Gay and Lesbian Home Buying Hits All Time High

Oct 10 2005
Written by Angela D'Amboise

According to a new study by European based legal insurer Zurich Professional, gays and lesbians are buying more homes in recent years ever before. Lesbian and gay couples are increasingly buying properties together, according to to the survey.

Thanks to recent laws worldwide providing for tax breaks and benefits to same-sex partnerships, Zurich Professional revealed earlier this year that the number of same-sex couples buying homes together is at an all time high.

More than half of realtors surveyed revealed a “significant” rise in same-sex couples using their services when buying a house. Those surveyed indicated same-sex couples seemed more comfortable being open about their sexuality with realtors when house hunting.

The figures also indicate that gay and lesbian couples are now the fastest growing group of homebuyers, running ahead of married couples who buy together.

A spokesperson for Zurich Professional suggested that the housing market for lesbian and gay people will likely see another hike when the United Kingdom’s Civil Partnerships Act comes into effect later this year. Similarly, recent domestic partnership laws passed stateside in California and Connecticut have begun to effect housing purchases.

Other changes highlighted by the survey include a rise in friends buying together to tackle rising property prices.

However, heterosexual married couples have hit a plateau in their home buying, the survey suggests.

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