Apparently the idea of going back to someone's shared apartment or home after that Valentine's Day dinner isn't very appealing.
Love-seekers tend to prefer potential mates that either own their own homes or live alone, according to a survey from real estate website Trulia. More specifically, both men and women said they prefer dating someone who lives alone in the suburbs, versus alone in the city. But love birds prefer dating someone who lives alone in any locale over someone living with roommates or, even worse, their parents. Only 5 percent of unmarried American adults would choose to date someone who lives with their parents.
But it doesn't seem to matter whether a potential mate owns or rents the space they're living in. Seventy-two percent of men and 54 percent of women say they don't care whether their partner owns or rents their home, the survey found. Still, having a mortgage may send a potential mate a certain signal: More than half of unmarried adults say that owning a home indicates a person is may be headed for a long-term, committed relationship like marriage.
As renting becomes increasingly popular in the aftermath of the housing bubble burst, stereotypes of homeowners may shift. One Morgan Stanley economist has dubbed 2012 "The Year of the Landlord," as 2011 came to a close with the lowest apartment vacancy rate in over a decade.
With so many Americans renting, some love birds are bound to create their own love nest. Nearly three-quarters of unmarried Americans living alone say they would move in with their significant other to save money, the survey found, but men were more likely to be "willing" or "very willing" to shack up.
See below for more stats on how American men and women approach the intersection of dating and real estate, according to Trulla: