By: Kishor Pate, CMD, Amit Enterprises Housing
It is an interesting reality that most developers will not consider a purchase inquiry as legitimate unless the lady of the house in attendance. This fact speaks volumes, and deserves in-depth analysis. The plain fact is – when it comes to choosing and buying a home, the ‘male prerogative’ – in any case a rapidly dying concept in today’s world – takes the back seat.
Homes are made by women, not men. Every man knows this, and defers to the judgment of the woman in his life in matters of buying a home. It is nothing but simple, basic psychology. One of a man’s most fundamental drives is to please the woman in his life. In fact, most male-dominated activities are centered on this truth.
Also, women have a genetically encoded gift for homemaking, and much better perspective about what should be included or excluded. A man depends on the woman to make his home comfortable and suitable for family life.
There is, of course, more than just psychology attached to this. There are very practical reasons why women play such an important role in home selection:
- It is the woman who spends the most time in a residence
- It is the woman who has a deep, practical knowledge of what is and isn’t required in a home
- It is the woman who can instinctively judge whether or not a residence’s price fits into the family budget.
Factors men often overlook:
- Future maintenance costs
- Safety factors concerning present or future children and elderly family members
- Required room space for children
- Whether the neighbourhood is suitable for growing children to make friends in
- The availability of all the requirements of daily living
- Availability of storage space in the form of lofts, closets etc. in kitchens and bedrooms.
- Health factors (hygiene of immediate surroundings, proper drainage, means of garbage disposal, noise levels, etc.)
A woman’s keen eye for such details is the primary reason why property brochures tend to be minutely detailed. The fact is that a lot of the features mentioned in a real estate prospectus make sense only to women.
Moreover, most of today’s women are active financial partners in their families. They have a complete grasp of the family’s current and future financial abilities, and their in-built sense of what constitutes real value takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to buying a home.
Given the fact that the woman plays such a pre-eminent role in home purchase, and that the entire fabric of residential property marketing is therefore squarely focused on her, the oft-repeated statement that Indian real estate is a male-dominated sector is totally invalidated. She is, in fact, a major mover and shaker.
Source: Track2Realty
