Stock markets loses sheen with most women, who opt for residential realty: Survey

Still, real estate continues to be end-user led as 31% women buy homes for investment while 69% are end-users. The investment preference is catching up though, as the ratio in 2022 was 29:71.

Bengaluru: Over 70 per cent women prefer residential real estate when it comes to investment, as of July-December (H2) 2024, according to a survey by realty company Anarock out on Thursday.

This is against 65 per cent in the H2 2022 edition and 57 per cent in 2019.

Meanwhile, the stock market may be losing its appeal, as per the report. Just 2 per cent of women prefer investing in the stock market, against 20 per cent two years ago.

Still, real estate continues to be end-user led as 31 per cent women buy homes for investment while 69 per cent are end-users. The investment preference is catching up though, as the ratio in 2022 was 29:71.

The majority (52 per cent) of women respondents also favour premium and luxury homes priced above Rs 90 lakh. 

Of these, 33 per cent pick the Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore segment, 11 per cent choose between Rs 1.5-2.5 crore, while 8 per cent go for homes priced above Rs 2.5 crore.

"With growing independence and higher disposable incomes, women are increasingly coming to the housing market as convinced investors," said Anuj Puri, Chairman, Anarock Group.

About 18 per cent women prefer newly launched properties against 10 per cent earlier. The preference for ready-to-move homes is down to 29 per cent, from 48 per cent in H2 2022. The largest preference is for houses that are to be ready within six months, at 31 per cent.

This highlights that with most new launches being by large and listed developers, women are confident enough to back cheaper under-construction properties with an eye on future profits, said the report.

Puri added, "The only other asset class that has seen a notable uptick on their wish list is gold, whose popularity among polled women investors has risen from 8 per cent in the H2 2022 survey to slightly over 12 per cent in the H2 2024 edition."