Women have always been subdued in a male patriarchal society for a very long period of time. It was believed that females are entitled to remain within the confines of the house while it was the responsibility of the man to go and make a living.
Since women were dependent on men for financial reasons, it somehow made the men feel that they were superior human beings and had the right to enforce themselves.
With the advent of modern society and the change of the mindset of the people, this stigma started to get erased. More and more women started stepping out of the house and coming to the forefront and succeeded phenomenally in whatever they decided to venture on.
If you analyze closely, women have been at par, if not ahead, of men in almost all fields, whether it be science, arts, sports, politics etcetera. They have excelled in the business field and have carved out quite a space for themselves.
An important aspect where the history of women involvement depicts the rise of females in a small scale is real estate. It was primarily considered a man’s world. In fact, if you look at the number of females who were real estate agent during its time of inception around the year 1840, you will hardly see any.
It was not until 1910, almost five decades, that the first female real estate agent got enrolled.
This discrepancy was not limited to agents itself, even if a woman had to trade in real estate, they had to do it in the presence of a male co-signer till as recently as 1980. However, the tables have turned slowly and the progression of the society has had a large role to play in it.
Women have become a significant part of this venture and the number of female agents has become almost double in comparison to males. The high success rate and the hard work of the female community have shed proper light on their ability in this particular field.
The major paradigm shift
There is no denying the fact that it was a very difficult job for females to carve out a niche in the real estate world, especially since it has been a male-dominated profession for a really long time.
As more and more women penetrated this industry, which comes only second to agriculture as long as employment ratios are concerned in India, there has been a more general acceptance. The workspace and environment have become more suitable and friendly for women, keeping in mind their convenience and comfort.
The talent of females has been duly recognized by a number of reputed firms who have given them the opportunity to express themselves. Consequently, there has been a diversification in this field which has led to the expansion of the firms in a positive manner.
Moreover, research has pointed out that more than 30% of the females in the household take property related decisions these and have their befitting opinions taken into consideration while taking any significant decision.
The numbers reflect that more than 50 percent of the full-time and part-time real estate brokers are females and the transformation of the industry over the past few years has been phenomenal.
Advantages a female has in the real estate industry
The reversal in the gender role in the real estate industry is not some mere coincidence. Women have worked extra hard, overcoming the numerous obstacles that they have faced on their way, to achieve what they have.
It would be safe to say that the characteristics of females, in general, have also had a significant role to play here. They have brought the idea of multi-tasking, having empathy, increased assertiveness, and a deeper insight onto the table which all the big firms have lapped up incessantly.
They have only done so because they have acknowledged the importance of these qualities that could be beneficial for a real estate agent and the results are there for everyone to see.
In the intensely competitive world, where everyone wants to edge ahead of the others, females have been known to have a broader vision of the market and their goodwill and outlook, in general, has led to them being more successful.
A large number of women have taken up the initiative to take this up as a profession, that offers certain advantages as well, like letting them toggle and manage their personal and professional lives and choosing flexible working hours that work best to their liking and advantage.
As a matter of fact, there have been instances where the husband has left his full-time job in order to support and nurture his wives real estate dreams because he has realized the potential.
There are some natural qualities of women which when present in any real estate can work to their advantage immensely. Having strong social connections, knowing the surrounding area well and the ability to bargain and negotiate come naturally to them.
All of these along with the heightened sense of empathy towards the problems of clients have generated more satisfaction among customers. The ability to multitask has also proven to be a boon in this industry, as it is one of the primary requirements to stand out.
Real estate business doesn’t force them to choose between work and family and enables them to be a homemaker as well, which might be a priority for some women. The short working time periods and the advantage of not being restricted to a workspace or office have worked to their advantage.
The investment to start their own venture has also been minimal, in fact, some have started with merely a phone and a laptop and have come a long way.
Why do females want to take up being a real estate agent professionally?
While most companies and firms have understood the importance of diversity and the necessity of having women in this industry, what is more, interesting is why more and more women have opted for this line of profession.
The first and most plausible point is the handsome payment. It helps women become more financially secure and they can contribute to the total income of the household as well. It will also work for someone looking for financial independence and looking to set up their own business venture.
Secondly, it sets up a nice professional flowchart for them that will only help them to progress higher. Many female real estate agents quit their job and start their own training institutes where they educate the new entrants into the business. Being a mentor or an advisor and providing certificate courses to go up the rungs of the ladder is a logical career option.
Thirdly, it enables females to explore their own potential and know their true worth. Modern real estate business entitles an agent to deal directly with a wide array of people, whether it be the owners or developers and sometimes even clients in the form of customers.
The daily challenges and the ability to meet them has carved out an attractive learning curve for women who have relished it and climbed up the stairs to success by their own dedication and hard work.
Has it been easy for women?
Though women have occupied prime positions in the real estate business of late, things haven’t always been the same.
Like mentioned earlier, during the initial years of setup, there was a lot of bias towards the inclusion of females in this industry. This mindset was mainly fueled by the male ego, who felt that they were better suited for the job only on the basis of being a man.
Discrimination on the basis of gender was common and women were not given the opportunity to prosper.
However, things have changed drastically, mainly owing to the success of the few females who were able to overcome the oppression and rise to the top.
They became prime examples of the importance of women in this field and firms and organizations realized the prospects of having a woman which could be really beneficial for business.
The modern mindset and the increase in freedom of women in other fields also contributed to this uprising.
Once presented with the correct opportunity, females have definitely proven their worth and risen to unbelievable heights, to the extent that they dominate the real estate industry nowadays.
Verdict
One major take-back from the reversal of gender in the real estate industry is the fact that the quality of work depends on the person and not the gender they belong to. Many women sit in really high posts in the real estate industry and the scope for success, progress and expansion is a definite possibility.
1 Comment