Women’s security concerns move up on the priority list

When it comes to buying a house, most women have a specific set of criteria. When the buyer is a single woman, the list is even more detailed and may contain a few features that other shoppers don’t consider crucial.

“The No. 1 thing single women tell us they want is safety and security,” said Kelly Dempsey, vice president of sales and marketing with Jim Chapman Communities. “All of our communities are gated, so that’s a very big plus for the women who come here. They like knowing we have a controlled entrance and exit.”

Chapman’s one-story plans in the Brookhaven series, building in Sugarloaf, Johns Creek, Forsyth and east Cobb, are designed with women buyers in mind, said Dempsey, with features such as wide sidewalks, walking trails and good lighting throughout the neighborhood. Those items were important to Barbara Anderson when she looked at Brookhaven at East Cobb, a 96-home neighborhood where prices start in the $260,000s.

“I wanted to feel secure living by myself,” said Anderson, who relocated last April to be near family. “I liked that this is a gated community and that I have an enclosed garage I can pull into when I come home from baby-sitting at 11:30 at night. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

Another top consideration for this demographic is meeting and interacting with neighbors, said Dempsey. “Our single women buyers, either widowed or divorced, are looking to be active. They want to socialize and are more community-minded than the men. Women are looking for the bridge club, the lunch club, the book club and other functions where they can get together with other people. So our communities all feature activities directors to make that easier.”

Knowing the neighbors adds to a woman’s sense of security in a community, said Kris Johnson, a sales agent at the Villas at Blackberry Run in Dallas.

“The social connections are really important to these ladies,” she said. “It helps them feel more secure.”

Like most buyers, the single woman is considering her pocketbook as well. They view owning a home as an investment and are willing to take the risk on their own. That was the case with Sandy Galleno, a townhouse buyer at Stonehaven Terrace in Cumming.

“I looked at apartments and found I was going to pay the exact same amount in rent as I’m paying in a mortgage, so it was a no-brainer,” said Galleno. “I wanted something that was affordable on my own salary and something that was new, without the headache of things breaking down. Even if I don’t stay here, when I want to step up, I can sell this and have assets to get me into something else.”

The low-maintenance homes at Blackberry Run fill the bill for many single women, said Johnson. “They want a detached home but don’t want the maintenance. These are made for easy living, with lawn service included. Women can feel confident living on their own in this environment.”