Peoples’ Perceptions of Housing Market Elements in Knoxville, Tennessee

This article examines the role of race/ethnicity and contemporary housing market elements in Knoxville, Tennessee, using the framework of Market-Led Pluralism (M-LP) as laid out in Brown and Chung (2008). It examines how race and class affect consumers’ decisions on where to live and whom to live with. The M-LP suggests that at the center of the whole dynamism are five elements—housing developers/builders, lenders, realtors, consumers, and communities—and that in contemporary times, the role of class is more important than race or culture when making home buying decisions. This paper analyzes responses and perceptions of twenty households in Knoxville and finds that the survey responses do not indicate significant differences in terms of preferences and choices across races/ethnicities. However, in-depth interviews bring out nuanced insights on aspects of racial steering, discrimination and bad lending practices. This analysis also highlights how perceptions of space and place differ as the sexual orientation, cultural and political affiliations and gender-differentiated responsibilities intertwine with each other and influence peoples’ decisions on where to live and whom to live with.