Coldwell Banker Real Estate Surveys 1,000 Men and Women to Discover Gender Differences in the Home-Buying Process

Below are some key highlights from the Coldwell Banker Real Estate study:

Women may be inclined to make up their mind more quickly than men …

– When asked how long it took before they knew their 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 closer to their extended family than to their job …

– 55 percent of women find it more important to be closer to their
extended family (those that do not live in their household) than to their
job, compared to only 37 percent of men.

A home’s security is a deal-breaker for both men and women …

– 64 percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams
but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested.
More than half of men agreed (51 percent).

Couples say that no one “wears the pants in the relationship” in terms of major financial decisions …

– When asked who wears the pants in the relationship (when it comes to
major financial decisions, such as purchasing a home), almost 70 percent of
respondents living with their significant other said it’s actually 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 the respondents were 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 most popular, and very practical, responses:

– Bedroom: 25 percent
– Office/Study: 15 percent
– Family Room / Den: 11 percent

However, men really do want a “Man Cave”…

– Interestingly, out of the 8 percent who indicated they would turn that
spare room into an entertainment center, it was a preponderance of men
leading the charge. In fact, four times as many men as women said they
would use the extra space for recreation / entertainment.

Methodology: Coldwell Banker Real Estate engaged ICR to conduct an omnibus survey via telephone in May 2009, among more than 1,000 respondents.