PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Coldwell Banker) – Men may be from Mars and women from Venus, but every day millions of couples must work through those differences to make life-altering decisions. Like buying a home, for instance.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC recently enlisted International Communications Research to survey 1,000 individuals to find out how much men and women differ in the homebuying process.

Some highlights from the study:

  • When asked how long it took before they knew their home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their mind the day they walked into the house, versus 62 percent of men.
  • Fifty-five percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family than to their job, compared with only 37 percent of men.
  • Sixty-four percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent).
  • When respondents were asked how they would use a spare 12×12 room, the uses that proved most popular with both men and women were bedroom, office/study and family room.
  • Of the 8 percent who indicated they would turn that spare room into an entertainment center, it was a preponderance of men leading the charge. In fact, four times as many men as women said they would use the extra space for recreation and entertainment.