Women are gaining ground all over the world as business powers. Even spheres traditionally dominated by men are experiencing an increasing female presence because, with greater opportunities, women have the opportunity to show that they are just as capable as their male counterparts.
The real estate scene in Australia is a prime example. We are seeing more and more women move to the top of their careers in real estate and related sectors such as finance and mortgage brokerage.
With dynamic experts like the chief economist of the REA group, Nerida Conisbee and the advisor to the board of directors of HashChing and COO Siobhan Hayden – former CEO of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia – opening the way, women provide leadership and ideas in an industry generally dominated by men. , thereby helping to stimulate innovation and inclusiveness along the way.
The real estate industry also offers women a platform to start their own businesses and leave their own mark, with dozens of home improvement, commercial services, and home improvement businesses. purchasing agencies and other related businesses established with women at the helm.
So what drives women to such dizzying heights in the world of property?
According to the June 2019 Quarterly Women's Index published by Financy and Data Digger, women in Australia are still waiting for economic equality to become a reality, due to the intermediate levels of opportunity. full-time employment for women and slow appointments to leadership positions in the top 200 listed companies.
"The gender gap in retirement pensions is widening considerably by 45 years due to the time spent out of the workforce to raise children, so women must always have a plan to make additional contributions later in their working lives, "says the AMP financial planning advisor. Dianne Charman.
This may be the reason why many women have felt motivated to go out on their own to get their due.
"The property is exciting, dynamic, meaningful and you are involved in creating communities for future generations"
In the labor force survey published in time for Women's Day 2019, the Australian Bureau of Statistics notes that 12.1% of women employed in Australia are in fact entrepreneurs, 34.9% of all entrepreneurs being women. Over 46,000 women have started their own business in the past year alone, taking advantage of the ease of online communication and networking opportunities to develop their brands.
Real estate investing has also become a great way for women to generate income without feeling like they are sacrificing work-life balance, given its flexible nature and its relatively open playing field in which gender is generally not an obstacle to results.
Australian Property Council CEO Ken Morrison adds that his "500 women in property" initiative is an effort to defend women in the industry who he believes would benefit from new networking opportunities , profiling and professional development.
He says the council aims to support emerging professional women, as this is "essential to achieving gender diversity in the real estate industry".
"There are a thousand different jobs you can do in the real estate industry," says Morrison. "It’s exciting, it’s dynamic, meaningful and you’re involved in building communities for future generations."
Vision 2020: women in property
We interviewed a handful of high-performing women in the real estate and financial sector and asked: what do you like in real estate and how do you think ownership has the power to change people's life?
"I actively encourage women to get involved and get involved in the issues that matter to our industry, to get out of their comfort zone and to challenge themselves to do evolve their careers, move up a gear and get on board. positions and speak before panels and at conferences "
Leanne Pilkington, Executive Director, Laing + Simmons, and President, Real Estate Institute of NSW
"As a renovator, I often found that merchants wanted to speak to the" decision maker, not the little lady ". They did not know! When it's my house, my reno, it's my decision. We've been able to quickly correct some of these opinions, and seeing the number of women in mortgage brokerage and working as real estate educators grow has been refreshing! "
Jane Slack-Smith, Founder of Your Property Success
"Education is really the secret to success. I have been able to educate many women in the maze of loan options available to them to reap the benefits of competitive interest rates and mortgage products, and as a mentor I paid "it forward" and coached over 150 start-ups – many of them women – in their own careers as finance brokers "
Nancy Youssef, CEO of Classic Finance Group
"I love what the property means to people thanks to the warm and stimulating environment of a home that is your own haven of peace." I am also passionate about using property in a tangible way to create wealth and prepare for the future. There is something sure about having bricks and mortar in your portfolio that can deliver return every month, as well as capital growth over time "
Amy Sanderson, Head of Real Estate Investment Management at LJ Hooker International
"I am so passionate about property because I see it as a great way for people to build wealth. I really have a keen desire to help women achieve financial independence and improve their financial future – especially by helping single mothers and divorced women get back on their feet after break-up. ; a relationship "
Louisa Sanghera, CEO of Zippy Financial Group
”I love property with passion. I am convinced that "a man is not a retirement plan", and I hope I have inspired other women to try it, not to rely on a husband or a partner to create wealth and offer an opportunity for women to initiate themselves into real estate investment – so that they can do it themselves "
Helen Collier-Kogtevs, Managing Director of Real Wealth Australia
ABS notes that 12.9% of women employed in Australia are in fact entrepreneurs, 34.8% of all entrepreneurs being women
“It is often said that women are more in touch with their emotions and the emotions of others. Too often, especially with investors, we hear that decisions should not be made with emotions; they should be done with numbers. Yet emotion plays such a huge role … by understanding that other market players are also driven by emotion, we can figure out how to take advantage of it. This is the key to mastering the game of property ”
Veronica Morgan, director of Good Deeds Property Buyers
"You cannot be what you cannot see. So I hope that all women in the real estate industry who read this can keep their vision of everything they want to achieve in their careers, whether they are receptionists, sales assistants, property managers or salespersons, because other women have preceded and created them. "
Miriam Sandkuhler, CEO of Property Mavens
"I have always felt incredibly rewarded with the property. This is something that I have seen physically for the commitment and hard work I have put in, especially with a view to renovating. Good that my strategy has remained consistent, each transaction offers a new challenge or an option to try something new, talk to new people and visit / research new areas. I have repeatedly experienced the various benefits of 39; invest in a property, and that certainly contributes to fueling passion even more! ”
Crystal Palmer, strategic investor of 2017, Your Investment Property magazine
