Single women currently dominate the Prague housing market

Data revealed by the Czech Statistical Office says a growing percentage of the Czech capital’s population lives alone — and most of them are women: 22 percent of women as opposed to 17 percent of men. 

According to the CZSO’s demographic data, the majority of single-person households (55%) are women. Women also have a slight predominance when it comes to purchasing flats from the Central Group, the largest residential real estate developer in the Czech Republic, which says 39% of its buyers are male versus 43% women.

The Central Group says that 10 years ago more men were buying new apartments in Prague but since 2015 women are increasingly signing mortgages.

Additional data suggests that women tend to prefer smaller apartments, which are easier to obtain a mortgage on and, at the same time, apartments that can later serve as investment apartments.

“Women think more about the future and take their own flats as a means of financial security. Moreover, property ownership is a proof of their economic independence,” said Central Group executive director Michaela Tomaskova in a press release. 

At the same time, sales were noticeably declining at 18 percent. In 2009, couples accounted for 39 percent of all developer clients.

The average age of women buying a new apartment from Central Group decreased to 40 years compared to the second half of last year. A typical male client is three years older. 

The data suggests that people do not acquire modern housing until around the age of 40 living mostly in rentals or with their parents and saving on their own for a new apartment later.