EstatePass
Agency PracticeProfessional ConductMEDIUM

A vendor asks their agent to only show the property to 'suitable buyers' and specifically requests not to show it to people from certain ethnic backgrounds. How should the agent respond?

Correct Answer

C) Refuse the instruction, because it would require unlawful racial discrimination

Agents must refuse instructions that would require them to discriminate based on race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics under anti-discrimination legislation. Professional conduct standards require agents to comply with all relevant laws, even when principals request otherwise.

Answer Options
A
Follow the instruction, because the vendor as principal decides who may buy the property
B
Agree to the instruction but quietly keep showing the property to every interested buyer
C
Refuse the instruction, because it would require unlawful racial discrimination
D
Accept it if the vendor puts the instruction in writing and takes responsibility for it

Why This Is the Correct Answer

Refusing a buyer because of race or ethnic origin is unlawful under federal and state anti-discrimination law. An agent's duty to obey covers lawful instructions only, so the agent must refuse this one.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

anti-discriminationprotected characteristicsprofessional conductagent dutieslegal compliance
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