In Romance, Homeowners Have Game, Survey Says

Updated
romantic couple
romantic couple

By Les Christie, CNNMoney

NEW YORK -- When it comes to dating, homeownership can be the ultimate aphrodisiac.

In a survey of 1,000 single people, more than a third of women and 18 percent of men said they would much rather date a homeowner than a renter.

Only 2 percent of women said they preferred to date a man who rents, while only 3 percent of men said they would choose a woman who rents over one that owns her home, according to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive for real estate site Trulia.

Both sexes also clearly prefer it when there's no roommate in the picture; 62 percent of survey respondents, men and women, prefer to date singles who live alone.

And there was bad news for the growing number of boomerang kids -- the young adults who went off to college, graduated and then wound up back in their old bedrooms. It's going to be hard to find love, except (perhaps) from your parents. Less than 5 percent of all singles surveyed said they would date someone living in their childhood homes.

"That's a real deal-breaker," said Michael Corbett, a spokesman for Trulia. "If you're still living with your folks, you're dead-on-arrival for dating."

Trulia also asked which home features are the biggest turn-ons. No. 1 turned out to be a master bath. Men (64 percent) love that private sanctum almost as much as women do (75 percent).

Walk-in closets were cited by 55 percent of men and 72 percent of women and gourmet kitchens got 51 percent of the male vote and 62 percent of the female. Hardwood floors, outdoor decks and home theaters also came in high on the list.

Interestingly enough, hot tubs got a lot less love from respondents. Only 26 percent of men and 22 percent of women cited the old standby in the science of seduction as an amenity they would truly want.

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