Final answer:
The question pertains to the discriminatory practice known as blockbusting, where real-estate agents and speculators would induce 'white flight' by spreading fear of minority families moving into white neighborhoods, thereby devaluing property which they then sold at higher prices to minorities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Directing home-seekers to particular areas because of the presence or absence of neighbors of a different race, religion, or national origin is known as blockbusting. This practice involved real-estate agents and speculators exploiting racial fears, specifically by suggesting that minority families would soon move into an all-white neighborhood, inducing a rapid sale of homes at low prices due to the fear of declining values—known as "white flight." Speculators would then sell these homes to minority families at marked-up prices.
Both blockbusting and redlining are considered illegal and unethical, significantly contributing to patterns of residential segregation witnessed in the 20th century and with effects still palpable in today's urban landscapes.