Younger Women Are More Confident in Homeownership Decisions, Survey Finds

Women now make up the majority of homeowners in the U.S. (occupying about 2.7 million more homes than men across the country), but a survey from Angi published March 29 shows that they’re more likely to doubt themselves when making home investment and improvement decisions. They’re also less likely to find home maintenance and repair work “enjoyable.”

The survey, which compiled answers from a random sample of 1,000 homeowners in the U.S. who are all currently working on renovating their homes or planning to in the near future, found that 40% of men frequently feel very knowledgeable about home improvement, repairs, and maintenance, compared to just 29% of women.

“We know women—single or married—drive consumer purchase decisions in the home, but there’s more of a nuanced power dynamic between men and women when it comes to spending decisions on the home itself,” said Angie Hicks, chief customer officer of Angi, in a statement. “Men and women homeowners both see themselves as holding the power on these decisions, but women don’t demonstrate the same confidence men do. Women also prefer to collaborate on home project decisions, while men want to go it alone.”

Men are more likely to see themselves as holding the power when it comes to home-related decisions: 68% consider themselves the primary decision maker. However, 52% of women also answered that they believe themselves to be the leader. So while there’s a gap, a majority of women still feel like they’re in control.

Interestingly, the roles are reversed for younger homeowners. Women under 34 are more likely to say they feel “very knowledgeable” about home improvement (36%) compared to those over the age of 34 (26%). There’s also a slight discrepancy between age groups when it comes to preferring to be the sole decision maker (49% of younger women vs. 42% of older women) . The opposite is true for men: 44% of respondents under the age of 34 would rather collaborate on decision-making, while 39% over 34 want to go it alone and be the main decider.

“We might be seeing something tied to this youngest generation and their attitudes around traditional roles within the home,” Hicks says. “Both partners are wanting to be involved in the process to feel like they’re creating something equally and together. Younger homeowners are also faced with more financial pressure due to the volatile housing market, so they’re more willing to think creatively about home improvement and do their research on what is DIY-able and what is not. Lastly, we’ve seen more single women purchasing homes, which is changing the dynamics.”

For women (or anyone) wanting to boost their confidence in taking control of their home, Hicks recommends educating yourself as much as possible. And although it can be intimidating, asking questions is key. 

“The best thing any homeowner can do is research everything they can and never stop learning about your home,” she says. “Read up on the projects you want to take on and vet your pros by reading online reviews and asking for examples of recent work. Don’t be afraid to ask your pros questions, either—you’re paying for their time and expertise. Over time, you’ll have a better understanding of your home and the work that goes into it.”