Realty, stocks top priority for women

New Delhi: Real estate consultant Anarock has conducted a survey that suggests that 65 per cent women respondents prefer to invest in real estate, 20 per cent in stocks and only 8 per cent of them in gold.

The sample size of the consumer survey was 5,500, out of which 50 per cent respondents were women. At least 65 per cent women respondents prefer to invest in real estate, followed by 20 per cent favouring the stock markets. Just 8 per cent of women respondents favour gold, and 7 per cent prefer FDs (fixed deposits), the report said.

Among other findings, Anarock said that 83 per cent of women respondents are looking at homes priced above Rs45 lakh. "The Rs 45-90 lakh budget range is the 'sweet spot' for 36 per cent of women home seekers, and 27 per cent prefer premium homes priced from Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore. 20 per cent prefer luxury homes priced more than Rs 1.5 crore," Anarock said. Affordable homes priced under Rs 45 lakh are the least preferred.

Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman, Anarock Group, said, "Over the last decade, women have emerged as a major residential real estate buyer segment, especially in the urban centres." Their preferences are also distinctly shaping newer trends - from bigger homes, ready-to-move properties to specific budgets, they know exactly what they want." "And like millennials, their preferences now influence the supply that developers put on the market," Kumar said. More women are now also buying property for investment.