Traditionally women have relied on their husbands to support them in old age. But with rising divorce rates and more women staying single, they now need to ensure they provide for their own future.
One in four buy-to-let investors is estimated to be female. The growth has been helped by the popularity of TV shows like Property Ladder, which has made property investing seem much more accessible.
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Investors like the fact that property is a tangible asset, that they understand and can see how it might grow in value.
By 2020, more women than men will have the final say on household financial matters, according to a recent report. Women are now catching up on men in terms of pay, with those in their twenties now earning 96 per cent of mens wages. By 2030 one in four women will be the main breadwinner in the family.
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Stephen Kenny, chief executive of ThePropertyInvestmentMarket.com, believes that one of the main reasons women are turning towards property is because the traditional pensions market is still male centred.
Women get a raw deal when it comes to pensions. Generally they earn less which makes their contributions smaller, and they are also more likely to take a career break for children or to care for elderly relatives, which again affects contributions.
Unlike pensions, property investment is much more flexible and because it is not linked to earnings it isnt affected by working patterns and can be fitted around family life. Property is also very tax-efficient for investors who are not working, as you only need to pay the base rate tax on investment.
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