Guide to buying a house as a single woman

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure. Last year wasn't the best year for home buyers. Between high mortgage rates and low housing inventory, the overall rate of homeownership declined in the U.S. But that didn't stop single women from breaking homeownership records — in 2025, a historical high of over 20 million single women owned their own homes. Want to join their ranks in 2026? If so, you'll need to be prepared for some special challenges. As a longtime financial educator and former HUD-certified housing counselor, I've seen solo buyers face unique hurdles when buying homes, such as having to save for a down payment as a single-income household. But for aspiring buyers who are going it alone, there are definitely ways to make the path smoother for yourself. Common challenges single women face as home buyers The housing market hasn't always been friendly to women buyers. Up until 1974, housing discrimination on the basis of sex and marital status was legal, and women were required to have a co-signer in order to be approved for a mortgage. While women can buy homes on their own today, they still face unique obstacles. In 2025, the National Association of Home Builders estimated that 74.9% of U.S. households could not afford to buy the median home. However, women have lower household incomes than men and are more likely to have children in the home, making it that much harder to afford a purchase. On top of that, a Yale study that looked at millions of housing transactions found that women pay about 2% more on average for homes than men. Read more: 5 barriers women face to saving money and how to overcome them 6 ways to prepare for homeownership as a single woman 1. Adjust your budget ASAP For most people, buying a home requires some financial adjustments. But single women often have to make bigger sacrifices than other buyers. In one survey, 44% of women who owned homes said they had to make moves like cutting nonessentials, moving in with family, or taking on a second job. How much do you need to adjust your budget to make home-buying affordable? You'll have to look at the numbers, including your income and expenses, and all of the costs related to buying and owning a home. When you put together your projected budget for home ownership, be sure to include the following: - One-time expenses: Up-front costs such as your down payment, closing costs, moving expenses, home furnishings, and decor. - Fixed costs: Your monthly mortgage payment and, if applicable, homeownership association (HOA) fees. - Occasional expenses: One-off expenses such as home maintenance and repairs. Don't make the mistake of letting your lender dictate what's affordable for you. Lenders can easily approve you for a loan that’s too big since they don't consider major expenses that can weigh on your budget, such as medical insurance and childcare. 2. Do a "mortgage trial run" If you're anticipating an increase in your housing expenses, I suggest doing a mortgage trial run. Essentially, you'll take three to six months to act as if you already have the increased housing expenses. For example, if you expect your mortgage and maintenance to be $500 higher than your rent each month, try saving $500 a month to make sure you can comfortably cover the higher cost. If it's a stretch, you'll need to find a way to make the purchase more affordable, whether by increasing your income or your down payment, searching for a more affordable home, or otherwise. 3. Be selective about who you listen to One of the upsides of buying a home on your own is that you don't have to compromise with a partner or family members on what you want. Still, women buyers often have to be selective about whose advice they take. "You’ll get lots of opinions, but stay true to what works for you," said San Francisco-based real estate agent Trista Bernasconi, who's also purchased a home on her own. "If you want to live in a walkable area, don’t let your uncle who purchased 30 years ago talk you into a suburban McMansion because it worked for him." Bernasconi also recommends interviewing several real estate agents to find the right fit. "You need to feel comfortable having difficult conversations with your agent and be confident that they'll represent you properly and negotiate for your best interest," she said. 4. Have a down payment strategy Many aspiring homeowners find it impossible to come up with a 20% down payment. In fact, in 2025, roughly one quarter of buyers sold stock or tapped into their retirement savings to come up with a down payment. But saving for a down payment can be even harder when you're a single-income household. Fortunately, you might not need 20% to buy a home. While a 20% down payment is usually required to avoid paying private mortgage insurance (PMI), many buyers put down as little as 10% last year. You may even be able to purchase with less than 10% if you use a first-time home buyer (FTHB) program or a government-backed loan, such as an FHA loan or VA loan. 5. Get preapproved before house hunting If you're like most aspiring homeowners, you probably started looking at home listings before you were anywhere near ready to apply for a mortgage. However, it's best to press pause on shopping for a home until you get a mortgage preapproval. Mortgage preapproval is a conditional loan offer from a lender that includes quotes on your loan terms, including the loan amount and interest rate. Getting preapproved helps you in a variety of ways, including: - Informs the maximum price range you can shop for - Helps sellers take your offers more seriously - Speeds up the buying process If you're in a competitive market, Bernasconi recommends going a step further and getting pre-underwritten. When you do this, you'll get more of the loan underwriting process completed in advance, and the buyer may be even more likely to accept your offer. 6. Compare multiple mortgage offers In my experience working as a housing counselor, I found that most buyers completely ignored the details of their loan offers. When a client would tell me they had been preapproved, my response was always, "Congratulations! What's the interest rate?" Unfortunately, few could answer that question. As a buyer, don't make the same mistake. You can save a significant amount of money by examining the rates on multiple loan offers and calculating which offer is most affordable. FreddieMac estimates you can save an average of over $1,200 a year in interest by comparing at least four loan offers. For a 30-year mortgage term, that's a total savings of $36,000. Read more: 8 tips for getting the lowest mortgage rates Smart strategies to make buying a home affordable Many aspiring home buyers worry they'll never be able to afford a home. As a solo buyer, you may have to take extra strides to reach your goal, but there are a variety of ways any buyer can make homeownership more affordable, including: - Be conservative: Don't buy a home that stretches your budget. You can upsize later if your circumstances change. - Take on a renter: Consider house hacking, or renting out part of your space to offset the mortgage cost. - Use assistance: Check to see if you qualify for home buyer assistance programs through the federal government, your state, or a local nonprofit. Overall, Bernasconi also recommends giving yourself some grace during the process. "When buying a home by yourself, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed because the learning curve is steep," she said. "Take time and enjoy the process. It can be stressful in the moment, but it is a big accomplishment."