Look at the conduct and its discriminatory basis: steering restricts housing choices, blockbusting induces transactions through protected-class neighborhood fears, and redlining restricts access to credit in an area on a prohibited basis. Do not classify the scenario merely because it mentions a map, neighborhood or lender.

Example one, steering: Two equally qualified buyers give the same budget and location preferences. An agent shows the Black buyer only one district because the agent thinks that buyer should live with residents of the same race, while showing the white buyer the wider selection. The discriminatory restriction of choice is the clue. HUD explains racial steering in its 2026 neighborhood-information guidance.

Example two, blockbusting: To obtain paid listings, a broker tells owners they should sell quickly because families of a particular national origin are moving nearby and will supposedly damage values. The profit-seeking attempt to trigger sales through those claims is the clue, not whether the owners actually sell. HUD's fair-housing training covers this distinction.

Example three, redlining: A lender refuses otherwise eligible mortgages in a district because most residents belong to a particular racial group. Here the discriminatory barrier concerns financing across an area. See HUD's fair-lending examples.

Pitfall: A buyer may select neighborhoods using their own lawful preferences, and lenders may apply legitimate, nondiscriminatory underwriting standards. Neither a location discussion nor a loan denial alone proves the conduct above. In an exam, underline the facts showing the protected characteristic, unequal treatment or discriminatory inducement. Real complaints require fuller evidence.

Use the Chapter 8 fair-housing guide and Chapter 8 practice questions.