Do Women Decide Quicker Than Men for Real Estate

Craig and I work every day with couples on their Real Estate decisions. We ran across an interesting article that discusses research done on how women and men differ on their real estate decisions.
Every day, millions of couples navigate through day-to-day and even life-altering decisions. Because a home is the biggest purchase most people make in their lifetime, International Communications Research (ICR) surveyed 1,000 individuals to discover how much men and women differ in the homebuying process.  ICR delved into the inner psyche of men and women, asking questions such as: “How long did it take for you to know that the last home you purchased was right for you?” and, “If you found the home of your dreams but had concerns about its security, would you still be interested?”
The results were surprising highlighting some inherent differences between men and women, but we also pinpointed a number of ways that the two genders are actually the same. For example, both men and women are increasingly concerned with having a space to work in their homes – something we would not have seen 40 years ago. We also found that feeling insecure about a home’s safety is a deal-breaker for most people, regardless of gender.
Key highlights from the study:
Women may be inclined to make up their mind more quickly than men
When asked how long it took before they knew a home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their mind the day they walked into the house, vs. 62 percent of men. Conversely, significantly more men needed two or more visits: (32 percent of men vs. 23 percent of women).
Women would rather live close to their extended family than their job
Fifty-five percent of women find it more important to be close to their extended family (those who do not live in their household) than their job, compared to only 37 percent of men.
A home’s security is a deal-breaker for both men and women
Sixty-four percent of women said that if their dream home came with security concerns, they would no longer be interested; 51 percent of men agreed.
Couples say no one “wears the pants in the relationship” for major financial decisions
Almost 70 percent of respondents living with their significant other said decisions are mutual. However, 23 percent think that they, themselves, wear the pants in the relationship, not their partner. More men than women said this (26 percent vs. 20 percent, respectively).
Men and women agree on how they would use a spare room, for the most part
When asked how they would use an extra 12 x 12 room if it could be anything they wanted, men and women agreed on the top three responses:
• Bedroom: 25 percent
• Office/study: 15 percent
• Family room/den: 11 percent
However, men want a “man cave”
Out of the 8 percent of respondents who would turn that spare room into an entertainment center, a preponderance of men led the charge. Four times as many men as women said they would use the extra space for recreation/entertainment.