Women have final say in buying a house

When couples buy a home the woman is far more likely than the man to have the final say, a new survey suggests.

According to estate agency group Your Move, some 41 per cent of women questioned in a survey of 560 people said they made the final decision, while only 29 per cent of men claimed to do the same.

The report suggests more and more home hunters "do a Kirstie Allsopp" and follow the example of the star of TV's Location, Location, Location to track down homes which "tick all the boxes".

While 28 per cent of women said no-one - not even their partner - influences their decision, only one fifth of men give the survey a similar answer.

Tellingly, 51 per cent of men think they make a joint decision with their partners, whereas only 47 per cent of women say the same thing.

Your Move managing director Gareth Samples says: "When buying a home, wives and girlfriends wear the trousers. Men may well have input into financial decisions, but it is the women who often have the final say."

The survey also found that the sexes prioritise different aspects of a property with 11 per cent of men putting energy efficiency among their top three priorities, and only 5 per cent of women feeling the same.

Samples says: "Although 48 per cent of women buyers prioritise the garden, compared to just 26 per cent of men, first impressions of neighbours are far more important to men. Only 3 per cent of women say this is a priority, compared to more than 6 per cent of men.

"Though energy efficiency is central to Government policies, potential buyers see it as icing on the cake rather than the main ingredient in their decision."

Women also think they make more money on bricks and mortar. They believe they have made a 125 per cent profit on their home, whereas men who made the choice are more conservative, assuming their property is up 115 per cent.

In fact, both on average made substantially more than that, with purchases made on women's final say-so gaining 166 per cent in value and men's by 163 per cent.

Your Move says couples who made a joint decision to buy think their home has risen 96 per cent in value, although the actual figure is probably nearer to 107 per cent.

Samples says: "Controversial as it is, the moral of the story is, if you want to make money out of your move, you're better off leaving the decision to the woman of the house."

So do women dominate the house purchasing process in most families?

Kate Faulkner, editor of the new edition of the Which? guide to Buy, Sell And Move House, says: "In my experience, men have two or three specific demands from their next home; in my case, my partner wanted a room big enough for a pool table, and a house that could accommodate his speaker system.

"I had a list of about 10 key requirements, and I think that's quite typical for many women. That's why it can seem that women are putting more into the purchasing decision."

The updated edition of Buy, Sell And Move House, Which? Essential Guides, by Kate Faulkner, is available now, priced £10.99.