After making three sales in six weeks to growing families with young children in a neighborhood of mostly retirees, a broker decided to seek additional listings there. The broker went door-to-door suggesting that homeowners who enjoyed living in their quiet neighborhood might wish to sell now and move to a different area where there would not be so many noisy children. The broker listed four homes during this marketing campaign. This was an example of

Steering refers to the practice of directing individuals towards or away from certain neighborhoods based on characteristics like race or family status. In this scenario, the broker is not merely guiding homeowners to another neighborhood; rather, he is instigating fear to prompt sales, which aligns more closely with blockbusting.

While the broker was indeed successful in obtaining listings, the method employed was unethical and manipulative. A good marketing plan should not involve instilling fear or exploiting demographic changes, but rather should focus on ethical practices that respect all members of the community.

While the broker did achieve a high number of listings, the essence of blockbusting is not merely about the quantity of listings. It specifically involves inducing homeowners to sell based on unfounded fears regarding demographic changes, which is the main factor in this scenario.