June 1998 Published by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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Topic:Brokerage Management, Selling & Marketing
Title:Business Watch - June 1998
Headline:Women Aren't Bumping Against Any Glass in the Real Estate Business
Language:English
Writer:Laurie Moore-Moore
Editor:Elyse Umlauf-Garneau
Article Page #:36
Copyright:Copyright ©1998. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®


BUSINESS WATCH

BY LAURIE MOORE-MOORE

Women Aren't Bumping Against Any Glass in the Real Estate Business

If you're a broker competing with corporate America to recruit bright, young women to the real estate profession or a female salesperson deciding whether real estate is still the right career, here's good news: There's no glass ceiling in real estate.

That's according to a new study--Women in Business Study--conducted earlier this year by Prudential Real Estate Affiliates and REAL Trends Inc.

The survey of successful women in real estate found that 94 percent of them agreed there's no glass ceiling limiting advancement in the profession.

The study surveyed women who own or manage real estate brokerage companies or are successful salespeople.

Whether they opted for sales or management, the financial success achieved by the group would seem to justify their belief that real estate is an entrepreneurial career in which no one holds you back.

Annual earnings for 75 percent of the respondents were $85,000 or more, and 27 percent tallied yearly earnings of more than $200,000.

Many commented on the positive aspects of the profession, such as the ability to balance career and family demands and flexibility in schedules.

But the group also identified less positive realities that go with the job, including stress, having to adapt to the client's timetable, and time spent away from the family.

Despite the negatives, when asked whether they'd recommend real estate as a career for other women, respondents made comments like these:

"Absolutely, because of the independence and the unlimited income. But it's not a career for everyone. You have to be fearless."

"Yes, I raised and sent three children through college with my real estate career."

What strengths must a woman bring to a real estate career? Those in sales ranked five key strengths that contributed most to their success: positive attitude, good communication skills, persistence, negotiation ability, and assertiveness.

Managers had a similar list of necessary strengths, ranking positive attitude as the key attribute, followed by communication skills, leadership, and negotiation ability.

Those who have the right attributes and competencies--whether they're male or female--can reach a high level of success and make valuable contributions to the lives of their clients and customers along the way.

Laurie Moore-Moore, a 25-year real estate veteran, has been in brokerage management and is an industry speaker, consultant, and the coeditor of REAL Trends, a newsletter targeted to industry executives.
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