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THE SINGLE HOMEOWNER In our parents' time, the typical homeowner was part of a family; dad brought home the bacon, mom cooked it, one of their own parents had the spare bedroom and the children played in the backyard. Young adults lived with their parents until marriage and the elderly lived "I just didn't want to pay anyone else's mortgage," said one young homeowner who bought her first home at age 26. "I wanted to invest in my own future." In our newly-established 21st century, single women have significantly better educa- tions, more buying power and a better sense of what they want for themselves. Young men look upon homeownership as a ticket to financial security whether they are considering marriage or not. Divorcees expect a certain lifestyle "It should be no mystery at all that the first time in history that women have sufficient economic power on their own to buy homes that they go out and buy them," said one demographics expert based in New Hampshire. Single homeowners tend to want one or two bedroom, low-maintenance homes in good neighborhoods. Proximity to grocery stores, entertainment and malls are Simple means of entertainment in a homey atmosphere are important; an open floorplan with upgraded appliances in the kitchen is popular. Condominiums are highly desirable, since someone else takes care of the exterior maintenance, freeing homeowners from the responsibility and giving them more time for themselves on the weekends. Living in a safe neighborhood is paramount, and singles tend to make friends with their neighbors and watch out for each other. Singles are also very Single homeowners are not afraid of doing their own repairs just because they may prefer condominium living, however. How-to books on home repairs and renovations fairly fly off the shelves during the spring and fall homebuying seasons; local home supply stores feature ergonomically-weighted tools for smaller hands and display flyers offering tips on home improvements or have live demonstrations on how to do your own home repairs. No one can deny that single homeowners have surely come into their own in the twenty-first century! |
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with their children. How that scenario has changed! Today, single women account for 22 percent of homebuyers (up from 14 percent in 1995) and single men account for 9 percent, according to a National Association of Realtors' 2006 study.
and are not afraid to go out and get it for themselves. Single parents want the security of a permanent home for themselves and their growing children. Those who have lost a spouse want to continue owning but don't want to rattle around in their too-big family home and consider scaling down.
important, and a means of alternate transportation such as bus lines or a train station are important for commuters.
cognizant of trends in resale value for the areas they want to live in.
Some stores offer to send someone out to your home to handle the work for you if you're in deeper than you care to handle.
