Direct answer
What does blockbusting mean?
Blockbusting is inducing or attempting to induce a sale or rental by suggesting that protected-class entry or change will cause harmful neighborhood effects.
Exam cue: The prohibited tactic uses fear about demographic change to generate transactions.
What does it look like in a question?
Example
A licensee tells owners to sell now because people of a particular national origin are moving nearby.
Common exam trap
What should you not confuse it with?
Blockbusting is not ordinary discussion of documented market data without protected-class pressure.
Related fair housing terms
Assistance animalAn assistance animal is an animal that works, provides assistance or performs tasks, or provides disability-related emotional support under applicable housing rules.Disparate treatmentDisparate treatment is treating a person differently from others because of a protected characteristic.Fair housing testingFair housing testing is a method of comparing housing experiences using people with matched profiles to identify possible discrimination.Familial statusFamilial status is a protected class under federal and New York law covering households with a child under 18, pregnant persons and people gaining custody of a child.Implicit biasImplicit bias is an attitude or association that affects a person's judgment without the person being aware of it.Lawful source of incomeLawful source of income is a New York protected characteristic covering lawful income used to pay for housing, including specified public and private sources.
Sources used4 references with section locators
The curriculum citation confirms exam scope. Definition and rule citations support the explanation itself.
- Real Estate Salesperson 77-Hour CurriculumNew York State Department of StateSupports: Exam scopeSection: Subject 9, Human Rights and Fair Housing
- A Basic Guide to Fair Housing Under the New York State Human Rights LawNew York State Division of Human RightsSupports: New York ruleSection: Protected characteristics and prohibited housing practices
- Fair Housing Act OverviewU.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentSupports: Federal ruleSection: Federal Fair Housing Act overview
- Real Estate License Law, March 2026New York State Department of StateSupports: DefinitionSection: Department of State reference glossary entry for Blockbusting
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