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More Women in China’s Big Cities Are Purchasing Homes than Ever Before

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More Women in China’s Big Cities Are Purchasing Homes than Ever Before

Southern Weekly,

5 min read
5 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

In a traditionally patriarchal society, Chinese women are evening the numbers when it comes to purchasing homes. 

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Breaking social norms in a traditionally patriarchal society, more women in China are buying homes than ever before. Women's increasing financial independence, the one-child policy and changes in divorce laws all contributed to this trend. Recognizing this trend, Chinese property developers are now placing more emphasis on the presentation of show homes to attract more female customers. Jing Yibu, a reporter for the leading Chinese newspaper Southern Weekly, interviews multiple female homebuyers with different backgrounds and uses intriguing storytelling to present their motivations, financial resources and legal considerations. This is an interesting and insightful read for anyone curious about gender issues in China.

Summary

More women own homes in China than ever before. According to a research report from Chinese realty website Ke.com, 46.7% of home buyers in 2018 were female – a drastic increase from single-digit percentages a few years before. Real estate agents have noticed that women who purchase homes tend to be born in the post-1980s and 1990s, are well-educated, earn high wages, are from economically sound families, receive financial help with the home purchase from parents, and are mostly unmarried. Another study found that single women over age 30 accounted for 22.8% of all home buyers, exceeding their single male counterparts at 19.6%. The statistics echo the rise of women’s financial capabilities and self-sufficiency. These women are also generally more decisive when making home purchases, making them the preferred clients for real estate agents. 

The top reason women list for why they purchased a home is to gain a sense of security. No matter what positions they hold at work or how much they earn, the female homeowners across the spectrum who were interviewed all reported feeling lost and helpless without the anchor of home...

About the Author

Jing Yibu is a reporter for Southern Weekly, one of the most outspoken newspaper in China which The New York Times has described as “China’s most influential liberal newspaper.”

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