Which of the following statements could be interpreted as discriminatory?

• A. I want you to only show my home to Catholics.
• B. I want an agent who will bring me the right kind of buyer.
• C. We want to sell to good Christian people.
• D. We want to show the property to any qualified buyer.

Answer: (A)

Discrimination based on religion is prohibited when marketing or showing housing. The statement asking to show the home only to Catholics directly ties access to a protected characteristic, making it an explicit exclusion of people who are not Catholic. That kind of religious preference for viewing a property is exactly the sort of discrimination the Fair Housing Act aims to prevent, because it unduly restricts opportunities based on a protected class.

The other options are less clearly discriminatory in their wording. Asking for an agent who will bring the “right kind of buyer” is vague and could be interpreted in many ways, some of which might be professional or market-based rather than based on a protected class. Saying “we want to sell to good Christian people” also targets religion, which would be discriminatory, but the most direct and unambiguous restriction here is the Catholic-only requirement. Finally, wanting to show the property to any qualified buyer aligns with open, non-discriminatory practice.