Real Estate Highlight: What Women Want in 2021

In the Philippines, women get it done. The country is one of the most female-forward in various categories. In the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2020 Global Gender Gap Report, the Philippines was identified as the most gender equal country in Asia and was ranked the 16th most gender equal out of the 152 countries assessed.

The country posted positive figures for categories such as women’s economic participation and opportunity, wherein it closed 80% of the gender gap. The report revealed that women “outnumber men in senior and leadership roles, as well as in professional and technical professions.”

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The Philippines was also among the top five of all countries studied for the category assessing gender wage equality. The WEF report revealed that the country had already closed its Health and Survival and Educational Attainment gender gaps, with Filipino women having a longer life expectancy than Filipino men, and with more Pinays enrolled in secondary and tertiary education compared to men.

Women as Drivers of Industry Trends

As for property search, Lamudi found that females were more active than males across various categories on the website, with women holding a larger share of pageviews and leads and composing the majority of property seekers. With more women making waves in the corporate world, getting a higher education, and looking into properties, women continue to significantly drive industry trends.

Let’s take a look at how this dominant property-seeking group approached the real estate market this year:

• A long-term investment. More women are empowered to create wealth and buy their own property. Women looked into 117% more properties to buy compared to properties to rent. In January 2021, women posted 109% more pageviews and 103% more leads for properties to invest in compared to January last year. 
• A house to call home. Houses are the number one property choice for women last January. Compared to all property types, houses received 45%–nearly half–of all pageviews for that month.
• Independent millennial living. Women aged 25 to 34 were the most active property seekers in January 2021, composing 31% of all pageviews from women for that period. Millennials in general look for homes that are sustainable, are internet-ready and support remote work, and offer convenience (e.g. proximity to commercial areas).
• Safety. Quezon City was the most desired city for all property seekers in January 2021. The city notably joined the United Nations Women’s Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Initiative back in 2017, and was the first city in the country to criminalize catcalling. It is easy to see why females contributed 61% of all leads for Quezon City in the second half of 2020.
• Decisions on-the-go. Female property seekers do most of their interactions with brokers and sellers via phone. Majority of leads were achieved via engagement through mobile phones, which composed 64%.

What Women Find Essential in a Home

• Security. Women put a premium on having secure homes. Security and privacy features such as an alarm system, CCTVs, and 24-hour security were amenities required in 12% of all leads generated by women.
• Health & wellness. Women wanted more outdoor fitness spaces such as swimming pools and gardens – these open air amenities composed 14% of all leads. Indoor wellness spaces such as gyms and saunas contributed 7%.
• Extra space. Did you know that 99.6% of micro, small to medium enterprises (MSMEs) present in the country are comprised of women? With more women working from home nowadays, their need for extra space to use as home offices and inventory rooms has increased. Amenities that can be used for multiple purposes — such as garages, balconies, and storage rooms – composed 14% of all leads from women in January 2021. 
• Beauty and pampering corners. Lamudi saw more women searching for properties that came with spaces for pampering themselves, such as private baths and closet space. In January 2021, ensuites and built-in wardrobes composed 8% of all leads. Well-thought-out spaces that integrate natural elements, craftsmanship, and color trends are other factors that would make these spaces more attractive to women.

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With people spending most of their time at home and the pandemic blurring the boundaries between work, life, and play, transforming the home into a place that efficiently integrates and accommodates various activities is of utmost importance.

As women continue to play a significant role in Philippine business, having space for women to honor themselves — be it through having a place to unwind, to focus on their passions, or to support their side-hustles — is essential. Celebrate yourself or the women in your lives by helping them create their own wellness hubs and home offices, or by giving them the gift of neater and safer home. 

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Article and Photo originally posted by Lamudi last February 26, 2021.

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