Real Estate and the Single Woman

[Rich Parsons]

Real Estate and the Single Woman


http://finance.yahoo.com/columnist/article/moneyhappy/17039


The above title is from the above link.

The article brings up gender in buying homes and or real estate.

Thoughts?

 

[Kacey]

I fit in that demographic - I bought a condo 9 years ago, lived in it for 6 years, and then sold it at a profit to buy a house, as that was the only way I could see to raise a reasonable down payment. I bought the condo several years after my divorce because I was tired of paying rent, and bought the house because it was what I always wanted.

 

[Ping898]

I fit in the demographic and 7 months ago bought a condo. I did it cause I knew the rent on my apt would go up next lease renewal and felt it wasn't worth what I was already paying for it, and I checked out a condo on a rec of a coworker and fell in love with the place.
Now I did rent for about 2 and a half years, but that was cause I knew the first place I moved too, I didn't want to stay there long and feel that if I am buying real estate it will be because I am putting down roots. I don't have the financial flexibility to sell a place at a lost of hang onto it for a year because it isn't selling...
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that women are staying single for longer now then years past and they plan to stay single or at least go into a marriage on equal footing so buying a home is a natural extension of that...

 

[Rich Parsons]

I know some males who are at home after college saving money and paying on school loans.

I know females who also have done the same thing.

I have known both who bought houses. Some even rent out their spare rooms to help bring in extra income.

I got into a house as soon as I could. When I was doing it there was no such thing a a ZERO down loan.

After my divorce, and I sold the jointly owned house, I went to an apartment. A very nice apartment, that had everythign I wanted except a garage. the rent was cheap (* Less than interest at the time on a home I would want to buy *). I saved lots of money. I paid off debt from the divorce. I saved money to put 25% down on a car (* Yes, I had to put down 25% and have direct withdraw from my check to get approved for fincancing on a vehicle *) as my credit was bad, which was part of the small issues I had that caused the divorce. (* The boyfriend being the big issue *) I was able to save more money and then put it down on a house, where I have been for 5+ years.

From TIME Special Report: America at 300 Million October 30th, 2006:
In 1915 the average house hold contained more than four people. Today the average is 2.5. Large families are increasingly rare.

From 1960 to today one person living alone (* rent/condo/house *) the percentage was about 13% where today it is 26.8%

The same time frame of five or more people living together went from 23% to 9.7%



So, I like my house and find it is what I need, but if one lives at home (* with parents *) and pays little to no rent and pays off debt is that a bad thing? Not in my opinion.

My question now is this a psychological issue, where women feel the need to nest? (* No I am not being sexist here, I am trying to discuss a topic. *)

 

[Kacey]

My question now is this a psychological issue, where women feel the need to nest? (* No I am not being sexist here, I am trying to discuss a topic. *)

I didn't buy a house to "nest" - I bought a house as a piece of my financial planning for the future. My goal is to have the house paid off completely by the time I retire... which give me at least another 20 years to pay off the rest of the 30 year mortgage, which is being accelerated slightly (to be accelerated more when I pay off other, higher-interest, shorter-term debts).

 

[Ping898]

I am not even sure what nesting is....I bought my place cause I liked it, cause it is new, I am the first and only owner, it is a good investment, I didn't feel like my rent was worth what I was getting, originally I planned to live here for at least 3 years and cause I am a computer geek and an electronics junky and in my last place I blew a fuse at least once a week.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I didn't buy a house to "nest" - I bought a house as a piece of my financial planning for the future. My goal is to have the house paid off completely by the time I retire... which give me at least another 20 years to pay off the rest of the 30 year mortgage, which is being accelerated slightly (to be accelerated more when I pay off other, higher-interest, shorter-term debts).

I agree it is a good investment. Not all see the opportunity though.

I am not even sure what nesting is....I bought my place cause I liked it, cause it is new, I am the first and only owner, it is a good investment, I didn't feel like my rent was worth what I was getting, originally I planned to live here for at least 3 years and cause I am a computer geek and an electronics junky and in my last place I blew a fuse at least once a week.

Nesting is the desire to set up your own home. I have known some (* Possible many *) women who liked/loved their mothers but could no longer live with them. They ended up marrying the first guy who came along so they could get out of the house. (* Yes guys get married for wrong reason as well. *) In today's society being single and or a single woman living alone has no stigma to it. There are no social negatives. (* safety of course can be raise but location/training/weapons/etcetera can change those concerns *)

I meant no disrespect with the term nesting.


Personally I have known a lot more males who bought a house right away so they could have their garage to work on their toys, or to rebuild their house they bought. I am glad that more and more are buying, and I have seen an increase with those I work with who are doing such.