A buyer's agent is asked by their client to show them homes 'only in certain neighbourhoods' in a way that steers them away from racially diverse areas. What must the agent do?

STEERING is the illegal practice of directing buyers toward or away from certain neighbourhoods based on the protected characteristics of current or prospective residents. It violates the Fair Housing Act regardless of whether the request comes from the buyer themselves. The fact that a client requested it does NOT make it legal. BLOCKBUSTING is the related illegal practice of inducing owners to sell by suggesting that persons of a protected class are moving into the neighbourhood, leading to panic selling. The agent's obligations: refuse the instruction; explain that it violates fair housing law; if the client insists, the agent should consider whether to continue the relationship. Agents who comply with steering requests face licence revocation, civil penalties, and private lawsuits.