This is according to a Woolwich survey on attitudes and spending on engagement rings compared to property deposits and concluded that relationships have literally become more ‘concrete’ over the last 20 years.
The research reveals that when asked to choose between an engagement ring and the deposit on a first home together, nearly a third of Brits (30 per cent) believe buying a house with a partner is the clearest sign of long-term commitment. Only 17 per cent thought that engagement was. Women are even likelier to consider a deposit as a firmer marker of commitment (34 per cent) than an engagement ring (13 per cent). Men are more traditional, with deposit (25 per cent) only just shading marriage proposal (21 per cent).
Woolwich Head of Mortgages, Andy Gray, explained the reason for the research. “Getting engaged and putting a deposit down on your first property are both hugely exciting experiences. Our research has clearly demonstrated that attitudes to cementing relationships have changed. Women in particular seem to view bricks and mortar as the true sign of romance rather than a sparkly ring.”
