Seeking comfort and safety: home search experiences of black/white interracial couples

Although the proportion of black/white interracial marriages has modestly increased in recent decades, along with social acceptance of such unions, this population may still face race-based discrimination when making decisions about where to live. In this paper I explore the home-finding experiences of 15 members of black/white interracial couples who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, drawing on qualitative data gathered during individual interviews. My findings fall into four major categories: race-conscious strategies that some interracial couples employ when looking for a home; the impact real estate agents and other professionals have on the cities or neighborhoods in which a couple looks for a home; the conflicts couples may have when selecting a city or neighborhood over issues such as feeling safe and feeling accepted; and finding a neighborhood that will aid in promoting healthy identity development for mixed-race children. I conclude with a discussion of key findings and suggestions for additional research, such as including interracial couples in future housing audits.