Women are Steadily Reshaping Indian Real Estate Narratives

Real estate decisions are no longer confined to men. Women were solely influencers in the past, although they are now equally/more involved in the final decision and home purchase procedures. They are also jointly taking on the financial responsibility for home investments too. As per reports, 30-35% of homebuyers in the country were women in 2019. A recent survey shows how 65% of women prefer investments in real estate over other instruments like stocks or gold. 

Women today have more confidence about their likes and dislikes while choosing properties and their influence is steadily going up for property purchases and investments. The Founder and COO, Square Yards, Kanika Gupta Shori, a woman entrepreneur in the real estate industry herself, feels that women are breaking free of the shackles imposed by the glass ceiling, even in hitherto male-dominated segments like real estate. She also opines that today’s women is not just fiercely independent and educated, but also strives to create her own identity while scaling up investment portfolios simultaneously. She states how women are known for their communication-linked adeptness, holistic approach towards decision-making and detail-oriented outlook. These are attributes which are highly necessary in real estate, an otherwise complex world, and are positively viewed by multiple industry stakeholders. 

Women are now taking charge of their own investments with strategic insights and confidence being their key pillars. This underlines the pivotal role that they are already playing in the real estate industry according to experts. Women were primary decision-makers in the interiors space, while their participation has gone up even more in the recent past with more startups enabling owners to manifest their design ideas on paper. The active participation of women is also leading to higher demand for more spacious and ready-to-move homes according to industry players. Some aspects encouraging women to make real estate investments include lower rates of stamp duty, accessibility in terms of PMAY and other schemes, concessions on property registration costs, higher loan eligibility, women-exclusive offers from developers and specialized loan offerings from financial institutions/banks. Many industry experts also highlight how a majority of women investors in real estate are married and their husbands also encourage them to become co-owners of properties. The proportion of single women purchasing property is still on the lower side. All in all, women investing in real estate are not just wisely deploying their money, but they are also leaving behind a legacy and ensuring future security for their families.