A gap seems to exist between men and women about the perception of shared responsibilities involved in purchasing and selling homes.
• 71 percent of females say that making the down payment is a shared responsibility compared with 56 percent of males.
• 53 percent of males are more likely to say researching schools is a shared responsibility compared with 42 percent of females.
• 65 percent of females say collecting and evaluating assets and/or financials is a shared responsibility whereas only 54 percent of males say the same.
• 63 percent of men say keeping the house in order for a potential buyer is a shared responsibility compared with 47 percent of women
The sexes stand in agreement on the “most important home features,” ranking “safe neighborhood,” “overall condition of the home” and “number of bedrooms” ahead of others.
Still, the varying points of view between men and women place agents in the middle, serving as the local-market expert and often the voice of reason. Of those surveyed and in a partnership, 83 percent said their last real estate agent was helpful in forming an agreement with their partner and 86 percent value the agent’s point of view as much as or more than their partner’s.
Carl Medford, an agent with Prudential California Realty’s Castro Valley office, said real estate consumers are usually eager and anxious at the same time, which can result in disagreement among couples. “When my clients don’t see eye to eye on a particular property or home features I wait for the appropriate moment and say, ‘I also provide marriage counseling,’” said Medford with a laugh. “If there’s friction I’ll say let’s go get a coffee and sort this out. Simply acknowledging the tension usually helps.”
Medford wasn’t kidding when he mentioned marriage counseling. As a former senior pastor of a large Bay Area church for 24 years, he helped counsel people working through all sorts of challenges and opportunities. “Buying and selling real estate can be so rewarding, yet people need to realize that the process can be stressful. My message is take a step back, take a deep breath and let’s work through the process together.”
