Courtney Mosconi was hesitant when her parents first suggested she buy a home instead of rent.

"It’s such a big commitment, both financially and emotionally," said Mosconi. "I was scared to take that step."

That was five years ago. Now, Mosconi owns a home with her sister near central Tucson and is excited about paying it off in the next 10 years.

"I was a little overwhelmed at first, but I’m glad I did it," she said. "It’s nice to have the freedom of owning a home."

Other women feel the same way.

In 2007, more than one of every five homes sold was bought by a woman, according to the National Association of Realtors. Single women bought 22 percent of all houses sold last year, which is up from 14 percent in 1995.

In 1981, the number of single men and single women buying houses was about equal. As of last year, the number of unmarried men who bought houses was 9 percent less than the number of single women who did, despite the fact that single women earned $29,736 compared with $38,936 for single men, according to a Consumer Expenses Survey.

Housing act lowered barriers

Before the 1974 Fair Housing Act, which made gender discrimination in the housing market illegal, there were barriers barring women from buying a house.

Previously, it was difficult for single women to get a mortgage as their income was often discounted because it was assumed they would get married and stop working.

"The idea that a woman could be independent enough to make such a large purchase was not a common one, even 30 years ago," said Patricia MacCorquodale, professor of women’s studies and dean of the Honors College at the University of Arizona.

The Fair Housing Act opened doors to women, and the government sought to help women achieve parity with men.

"The effects of the Fair Housing Act on the levels of women achieving this financial security has been huge," MacCorquodale said.

The percent of unmarried women homeowners reaching double digits during the 1990s came about partly because the Federal Housing Administration allowed women to count child support as income. Financial education has also given women the confidence to purchase a home on their own.

"Because of programs that many businesses and the government have to help women learn about financial responsibility, their financial confidence has risen," said Jerome Niwinski, a local real estate agent with more than 20 years of experience helping women buy homes.

There are many other factors that contribute to the increase.

Later marriages, better pay

Both women and men are, on average, marrying later. Women, according to U.S. Census data from the last 40 years, marry at age 26 on average, six years later than they married in 1960.

The divorce rate has also significantly increased. About half of all new marriages end in divorce.

"With women getting married later, getting divorced or not even getting married at all, it makes sense for more women to buy a home without a husband," said Niwinski. "Women are becoming aware that being financially dependent on a husband is no longer smart, especially with women making more money than ever."

The pay gap is closing quickly, and women have broken through nearly every glass ceiling there is in America. Women have also been the dominant sex on college campuses since the 1970s.

"The number-one thing I see is that the more education a person has, the greater chance they will buy a home," said MacCorquodale, who recently teamed up with a real estate agent to specifically target unmarried women.

Single mothers make up a large percentage of the single women who buy homes. A study published by Harvard University found that a quarter of single mothers spend half their income on housing, compared with 10 percent of men.

"Owning a home provides security that mothers crave, meaning they have the stability, which means they don’t have to move every year," said Niwinski.

This was especially true for Jessica Shettleroe, a single mother of two.

"I wanted to give my kids a home that they could grow up in," said Shettleroe, who has owned her home since 2003. "I was tired of throwing my money away renting an apartment so I borrowed money from my dad to help me with a down payment."

This sense of stability doesn’t seem to be as much of a concern for men.

"One of the reasons that women are buying homes more than men is that women have more of a sense of a ‘place to go’," said Niwinski. "Men are more nomadic."

Men seem to prefer spending their money on smaller, flashier items that increase their current standard of living, MacCorquodale agreed.