Often it can seem like men and women are speaking different languages. But when it comes to buying a home – the biggest purchase that most people will make in their lives – good communication is more essential than ever. To find out how gender might influence the home-buying process, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC surveyed 1,000 people to see where men and women diverge in making the big decision.

It turns out that men and women are not so different after all – at least in some ways. For instance, when it comes to taking the lead on major financial decisions, almost 70 percent of respondents said it was actually mutual. And over half of both men and women agreed that a home’s security (or lack thereof) would be a deal-breaker.

But in other areas, men and women weren’t quite so similar. Women seemed more quick to make up their minds when purchasing a home – with a majority saying they knew a house was “the one” the first time they saw it. The majority of female respondents would rather live closer to their extended family than their job, while a majority of men said they’d prefer to live closer to work.

When it comes to deciding what to do with that crucial spare room, men and women agreed on the top three (and most practical) options: a bedroom; an office/study; or a family room/den. But that’s just part of the story. The number of men who wanted to turn that spare room into an entertainment center greatly outweighed the number of women who said the same thing. Maybe it’s called a “man cave” for a reason...

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