Kolkata: Women, who have always been key decision-makers in the home-buying process in India, are now increasingly making independent, individual property purchases not just to reside there but also as an investment. And demolishing the sterotype, women overwhelmingly preferred to invest in a house than in gold.
“With growing independence and higher disposable incomes, women are coming to the housing market as convinced investors,” said Anarock Group chairman Anuj Puri. In a study that the real estate consultancy firm carried out in July-Dec 2024, it found that while 69% of women purchased homes to live in, the rest did so to make an investment. Two years ago in 2022, only 21% of women purchased homes as an investment asset.
The study further showed that women prefer home purchases over other popular investment options. At least 70% of women surveyed said real estate was the most preferred investment, against 65% in July-Dec 2022 and 57% in the pre-Covid survey in the corresponding period in 2019.
The only other asset that has seen a notable uptick on their wish list is gold, whose popularity increased from 8% in the second half of 2022 to slightly over 12% in July-Dec 2024.
Women’s preference for stock market investment declined to just 2% in the second half of 2024, from over 20% during the corresponding period in 2022. “Considering the significant decline seen in the stock market in recent months in contrast to the bull run in 2022, women have unerringly picked the winning ticket in housing,” said Puri.
Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India-Bengal chapter President Siddharth Pansari said the study reflected the evolution of Indian society and the emergence of women as a sizable ratio in the workforce and in top leadership positions.
“The demand for homes among women has increased due to social and logistical reasons. There are more working and independent women now with higher disposable income than before. Also, there are many who are divorced and have their housing needs. Many women purchase a home as one of their prime securities. There are also women who live and work in other cities but are buying homes here for their parents. There are also families buying a second home that is in the wife’s name,” Pansari pointed out.
As the women’s ratio increases in the workforce, developers believe the number of homebuyers among them will increase as well.
The survey also tracked women homebuyers’ budget preferences. In the H2 2024 survey, at least 52% of women respondents preferred premium or luxury homes priced over Rs 90 lakh, up from 47% who opted for such homes in the second half of 2022. One in three women homebuyers look for properties priced between Rs 90 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore, while 11% prefer homes priced between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 2.5 crore. At least 8% prefer to buy homes priced over Rs 2.5 crore.
What women want: Focus on real estate, away from stocks
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