This Demographic Values the Convenience, Financial Savings, and Security That New Homes Provide

This Demographic Values the Convenience, Financial Savings, and Security That New Homes Provide

While married couples still dominate the pool of homebuyers, single women buyers are making a splash as the second largest share of buyers in the U.S. market. Prior to 1974, when the Equal Opportunity to Credit Act passed, single, widowed, or divorced women needed a man to cosign a mortgage application, no matter how much income they earned. If a single woman earned $30,000 in 1973, the median income that year for females, a lender could discount the value of those wages when determining how much she could borrow, up to as much as 50 percent.

Times have changed. Single women homebuyers represented 18 percent of all buyers in 2025, according to the 2025 Home Buyer and Generational Trends report by the National Association of Realtors. Single men were just seven percent of all buyers. The share of single women buyers was just 9.1 percent in 1981, according to research by Veritas Urbis Economics.

Social Life, Security, and Affordability

Single women buyers, a diverse group that includes single mothers and women who are single by choice, divorced, or widowed, have somewhat different priorities than single male buyers and couples. “Basic home features like the size and the number of bedrooms are secondary to women buyers,” says Amy Rino, division president of Taylor Morrison Houston and Darling Homes Houston. “They’re more focused on finding a match with a community that has the features they want first and then finding a house that meets their needs.”

Single women, regardless of their age, are more focused on price and affordability than single men, according to a fall 2025 survey by John Burns Real Estate Consulting of 23,000 buyers and potential buyers of new homes. “Single women in the survey tend to have lower incomes and lower net worth than the men in the survey, so they’re naturally careful with their budget,” says John Burns, CEO of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

Key Priorities for Single Women Buyers:

• Social Activities: 56% of women prioritize communities with social programs vs. 32% of men.
• Security: Gated entrances, keyless locks, and security cameras are highly valued.
• Affordability: New homes with lower maintenance costs and HOA-managed services.

Single Women Prioritize Convenience

Single women homebuyers place a higher priority on “frictionless living,” particularly if they have children. “They like everything to be easier if possible because they’re doing it all alone,” says Tim Gehman, vice president of creative services for Toll Brothers. New homes with modern amenities—such as home offices, proximity to workplaces, and low-maintenance designs—are particularly appealing.

Additional preferences include:

• Multigenerational Living: 36% of younger women plan to accommodate older parents vs. 27% of men.
• Pet-Friendly Features: Dog parks, walking trails, and pet spas rank high.
• Flexible Floor Plans: Spaces that adapt to life changes, such as home offices doubling as guest rooms.

Design Features Prized by Single Women

Single women gravitate toward stylish yet functional designs. Lisa McClelland, vice president of design studios for Toll Brothers, notes trends like touchless faucets, quartz countertops, and wood-like tile flooring. Outdoor living spaces with seamless indoor-outdoor transitions are also popular.

“Women of all ages are more likely to give up square footage for higher quality,” says Burns. “They’re willing to take a smaller lot to afford a better-built home.”

Top Design Choices:

• Quartz counters with waterfall edges.
• Spa-like master bathrooms.
• Contemporary or transitional aesthetics.

With more women earning college degrees and entering the workforce, their growing influence in the housing market reflects broader societal shifts toward independence and financial empowerment.