Rise of the Older, Single Female Home Buyer

More and more older single women are purchasing homes at an increasing clip.  This interesting aspect of potential homebuyers was recently reported by the Wall Street Journal and reposted by Realtor.com.  Interestingly, the article points out census data showing that, since 1981, single women over 55 have been the fastest-growing demographic of home buyers when compared with several other categories.  In 2017, single, older women made up 8.2% of all home buyers, which is nearly double the percentage 20 years ago.  Furthermore, these women are buying homes at nearly 2x the rate as their male counterparts.

“There have long been many more older single women than men, reflecting the fact that men remarry at a higher rate after a divorce, as well as the fact that men generally die at younger ages. But the dramatic increase in home purchasing by older women speaks to something else. Many women in this place in life want to own a home of their own, says Jessica Lautz, director of demographics and behavioral insight for the National Association of Realtors.”

Click here to read the full story on Realtor.com.

Click here to read the full story at the Wall Street Journal.