Singles, especially women, a growing share of homebuyers

The Chicago Tribune reports:

First-time homebuyers largely have been credited for the glimpses of optimism appearing in the nation's housing market. But there's another demographic group flexing its muscle: single buyers and, more specifically, single women.

Unmarried, solo buyers have been growing in number since the residential market heated up seven years ago, and there've been twice as many female buyers as male for at least a decade. In the past two years though, married couples have tempered their enthusiasm for home purchases, but singles with steady jobs and good credit are still closing on homes. They're either entering the market for the first time or are existing homeowners capitalizing on market dynamics to trade up.