Panel looks at what women want in housing

Women the gender responsible for most spending decisions, including home purchases are choosing to live in communities that emphasize social interaction and convenience, enabling them to simultaneously nurture and multitask, according to panelists at the Urban Land Institute's recent fall meeting in San Francisco.

In a real estate educational session, "What Women Really Want in Neighborhoods, Homes and Community Life," participants discussed the lingering disconnect between traditional housing designs and community amenities versus the attributes and plans most desired by women. The recurring message: developers who "really listen to women" will be the most successful.

"Market to her peripheral vision. Know what she wants if she has to ask, it's too late. She will decide between your home or the competition," said Mollie Carmichael, vice president of market research and product development for the Irvine Community Development Company in Newport Beach, Calif.

Jacinta McCann, managing principal of EDAW Inc. in San Francisco, pointed out that despite the fact that the majority of women now work full-time and the number of female-headed households is up sharply, most U.S. housing is "based on the Levittown model," with the home as a haven for the male worker (and sole income earner) and his family.

For instance, nearly two-thirds of the owner-occupied housing units are single-family detached homes (often located in isolated communities), which do not necessarily meet the needs of single-parent households, childless double-income couples; or even families with children in which the mother constantly juggles commuting, chauffeuring and running errands. "These housing options lack flexibility, variety and complexity," she said.

McCann cited an EDAW survey, in which females rated surrounding community and proximity to work as more important in choosing where to live than price. Respondents said the top three weaknesses of neighborhoods and communities were lack of transportation choices; similarity in appearance of housing; and lack of shared open space; while the top four strengths were access to good grocery stores; great parks; choices in transportation; and quality of landscape design. In addition, the company has found through its marketing research that women place a high priority on a safe environment, access to services and employment, the ability to work in their homes, and access to family-oriented recreational activities.

This suggests a need for more integrated-use, closely knit communities designed around open space, she said. "Women-friendly trends in communities are housing clusters with built-in child-care features, secure maintenance and (errand) service providers to accommodate two-worker families, shared housing for singles, easy-but-healthy take-home meals, and teen-friendly environments," McCann said.

According to Melinda Masson, president and chief executive officer of The Merit Companies in Mission Viejo, Calif., when women purchase homes in specific communities, they are buying 1) expectations of their life in that community; 2) amenities to create memorable experiences; 3) convenience; and 4) emotion (the satisfaction of being part of what they believe is a great community).

"Women are all about saving time, and they need amenities that enable them to do this," Masson said. "They want to live in places that give them more choices in how to spend time with their family. They want communities where they feel like they are part of what is going on, but they don't want to have to bear the entire burden of making things happen. They want (living environments that enable them) to meet people so their kids can walk down the street and see familiar faces."

In new communities, the inclusion of social programs and activities as an amenity "reflects a recognition by the development community that women have complex lives," said Brent E. Herrington, vice president of DMB Associates Inc., in Scottsdale, Ariz. "The social infrastructure is designed to play the connector role that women played 30 and 40 years ago. The difference (in response) to communities conducive to social interaction and those that aren't is amazing."

McCann pointed out that communities centered around a single amenity such as a golf clubhouse tend to be perceived as less welcoming for women and children. "The big challenge is making the leap to a hybrid form of clubhouse. They are seldom used as effectively as they could be," she said.

Many of the attributes women seek in communities are in alignment with the preferences of other so-called "nontraditional" households, such as immigrant families, childless couples and singles, said Steven R. Kellenberg, principal of EDAW Inc., in Irvine, Calif. "More thought is being given about how to integrate (development) into the community fabric. A lot of this is about creating atmosphere, having activity flow into the street, providing individuality in homes and a lot of shared common space. It's about providing greater security through public space, not gating."

In another session, Nancy Evans, co-founder of iVillage, said the popularity of the Internet site which reaches more than 13 million women is primarily due to its success in drawing women seeking to make virtual connections in the absence of face-to-face contact. "I don't think iVillage would have been as successful if women had been finding a sense of community in their neighborhoods," she said.

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute. Its mission is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land in order to enhance the total environment.