A place of her own: Tracking the growing number of women realty buyers

'The EMI on my house is the same as the rent I paid for a 1BHK in Bandra, and the downpayment is the same as what I paid in security deposit for the rented flat,' she says. For Priya Agarwal, 30, an investment advisor from Thane, buying a home was about ensuring long-term financial independence. 'From viewing the flat online to paying for it, I did everything on my own,' she says. 'And buying my own 1BHK helped me become more independent and learn to manage my earnings, savings and budgets wisely.' The government's affordable housing scheme [which offers subsidies for homes in certain categories] is allowing more women from lower-income households to buy homes too, says A Shankar, chief operating officer for strategic consulting at realty advisory JLL India. 'Many banks also offer a 0.25% lower interest rate for women. This is encouraging families to buy homes in the name of women, and encouraging women to buy independent homes.' Women are also buying homes as co-owners, which allows for a reduction of up to 2% on certain levies. Vidhi Shah, 29, a PR executive, bought a 2BHK in Kandivli with her husband last December. 'Buying a home together helped us divide the debt equally and got us both some tax exemptions,' she says. 'The decision has also helped me invest in real-estate for the future.' 'There are more women working now and they are also responsible for their own money,' says Kanika Gupta Shori, co-founder and chief operating officer at Square Yards. 'They are planning their own investment portfolios, and real-estate is always a good(?) long-term choice.' Dailyhunthttps://www.zintro.com/profile/zi7c8fcef4?ref=Zi7c8fcef4