| "body"> | | | | for a man before they allow themselves the pleasure |
| I most definitely would not want to come across as | | | | of a room of their own, unmarried women are buying |
| a slimy, double-tongued and venomous rattlesnake, | | | | homes in record numbers. Why the disparity |
| but those of us who have grown old in residential | | | | between single women and single men, when it |
| real estate sales are fully aware of the fact that, in | | | | comes to taking the plunge? The New York Times |
| this business, men are good for one thing and one | | | | recently devoted a lot of ink to trying to figure that |
| thing only: to autograph a deposit check. So much so, | | | | one out, but its findings can be boiled down to the |
| in fact, that when I used to work for United Realty | | | | following: |
| on Kingsway (that was last century), I knew an | | | | 1) women care about homes more than men, who |
| agent who emphatically refused to speak to hubbies | | | | think more of them as a place to sleep, a crash pad |
| during showings - even during listing presentations. He | | | | and |
| totally ignored them. And he was, and still is, one of | | | | 2) women want to feel that wherever they are |
| the top producers in the industry. | | | | bears their imprint, whereas men could not care less. |
| Hubbies invariably have this peculiarity of standing in | | | | Going back to CMHC, the report interestingly |
| the way during showings. Sometimes we even have | | | | highlights the fact that, when single women go house |
| to waive them aside, to allow wives to engage into | | | | hunting, it is not always for the same reasons that |
| the metaphysical contemplation of, well ... draperies, | | | | couples do. More specifically, single ladies are looking |
| or to stand in front of the kitchen stove and | | | | for more than a good investment to build equity for |
| fantasize out loud on the forthcoming culinary | | | | their retirement. There are three factors, in fact, that |
| delicacies they will be preparing, and subsequently | | | | distinguish single women buyers from couples: they |
| dishing out to their loved halves. Which is, incidentally, | | | | focus more on location, security and low |
| the part of showings I enjoy the most: to watch | | | | maintenance. |
| hubbies running down the stairs screaming in horror | | | | Location |
| and pulling out hair. No wonder men do not live nearly | | | | Younger single women tend to buy in the heart of |
| as long as women: the ladies do not eat what they | | | | downtown, for social reasons. They want a vibrant |
| cook - but I digress. | | | | urban community with amenities right there. They do |
| So, therefore, Canada Mortgage and Housing | | | | not want to commute a long distance to the suburbs. |
| Corporation (CMHC) has now discovered the obvious, | | | | On the other hand, women of all ages will buy a |
| that is women (single, married, divorced and | | | | home they are not in love with, for family reasons. |
| widowed) control a whopping 85 percent of all home | | | | Perhaps the home is not exactly what they want, |
| purchase decisions, thus giving an entirely new | | | | but it is close to a great school where their children |
| meaning to the old, and otherwise sexist, saying that | | | | will thrive, or close to a grandparent who can provide |
| 'a woman's place is in the home'. In fact, even the | | | | daycare. |
| other belief that 'men always have the power and | | | | Safety and security |
| the money' seems to have become somewhat - shall | | | | These are key issues for single ladies. Even if they |
| we say - passé ... | | | | can afford to buy a single-family detached unit, many |
| CMHC further details that women buy at a faster | | | | will opt to buy an apartment or town-home because |
| rate than the general population, and that single | | | | they perceive this style of housing as safer and more |
| women are twice as likely as single men to buy a | | | | secure. Certain types of multi-family living have a |
| home. This report mirrors another study, conducted | | | | better sense of neighbourliness, and for many living in |
| in 2005 by the National Association of Realtors, which | | | | a town-home feels more secure than a single-family |
| outlined that 21 percent of all homes were bought by | | | | home on a large lot. |
| single women. That was up from 18 percent in 2004 | | | | Low maintenance |
| - and despite the fact that women still earn only 76 | | | | There is no question that women, as a whole, are |
| cents on the dollar that men earn. In comparison, | | | | embracing home repair and maintenance. Fully 50 |
| American single men accounted for only 9 percent of | | | | percent of purchases at Home Depot are now made |
| home purchases last year. No data is available for | | | | by women, but young ladies are still more likely to |
| Canadian single men - which is not to say that | | | | look for a home that promises low maintenance. One |
| Canadian single men accounted for zero percent of | | | | great advantage of low-maintenance housing is that it |
| home purchases last year. However, on a second | | | | frees up time for other activities. |
| look, the absence of any statistical data is probably | | | | Obviously, those who are most interested in reports |
| an indication that Canadian single men did not exactly | | | | of this type are residential and mixed-use developers |
| corner the market in 2005 ... | | | | and home-builders, whose main goal is invariably to |
| When it comes to have, as Virginia Woolf put it, "a | | | | try to offer homebuyers everything they need, and |
| room of one's own", there are dozens of stories that | | | | most of what they want, for a price they can |
| come across the wire about single women snapping | | | | afford. |
| up real estate. Realizing that there is no need to wait | | | | |