Many men and most central London estate agents wouldn’t be surprised to learn that, according to a recent survey, when it comes to deciding where to move, women have the final say. The research, which involved 400 households across the UK, concluded that women were far more influential with regards to moving house than their husbands or partners.
Researchers deduced that the reason is because women spend more time in their homes and neighborhoods. Other possible reasons could be that men feel it is their duty to make their wives happy with regards to domestic arrangements and women are more outspoken about where they want to live.
The research paper published on the study, called Residential Mobility, also found that the quality of the neighbourhood, life changing events, such as a death, divorce and children moving out of the house, were integral for both sexes when deciding where to move. Crime and the environment of the neighbourhood were also found to be important factors when moving to a new address but these ‘objective’ factors were found to be far less important than the people’s perception of the neighbourhood, and more importantly, the women’s perception of the house.
The research is related to a previous study which concluded that the area people decide to move to has a direct impact on their life satisfaction and heath. Fortunately, it has become far easier to move house as mortgage lending has reached an 18 month high. The Bank of England released statistics which showed that 56, 215 home loans are being approved on a monthly basis in the UK.
Across the Atlantic, another study was published in the Harvard Business Review which detailed that women are the decision makers in the purchase of 94% of home furnishings, 92% of vacation bookings and 91 percent of homes. The study also determined that, globally, women control £12 trillion in consumer spending.
The authors of the study, Michael J. Silverstein and Kate Sayre, on who are the decision makers for moving into a new house, buying furnishings and choosing vacations spots concluded that retailers need to cater more to women in the future. Silverstein and Sayre said: “Women not only represent one of the largest market opportunities in our lifetimes but will also be an important force in spurring a recovery and generating new prosperity”.
So if you’re thinking of moving house, look to the woman in your life to find you the perfect UK property with matching home furnishings, and get packing.