Redlining
  4. D. Puffing
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: A. Blockbusting

Blockbusting uses fear of protected-class demographic change to induce housing transactions.

Question 2

What is guiding a buyer away from an area because of religion?

  1. A. Steering
  2. B. Redlining
  3. C. Novation
  4. D. Subagency
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: A. Steering

Steering restricts a consumer's housing choice based on a protected characteristic.

Question 3

Can identical written rules still be applied discriminatorily?

  1. A. Yes
  2. B. No
  3. C. Only by lenders
  4. D. Only in advertising
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: A. Yes

Unequal administration can constitute disparate treatment even when the printed policy is neutral.

Mastery tracking

Mark this lesson mastered only when every statement is true.

  • State the direct answer and decision rule without notes.
  • Explain every core concept in plain English.
  • Solve the worked example after changing one important fact.
  • Identify the Georgia distinction before reading answer choices.
  • Answer all three questions correctly and reject every distractor.
  • Repeat the topic in mixed practice on a later day.

Recommended next lesson

Continue with Fair Housing Advertising, ADA Access, Accommodation, and Modification. Continue to roadmap lesson 114 and build on this decision rule.

Return to the Practice of Real Estate hub to see every official branch and the complete lesson sequence for this content area.

Steering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment questions

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

Is Steering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment on the Georgia real estate exam?

Yes. It belongs to PSI's Practice of Real Estate content area, which is 12% of the 100-question national portion. PSI publishes content-area weights, not a guaranteed question count for this individual lesson.

What is the main rule for Steering, Blockbusting, Redlining, and Disparate Treatment?

Identify the actor, housing action, protected basis, different treatment or effect, and stated legitimate criterion.

What Georgia-specific distinction should I remember?

The federal Fair Housing Act applies in Georgia. Georgia licensees must give consistent service, document buyer-selected criteria, provide objective source-based information, and avoid describing neighborhood desirability through protected-class proxies.

How do I know I have mastered this lesson?

Explain the rule without notes, solve the worked example again with changed facts, answer all original questions correctly, explain every distractor, and repeat mixed practice on a later day.