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There are few industries remaining today that have not seen a drastic change in the role that women play, and real estate and relocation are certainly not immune to these changes. Historically, women have been involved in real estate almost since its inception in 1794 and its establishment as a legitimate business in the 1840s. In real estate's early days, women's skills were used as office and clerical resources, but by the 1880s women were already moving into the roles of agents and brokers, though at a relatively slow rate. Nationwide, women brokers dominate the residential real estate market, but have yet to make a major entrance into the more lucrative commercial market. This page includes articles, books and Web sites related to issues facing women in the real estate industry.
The demographic characteristics of REALTORS® have not changed significantly in recent years. The median or typical REALTOR® is a 56-year-old white female, who has attended college and is a homeowner. The majority of REALTORS® (57 percent) are female. However, among members who are over 60 years old, this percentage falls to 50 percent. Among broker licensees, 50 percent are female, compared with 63 percent of sales agent licensees. Among full-time sales agents, 66 percent are female, while 58 percent of part-time sales agents are female.
Source: 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile, (Washington, DC: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, 2011).
Women & the Real Estate Profession
Women making great strides in Nevada business, (Vegasinc.com, May 8, 2011).
Alice Walker: Single women don't hesitate to buy homes nowadays, (The Tennessean, May 4, 2011).
In charge of her own destiny, (Dallas Business Journal, Dec. 8, 2006).
Myth Buster: Women entrepreneurs prepare as well as men when selling businesses, (RisMedia.com, Nov. 6, 2006).
Few Women in Real Estate Development are Paving the Way, (The Business Journal of Milwaukee, Oct. 31, 2008).
Family focus drives realty to success, (Charlotte Business Journal, Jan. 10, 2005).
Industry works to boost ranks of women leaders, (Boston Business Journal, Oct. 25, 2004).
"Rosie the REALTOR®" and the re-gendering of real estate brokerage, 1930-1960, (Enterprise & Society, June 2002). Q
Number of women agents skyrocketing, (Sacramento Business Journal, June 28, 2002).
Girls rule!, (REALTOR® Magazine, Apr. 2002).
A new look through the glass ceiling, (RisMedia.com, June 28, 2002).
A new look through the glass ceiling: Where are the women? The status of women in management in ten selected industries, (U.S. General Accounting Office, Jan. 2002).
Women still rare in business realty: But more than half of U.S. residential REALTORS® are women, (Minneapolis/St. Paul City Business Journal, Sept. 28, 1998).
Women aren't bumping against any glass in the real estate business, (Today's REALTOR®, June 1998).
Looking through the glass ceiling, (Today's REALTOR®, Nov. 1996).
Women in Commercial Real Estate
More Women Entering Commercial Real Estate, But Wage Gap Endures, (Buildings, Dec. 2010). Q
Women aim to grow in commercial real estate, (Boston Business Journal, May 10, 2010).
Women Lose Ground in C-Suite, (National Real Estate Investor, Sept. 1, 2009).
Women Take the C-Suite, (National Real Estate Investor, Sept. 2008). Q
Empowering Women, (National Real Estate Investor, Dec. 2006). Q
Women pry open door of male preserve: commercial real estate, (Business Review, Nov. 6, 2006).
More women are now entering field of commercial real estate, (Business Review, Nov. 3, 2006).
Recruiting and promoting women needs to be an industry standard, (Baltimore Business Journal, Nov. 3, 2006).
More women are now entering field of commercial real estate, (Denver Business Journal, July 28, 2006).
Women rising in commercial real estate, (Buffalo Business First, Apr. 14, 2006).
Virtually no gains, (National Real Estate Investor, Dec. 2005). Q
Playing in the big league, (Tierra Grande, July 2005).
Two women top ranks in commercial real estate, (Wall Street Journal, Mar. 9, 2005). Q
Women gaining ground in real estate, (Business Journal of Milwaukee, Nov. 1, 2004).
Commercial real estate company gives boost to women employees, (Houston Business Journal, Sept. 13, 2004).
Powerful woman soars in a mostly male industry, (Atlanta Business Chronicle, Feb. 6, 2004).
Industry aims to attract more women to its ranks, (Philadelphia Business Journal, Feb. 7, 2003).
Perseverance is critical for women in real estate field, (Boston Business Journal, Dec. 6, 2002).
Women's work, (Journal of Property Management, Sept./Oct. 2002). Q
Building lifelong relationships; The CREW Network not only develops real estate leaders, but also fosters friendships, (National Real Estate Investor, Dec. 2001). Q
No longer an all-men's club, (National Real Estate Investor, July 1, 2001). Q
Organizations for Women in Real Estate
Association of Real Estate Women
Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW Network)
New England Women in Real Estate (NEWIRE)
Women's Council of REALTORS® (WCR)
Books, eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Ask for It (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
Confessions of a Resilient Entrepreneur (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
Down to Business (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
For Women Only (Overdrive Audio)
In Good Company (Adobe eReader)
Kiplinger's Money Smart Women (Overdrive Audio)
The Myth of Work-Life Balance (Adobe eReader)
Seven Secrets of Successful Women: Success Strategies of the Women Who Have Made It—And How You Can Follow Their Lead (Adobe eReader)
Smart Women Finish Rich (Adobe eReader)
Time Management Secrets for Working Women (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
Women and Equality in the Workplace (Adobe eReader)
Women & Money (Overdrive Audio)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
Ebby Halliday: The First Lady of Real Estate, (Brown Books Publishing Group, 2009). HD 1382.5 H15
A Pioneer and Her Successor Parlay Simple Principles into Big Business, (Connections, Jan./Feb. 2008, p. 4, 6-8).
Pat Vredevoogd: client advocate, woman of influence, (Connections, July/Aug. 2006, p. 16-17).
Women of influence. Is it nature or nurture, or both? Women's success in the industry can't be overlooked, but is there more work to be done?, (CRS Residential Specialist, May/June 2006, p. 22-25).
More must be done to attract women to real estate careers, (Real Estate Forum, Feb. 2005, p. 118).
Facing changes: the state of the nation's housing, (Real Estate Outlook, July 2004, p. 12-13).
Framing a domain for work and family: a study of women in residential real estate sales work, (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2002). HD 1375 W55
workingmoms.calm: How smart women balance family and career, (Thomson-Southwestern, 2003). HQ 536 K38
Progress of Women in Real Estate: 50th Anniversary, (Chicago, IL: Women's Council of REALTORS®, 1988). HF 294 W84p
Personal Power: the guide to power for today's working woman, (Boulder, CO: Career Track Publications, Inc., 1985). BF 637 L11
The Woman's Guide to Selling Residential Real Estate Successfully: A Step-by-Step Career Program, (New York, NY: Everest House, 1981). HF 5438 J25
Field Guides & More
These field guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Balancing Work & Family Life
Field Guide to Leadership Development
Field Guide to Women Homebuyers
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The inclusion of links on this field guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this field guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.