From 'Homemaker' To 'Home Buyer': Women Shaping The Property Market

Over the past few years, home buying patterns have changed drastically in India. From newspaper advertisements to online real estate portals, from several site visits to virtual tours for real estate property – a lot has changed over the last few years.

Paradigm Shift in Decision Making

Further, there was a time when real estate was largely a man’s domain. It was the men in the family who decided which property to buy and on the other hand, women were only playing a role in beautifying and maintaining homes. But over the past decade, the scenario has changed significantly and women are now breaking all the odds - from being 'influencers', to actual home buyers in their own right.

Real estate is no longer a man’s domain as more and more women are now actively playing a decisive role in taking the home-buying decisions. In recent times, they are actively involved when it comes to buying a property right from the start to the end.  It is no more a hidden fact that just like their male counterparts, women have made their mark in the field of the residential segment. Now they are also planning to invest in the housing segment to diversify their investment portfolio. As per a recent survey, nearly 42 percent of women considering real estate as the most-preferred asset class for investment. Another estimate suggests that women are directly involved in decision-making in about 74 percent of residential real-estate purchases.  

Also Read: Property Rights Of Women In India

More Women Homebuyers Now Than Ever Before

The trend of women being the second biggest group of home buyers are also catching up in many tier II cities. A synopsis of many other reports suggests that over 30 percent of those who want to buy or rent a property across the country happens to be women. Cashing on this, many realty developers are also actively trying to lure women home buyers by offering special offers on the property or in some other cases, exclusive towers for single women home buyers in their projects. The survey also revealed that the women in India does not want to compromise on the size of the property. Around 80 percent women want to have large-size flats within both 2 and 3 BHK options and almost 60 percent women home seekers preferred a property within the budget-range of Rs 80 lakh and 52 percent preferred a ready-to-move-in home. The current pattern of home buying indicates that women are emerging as a strong homebuyer group in India.

Advantages For Women Homebuyers

The rapid increase in the number of women homebuyers across the country has also prompted the Government to take necessary measures that make the residential real-estate purchase more convenient for women home-buyers more lucrative than their male counterparts. Here are some of the benefits women homebuyers can avail in India:

1. Cheaper Home Loans:

Many banks and home financing institution are offering low home loan interest rates to women home buyers to comfort their home buying experience.

2. Tax Deductions:

Women home buyers get tax benefits and they are eligible for a tax deduction of Rs 2 lakh on the interest rate paid on home loans.

3. Mandatory Co-Ownership:

According to the Housing for All by 2022 Mission, women should be either co-owners or sole owners of affordable houses. The government has made it mandatory to empower women from the low-income segment. 

4. Lower Stamp Duty Charges:

In many Indian states, stamp duty for women is lower than men. For example, in Delhi and Haryana, stamp duty for women is 2 per cent lower. Therefore it is much beneficial for couples to buy their property in the name of the women partner. The stamp duty will be lower in case property is gifted to the women partner and if you jointly registering property in the name of the women partner, then also you will get discounts in stamp duty.  

Thanks to these government initiatives home buying in India is set to see a great change in favour of the Indian women. Women are now emerging in the forefront as they are making worthwhile contributions towards buying or selling homes.