Women find the home and men write the check

Men and women tend to take on different responsibilities when it comes to home buying, according to Prudential Real Estate’s third-quarter Consumer Outlook Survey.

Men take on more of the financial aspects, while women tend to take the lead on planning aspects, such as neighborhood research.

Nearly 40 percent of men said they researched banks and secured the mortgage; 42 percent of women said it was their responsibility to manage appointments, and 34 percent took the lead in researching neighborhoods.

More women associate home ownership with “pride,” “accomplishment,” or “independence,” while men tend to associate it with “control over living space” and “more space for my family.”

“As the real estate market strengthens and household formation grows, men and women approach the buying-selling process from different angles,” said Earl Lee, chief executive officer of HSF Affiliates LLC, which operates the real estate brokerage networks of Prudential Real Estate, Real Living Real Estate and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “What’s most interesting is the dynamic that exists among couples and the role that agents play in balancing couples’ real estate objectives.”

When it comes to the most important home features, men and women are mostly in agreement. Both genders ranked safe neighborhood, overall condition of home and number of bedrooms the highest.