What is the practice called when a licensee falsely represents that a property is not for sale?

The practice of falsely representing that a property is not for sale is known as steering. This term is generally associated with the unethical practice where real estate agents guide clients toward certain neighborhoods or properties—or away from others—often based on the race or socioeconomic status of the individuals involved. In this particular context, when a licensee acts to mislead potential buyers or tenants about the availability of a property, it indicates an intention to manipulate the market dynamics for discriminatory reasons, thereby affecting housing choices.

Steering can manifest itself by implying certain properties are unavailable, which can limit options for buyers and create a segregated housing market. This practice violates fair housing laws aimed at promoting equal opportunity in housing and ensuring that all individuals have access to the housing market based on their preferences and needs, rather than on discriminatory practices.

The other choices—blockbusting, redlining, and discrimination—relate to different unethical practices in real estate but do not specifically involve the misrepresentation of a property’s availability. Blockbusting involves inducing property sales by creating fear of change in neighborhood demographics, redlining refers to denying services to residents based on their area or characteristics, often tied to race, and discrimination covers a broader range of unfair treatment in housing based on protected characteristics.