Single women are outpacing single men in home buying across the country, underscoring their market power despite the widespread pressures of not being able to afford to buy have depressed many other consumer segments.
“Surely they are a great force,” he said Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist and vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors, during a panel discussion at the Realtor.com® 2026 SXSW Open House.
“When we look across all generations of homebuyers, what we see is that single women consistently outnumber single men, and are consistently second only to married couples in the housing market,” he added.
The trend has helped female homeownership reach an all-time high of more than 20 million homeowners, according to a report by First American Financial Corp.
These incidents are especially striking given that women still earn only 85 cents for every dollar that men do—and that, until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, they could legally be denied a loan based solely on their gender.
The strength and dominance of this consumer segment provides lessons for the market as a whole, proving that even in a high interest rate environment, the desire for equity and stability can overcome major barriers to affordability.
It’s a change, not a trend
“This is not just a market conversation today. This is about cultural change,” Anna Marie CastiglioniThe head of Realtor.com Next, said in an extensive interview.
At the heart of that change, many women are coming into their own, Sheryl PalmerThe CEO, Taylor Morrison, the fifth largest house builder argued.
“If we go back 10, 15, even 20 years, the woman was known as the veto in the purchase decision. Today, they are actually the decision maker,” he said, noting that women now account for 40% to 45% of Taylor Morrison’s income earners.
It illustrates the story of Sindhu Naira digital product manager who bought his first home at age 46.
After losing the house on closing date in 2021, he was off the market, until he had a moment of clarity four years later.
“I’m going to pay the landlord with the Cash app,” he told Realtor.com in a recent profile about the wealth generated. “I saw how much I was paying in rent, and I decided, ‘No, that’s money I could put into the house.’
In late 2025, Nair closed on a $325,000 row house in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond neighborhood, beginning his journey to build equity instead of paying rent forever.
That decision could have a big impact on his net worth: Homeowners are worth 38 times more than renters, according to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances.
‘Equality is a magical thing’
Behind that net worth gap is the power of equality.
“Equity is such a magical thing that we don’t talk about it enough,” he said Lindsey Stanberryfounder and CEO of Walleta publication focused on personal finance and lifestyle topics important to women.
As you pay off the loan, most of your monthly payment goes toward paying down your principal balance and building your equity. Your home may also become more valuable during that time, too—charging your equity higher.
But time is an important part of that power to build equality.
A new study from Realtor.com shows that buying your first home at age 32 can result in a 22.5% or $119,000 higher return at age 50 than waiting 10 more years to buy it later.
And yet, the average age of single female first-time buyers is 44—five years older than the average age of male first-time buyers, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. That difference can translate into significant muted mid-life improvements.
‘Don’t wait’
When asked what can be done to get more women on the market again, Lautz had a simple answer: “Don’t wait.”
“Talk about your path to becoming a homeowner and have those other conversations. Skip brunch, take everyone to your new house, and tell everyone how you got there,” he said.
In addition to financial education, the panel also highlighted low down payment options such as VA and FHA loans as vehicles to enter the market. These programs can be especially powerful for single female buyers because saving on one income can extend the timeline to save for a down payment—which takes the average first-time buyer 10 years, according to research from Realtor.com.
“I was talking to a young woman who deserved to be paid a very small amount of money in her salary, she was a lawyer, and she has changed,” added Stanberry. “Just finding out about those is like a needle and an impact on a lot of people.”
New construction also received shout-outs from the panel for offering low-maintenance homes, often with steep discounts such as home equity depreciation or home mortgage insurance (PMI) discounts for a set number of years.
Stanberry offered a final piece of advice: “This is totally doable,” he said. “Home ownership in the US is not for everyone, but if it’s for you, go for it.”
