Single Women, Single Men, and Homeownership

I have many single friends–men and women. If I were to generalize among them, I’d say my single male friends tend to rent their homes, while my single female friends overwhelmingly own.

The National Association of Realtors has discovered the same thing. Their research found:

* Single women purchase at nearly 2x the rate of single men
* Single women made up 18% of households, while single men accounted for 10%
* Single women are more discriminating, with nearly half needing to “love” the house before they consider its value and cost. More than 75% of men considered value and cost first in their home buying decision.

These numbers are especially interesting when women’s salaries are only 82% of what the average man makes. As the article explains, “…women are ‘making the most sacrifices to get into a home, but they’re still placing a high value on owning a home of their own.'”

Does this research seem viable to you? Do your friends and acquaintances fit with these stats?