Would you move into a neighborhood if you were the only of your ethnicity/race?
By mclendon
@mclendon (308)
United States
June 16, 2008 9:53pm CST
Think about it carefully and use your imagination: If you were to find the perfect home and could buy it, but discovered that yours would be the only white family in a black neighborhood - hispanic family in a white neighborhood - black family in a white neighborhood - only white/black family in an Asain neighborhood - would you move in?
Would you be embarrassed to tell your alike friends where you live?
Even if not racist or prejudiced, I think most people would hesitate. What would be your concerns? Fear? Loss of face with other friends? Worries about compatibility with neighbors?
Specifically, what kinds of fears or concerns would you have? Can you be honest with yourself and with others even if it is not politically correct but just cultural baggage and irrational hang ups? Do others' opinions affect where you choose to live? Do you think people are just more comfortable in homogeneous neighborhoods?
3 responses
@fluffnflowers (1594)
• United States
18 Jun 08
If the houses there were other houses selling for good prices, I'd say yes. Around here, neighborhoods that are predominantly black, Hispanic, or any other 'minority' group tend to have bad resale rates on homes, so that would be my primary concern. If houses were selling quickly and for fair or above market value, it'd be an easy choice to make.
@relundad (2310)
• United States
23 Jul 08
I currently live in a neighborhood and so far I am the only African American person in the neighborhood. This may change soon as the neighborhood is still under construction. I have lived in the neighborhood for almost 2 years.
Without sounding class prejudice I think it definitely depends on the "class" of people that live in the neighborhood as to whether it would be a factor for the average person. In certain areas it doesn't matter your color or race as long as you got "green". As much as we hate to admit it, once you pass the "green test" which is evident by the fact that you can live there, people automatically give a certain amount of respect and dismiss certain stereotypes. Because to some degree they then associate you as being "like" them.
I must say that though this was never an issue for me, it seems to be an issue for most of my friends. For a lot of them it seems unthinkable. For me the racial makeup of the neighborhood was not a factor for my decision to build in the subdivision that I did.
