New Mexico Practice Test → Fair Housing

New Mexico Fair Housing
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)

Fair housing is tested on every real estate exam in the country, but New Mexico candidates must know both federal and state-level protections. While New Mexico enforces the seven federal protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability), the New Mexico Real Estate Commission also tests how these protections apply in New Mexico-specific rental, sales, and advertising scenarios. Steering, blockbusting, redlining, and discriminatory advertising are all tested — and candidates who think they know fair housing cold often miss the state-specific extensions or the nuanced application scenarios. Review every question here carefully.

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New Mexico Fair Housing — Practice Questions & Answers

75 questions on Fair Housing from the New Mexico real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 75.

Q1. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on which protected classes?

A.Race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability
B.Race, color, religion, sex, national origin only
C.Race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability
D.Race, color, sex, disability, marital status, familial status

Explanation

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on seven protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.

Q2. Steering in real estate means:

A.Directing buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class characteristics
B.Encouraging buyers to make above-list-price offers
C.Refusing to show listings above a buyer's stated budget
D.Recommending specific lenders to buyers

Explanation

Steering is the illegal practice of directing buyers toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on the racial, ethnic, religious, or other protected characteristics of the residents.

Q3. A landlord refuses to rent to a family with children under 18. Under the Fair Housing Act, this is:

A.Permissible if the landlord prefers adults
B.Illegal discrimination based on familial status
C.Legal if the property has fewer than 4 units
D.Legal if the landlord lives on the premises

Explanation

Familial status is a protected class under the federal Fair Housing Act. Refusing to rent to families with children under 18 is illegal discrimination, with limited exceptions for qualified senior housing.

Q4. Under the Fair Housing Act, a person with a disability has the right to:

A.Receive a rent discount from the landlord
B.Request reasonable modifications and accommodations
C.Terminate a lease without penalty at any time
D.Require the landlord to make all modifications at the landlord's expense

Explanation

Persons with disabilities have the right to request reasonable modifications to the property and reasonable accommodations in rules or policies. In most cases, the tenant pays for modifications.

Q5. Blockbusting is the illegal practice of:

A.Refusing to make loans in minority neighborhoods
B.Directing minorities to specific neighborhoods
C.Inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting that minorities are moving into the area
D.Advertising only to certain protected classes

Explanation

Blockbusting (also called panic peddling) is the illegal practice of inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting that the entry of minorities into the neighborhood will lower property values.

Q6. Redlining is the illegal practice of:

A.Refusing to make loans or provide insurance in certain geographic areas based on racial composition
B.Marking property boundaries with red lines
C.Overcharging minority buyers for homes
D.Steering buyers to specific neighborhoods

Explanation

Redlining is the illegal practice of denying loans, insurance, or services to geographic areas based on the racial or ethnic composition of those areas.

Q7. Under the ADA, a commercial property owner must provide:

A.Free housing for disabled employees
B.Reasonable accommodations and remove barriers to access where readily achievable
C.Elevators in all buildings regardless of cost
D.A designated parking space for every disabled visitor

Explanation

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires commercial properties to provide reasonable accommodations and remove architectural barriers to accessibility where it is readily achievable.

Q8. The Unruh Civil Rights Act in New Mexico protects against discrimination in:

A.Only residential housing
B.Business establishments and housing based on additional protected characteristics beyond the federal law
C.Only commercial real estate
D.Only employment decisions

Explanation

New Mexico's Human Rights Act (similar in concept to California's Unruh Act) extends fair housing protections to additional characteristics such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and spousal affiliation beyond the federal protected classes.

Q9. A senior housing community may legally refuse to rent to families with children if it qualifies as:

A.Any building with more than 10 units
B.Housing for older persons (55+ or 62+) under the HOPA exemption
C.A condominium association
D.A single-family neighborhood

Explanation

The Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) provides an exemption allowing 55+ and 62+ senior housing communities to restrict occupancy to older persons without violating the Fair Housing Act's familial status prohibition.

Q10. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on which classes?

A.Race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability
B.Race, color, age, sex, national origin, disability
C.Race, religion, marital status, income, disability
D.Race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, disability

Explanation

The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 (amended 1988) prohibits discrimination based on seven protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.

Q11. The New Mexico Fair Housing Act adds which protected class(es) NOT covered by federal law?

A.Age and income
B.Sexual orientation and gender identity
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