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by WRAL
RALEIGH (WRAL) --
The housing market is booming in and
around the Triangle, and it is not just married couples who are
buying homes. More and more single women are becoming
homeowners for the first time.
Debbie Ream is painting
her kitchen cabinets and redecorating the home in
Raleigh she bought three months ago.
As a single, 29-year old woman, it is the
first house Ream has ever owned. And she did it all by herself.
"It's a great feeling to walk in the first time
when you have the key and no one else is here, and
just look around and go 'Wow, I did this on my own," she says.
Ream is not alone.
Statistics show
57 percent of single women now own their own
homes.
Realtors attribute the increase to the good
economy.
"They're making more money than they've ever
made. Their jobs are good, secure, and they want
to make some money. They want security and home
ownership gives you that," says realtor Cindy Penny.
Still, many women may not realize buying a home
is within their reach.
Realtors are finding ways to educate them.
"In the business we call it creative financing.
And that's because you gear the financing to the
individual's needs. You'd be amazed. I mean,
[with] 100 percent financing, you can get a house as cheap
as $3,000," Penny says.
For some single women, the drawback in buying a
home is not the money, it is the maintenance a house requires. Those
women are finding that townhouses and
condominiums suit their needs.
"Nothing makes me happier than to drive in
on Tuesday and know my grass has been cut, my
gutters have been
cleaned. Everything is fine," says Linda Barker.
Barker's townhouse is not the first house she has owned, but it is
the
first she has bought alone since her divorce
18 years ago.
"After my kids were gone off to college, then I decided
to make this move," she says.
"This is particularly inviting for a single
woman, just for the
maintenance reasons and the security reasons," broker Cheryl Kilborn says.
Many townhouses and
condominiums also sell at a moderate price
that can be hard to find in the Triangle.
Finding a realtor you can trust is
key for any homebuyer, especially a
single woman.
A home warranty is also important.
They cover even the most major problems, like
heating and plumbing, for a small deductible.
Nearly 87 percent of people who responded to WRAL OnLine's Hot Button poll say owning a home is very important to them.
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Reporter: Laurie Clowers
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