Females make up 40% of landlords in the UK property market
According to research recently carried out by Simple Landlords Insurance, two out of every five landlords are female, with most female investors using property to increase their monthly income on top of dividends from stocks and shares along with their salaries.
Tens of thousands of landlords were surveyed, and the data has come back to show that 40% of landlords are in fact women. When you consider that only 17% of SMEs (small or medium enterprises) are owned by women, it clearly shows that property is moving towards equality at a much faster pace than other industries.
Goals
In another data set that FJP Investment has accessed, a recent poll of more than 400 property landlords has shown that the different sexes have different goals when it comes to making investments. Of the data available, it shows that 63% of female landlords are using their rent for monthly income versus long-term capital growth, when the data for the men comes in at 53%.
In conclusion, it clearly demonstrates women’s successful growth from accidental landlords to full-time portfolio investors, and the ability of women to use property investment as the tool to gain financial freedom.
Freedom
A notable success story is that of Bindar Dosanjh, who used property as the tool to find freedom in her decisions. Bindar said “Women cannot take our health, our relationships, our careers, or our families for granted. I have made plenty of mistakes along the way but have been able to fall back on property income when I lost my job in the 2008 recession and again when I became seriously ill and was unable to work. I say to my students, you don’t have to be passionate about property but you need to be passionate about your life.”
The research also shows that women are far more likely to become what we would term “accidental landlords” than men. The data shows that 48% of female landlords are deliberate buy-to-let investors, compared to 61% of men. It shows that woman are more likely to become a landlord by moving in with a partner and then renting out their own property or even by purchasing a property for a son or daughter to live in while attending university.
Diverse
Female landlords are also far more likely to provide rented accommodation to a much more diverse range of tenants than men would. It shows that 35% of women would accept housing benefit recipients compared to 25% of men. In addition, women are more open to renting their properties to pensioners, students and single employed tenants.
Tom Roberts, sales Manager of FJP Investment, has said: “As recently as the 1970s, women could be refused a mortgage without having a male guarantor. It is no longer the case, and those stereotypes are truly historic. Buying, selling and renovating property is well and truly for both the boys and the girls.”
Skills
Women are great at being good communicators and managing people, and this is directly transferred to managing property investments. Women often have hidden skills that men do not, and while men do not have these skills by nature, they are skills that can be learnt.
As with all types of investing, it is important to surround yourself with the right team. Find great experts and listen to the years of experience and learn from their mistakes, thus not having to go through the expensive process of making your own.
Photo credit: Karen Arnold
