Question 7

Steering is the practice of limiting the neighborhoods in which a licensee shows houses based on a buyer's race.

Steering refers to the discriminatory practice where real estate agents guide prospective buyers toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race. This action perpetuates segregation and limits the housing options available to buyers.

A) puffing.

Puffing is an exaggeration made by a seller or agent about a property to make it more appealing, but it does not involve discrimination based on race or limit a buyer's options. Therefore, it is not relevant to the question regarding race-based limitations in housing.

B) blockbusting.

Blockbusting is a practice where agents manipulate homeowners to sell their homes at a lower price by promoting fears that racial minorities will move into the neighborhood. While blockbusting is discriminatory, it specifically pertains to inducing sales rather than the act of showing houses based on race, making it an incorrect choice for this context.

C) redlining.

Redlining is the discriminatory practice of denying services, typically financial, to residents in certain neighborhoods based on their racial or ethnic composition. While it involves racial discrimination, it does not specifically refer to the act of showing houses to buyers, thus making it an incorrect answer here.

D) steering.

Steering directly addresses the issue in the question by defining the action of directing buyers to specific neighborhoods based on their race. This practice is illegal and unethical as it restricts individuals' choices and perpetuates racial segregation in housing.

Conclusion

Steering is the correct answer as it specifically involves limiting housing options presented to buyers based on race. Other options, while related to discrimination in housing, do not accurately describe the act of restricting neighborhoods shown to buyers. Therefore, steering is the most precise term that addresses the scenario presented in the question.